# SpectraShow vs Hue Essentials

The clearest difference is rating: Hue Essentials at 4.2 against SpectraShow's 3.0. Hue Essentials also leads on review sentiment (37% vs 0%) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 months). SpectraShow's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 8) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hue Essentials sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. SpectraShow asks for nothing beyond the download.

Hue Essentials holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hue Essentials has 138 ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of SpectraShow's written reviews are positive against 37% of Hue Essentials's.

SpectraShow ships an update every 4 months, Hue Essentials every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SpectraShow | Hue Essentials |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spectrashow/id1194042480/reviews) | **[4.2 (138 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hue-essentials/id1462943921/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 11 | **138** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **37.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 125 MB | 271 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ledworks srl](https://appshunter.io/developer/1132187055) | [Thomas Vos](https://appshunter.io/developer/1462943920) |

## What reviewers say

### SpectraShow

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spectrashow/id1194042480)

Control commercial-grade RGB-LED light strings with custom animations and colors. Arrange LEDs in 2D or 3D, draw your own effects, and save favorites. Ideal for various decorative and stage lighting applications.

**Highlights:** 2D Pixel Mapping LED configuration, Wireless controller grouping, Custom effect drawing and animation, Real-time gradient color selector, Save multiple favorite effects, Speed and brightness controls

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Hue Essentials

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hue-essentials/id1462943921)

Unlock the full potential of your smart lighting system. Create custom scenes, dynamic effects, and automate your lights with schedules and triggers. Control multiple smart home bridges and devices seamlessly for a personalized ambiance.

**Highlights:** Custom scenes and effects, Music and entertainment sync, Sunrise/sunset automation, Multi-bridge control, Device discovery and setup, Button and sensor automation, Away from home control

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Effects: Christmas | $0.99 | one-time |
| Effects: Universe | $0.99 | one-time |
| Effects: Wonders of nature | $0.99 | one-time |
| Effects: Romantic | $0.99 | one-time |
| Effects: Floral fantasy | $0.99 | one-time |
| Effects: Spooky | $0.99 | one-time |
| Multiple bridges | $4.99 | one-time |
| Premium | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent Hue lighting control
- 👍 Works well with multiple bridges
- 💡 Customizable remote controls
- 🚀 Faster than official Hue app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and crashes frequently
- 🔒 In-app purchases required for key features
- 👎 Poor execution and user experience
- 🔋 Widgets and Apple Watch app not working

**Reported bugs**

- Fade feature not working
- Saving automations not working
- Crashes when checking 'About' section
- Widgets and Apple Watch app issues

**Requested features**

- Repeat/loop function for automations
- Strobing/flashing effects
- Dark mode
- Alexa integration


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SpectraShow free?

SpectraShow is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Hue Essentials free?

Hue Essentials is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, SpectraShow or Hue Essentials?

Hue Essentials is rated higher. SpectraShow averages 3.0 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Hue Essentials averages 4.2 from 138 ratings.

### Do SpectraShow or Hue Essentials have ads?

Neither SpectraShow nor Hue Essentials shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SpectraShow or Hue Essentials?

SpectraShow ships an update every 4 months, and Hue Essentials every 2 weeks. Most recently, SpectraShow was updated on September 30, 2026 and Hue Essentials on October 3, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*