Comparison

Lamptier for Philips Hue vs Hue Essentials

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Lamptier for Philips Hue

Create immersive lighting experiences and beautiful designs for your smart home. This app analyzes your room layout to generate personalized scenes, syncs with music, and offers convenient control over your Philips Hue lights.

Highlights
  • Dynamic lighting scenes
  • Background sound integration
  • Smart group control
  • Space Planner for room analysis
  • Lights Off functionality with timers
  • Custom scene creation
Read full description

Immersive experiences, beautiful lighting designs and everyday convenience made easy with Lamptier - it works with the Philips Hue system and helps to set your lights into a perfectly coordinated scene. The app adjusts the individual lamp settings according to their 3D-position in the room. Key features: - Large gallery of individually generated static and dynamic lighting scenes for Philips Hue - Background sounds, including curated playlists that work with Apple Music and Spotify - Smart groups allowing to launch multiple scenes at the same time - Space Planner that helps Lamptier to learn about your Philips Hue lighting setup - Dedicated "Lights Off" functionality with timers - Fine tuning mechanism to adjust every scene to your needs - Ability to create own scenes and presets To get started with Lamptier, all you need to do is place your Philips Hue lights on the Space Planner. Lamptier will analyse your Philips Hue lighting setup and generate lighting scenes that are tailored to your specific environment. Lamptier has a large gallery of lighting scenes ranging from simple everyday arrangements to more complex dynamic scenes for special occasions. The collection is constantly updated by Lamptier's team of developers, designers and music curators. Lamptier supports Smart Groups that allow you to decide which lights should be used in each scene. Multiple scenes can be activated at the same time. The app requires a Philips Hue bridge connected to local network and a set of Philips Hue bulbs in order to run. Access to Lamptier gallery of lighting scenes requires subscription that is available as an in-app purchase. Some scenes are made available free of charge from time to time. The following auto-renewable subscription plans are offered: - Lamptier Starter Plan (1-month subscription, up to 15 enabled lamps) - Lamptier Monthly Plan (1-month subscription, up to 50 enabled lamps) - Lamptier Quarterly Plan (3-month subscription, up to 50 enabled lamps) - Lamptier Yearly Plan (12-month subscription, up to 50 enabled lamps) - Access to lighting scene gallery will be unlocked for the term of subscription - Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase - Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period - Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal - Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase - Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that service, where applicable Terms of use: https://lamptier.com/terms/ Please note, Lamptier is an independent 3rd party app that works with the Philips Hue system, however, we are not Philips and are not associated with Philips. An active subscription to Apple Music (purchased separately) is required to enjoy the benefits of lighting scenes that rely on playlists containing Apple Music tracks.

About

Hue Essentials

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
Read full description

Imagine unlimited possibilities in your smart home. Set scenes and fast effects to your mood. Experience Dance Sensation in your entertainment area with Philips Hue Entertainment. Feel more in control with schedules and automation from sunrise to sunset. Control multiple bridges simultaneously without switching between them. Supported devices • Philips Hue bridge • Philips Hue Bluetooth lights • deCONZ (ConBee) • diyHue • LIFX Scenes & effects Create the perfect ambiance from your photos or the included photo library. Experience special animations like lava, fireplace, fireworks, or lightning. Wake up at sunrise and go to sleep at sunset with fading lights. Get into the party on the beats of your music. Sync your lights for a night of disco with strobe effects (updates 25 times/sec). Quick access Create rooms and groups to organize your lights. You can even put a light in several groups. Smart lights & controls The unique ‘Touchlink’ search allows you to find new (3rd party, Zigbee) lights. Use included wizards for easy setup of your devices. You can set scenes, actions, or even multiple scenes on a button to make your switch a real investment. Experience the right ambiance during different times of your day with your motion sensor. All of your creations are stored on the bridge. Easy for you and your family. Advanced Automation allows you to have greater control of your smart home. Turn on your lights when the door opens. Adjust your ventilation when the humidity gets too high. Open or close blinds and curtains based on temperature or sunshine. Make it look like you are at home using 'Away from Home' (out of home control). Communicate directly with your Hue bridge using the API debugger. View technical details of your Hue bridge and update its resources like lights and sensors. You want it all? Fast performance with ad-free experience. Purchase the premium version to unlock full content.

Screenshots

Lamptier for Philips Hue4 screens
Hue Essentials4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: Hue Essentials at freemium against Lamptier for Philips Hue's subscription. Hue Essentials also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 weeks). Lamptier for Philips Hue's advantage is rating (4.6 vs 4.2) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Lamptier for Philips Hue sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Hue Essentials sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Lamptier for Philips Hue holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 398 and 139 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 45% of Lamptier for Philips Hue's written reviews are positive against 38% of Hue Essentials's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Lamptier for Philips Hue ships an update every 5 weeks, Hue Essentials every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Lamptier for Philips Hue versus Hue Essentials: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLamptier for Philips HueHue Essentials
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (398 ratings) — better4.2 (139 ratings)
Positive reviews45.1% of reviews — better37.8% of reviews
Number of ratings398 — better139
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscriptionFreemium — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS12.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size134 MB271 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperInfoality LtdThomas Vos

Customer experience

Lamptier for Philips Hue

All ratings398 ratings
Positive89.4%
Neutral4.0%
Negative6.5%
Written reviews51 reviews
Positive45.1%
Neutral13.7%
Negative41.2%

Hue Essentials

All ratings138 ratings
Positive77.5%
Neutral7.2%
Negative15.2%
Written reviews241 reviews
Positive37.8%
Neutral8.3%
Negative53.9%

User reviews

Lamptier for Philips Hue

From 398 App Store ratings

What we love

  • ✨ Beautiful and impressive lighting scenes
  • 🎨 Unique 3D spatial positioning of lights
  • 🎵 Integration with Spotify and Apple Music
  • 💡 Innovative mood and ambiance creation
  • 🎭 Wide variety of themed scenes

Room to improve

  • 💰 Expensive subscription model
  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and connection failures
  • ⏱️ Slow and unresponsive performance
  • 🔋 Excessive battery drain in background
  • 🎵 Random/inconsistent Spotify track selection

Hue Essentials

From 139 App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

Bugs and requests

Lamptier for Philips Hue

Reported bugs

15 issues
  • Effects fail to download
  • Cannot find lights or bridge
  • App crashes during bridge setup
  • Long startup times and unresponsiveness
  • Scenes take several minutes to load
Show 10 more
  • Light limit capped at 15 lights despite paid plan
  • Routines cannot be turned off intuitively
  • Routines persist after uninstall
  • Sleep timer renames rooms and breaks HomeKit sync
  • Music sync causes phone freezing
  • Inverse light selection behavior
  • App crashes on iOS updates
  • Restore purchase functionality fails
  • Apple Music integration rarely works
  • Scenes content fails to download

Requested features

13 requests
  • Siri Shortcuts integration
  • Alexa and Google Home compatibility
  • Apple Watch app
  • IFTTT support
  • Multiple bridge support
Show 8 more
  • Multiple lights per wall/floor/ceiling
  • Camera-based light recognition
  • Force Touch quick access
  • Lights-only scenes without music
  • Consistent music track selection
  • Easy routine on/off toggle
  • Physical button/switch control
  • Offline functionality

Hue Essentials

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

4 requests
  • Repeat/loop function for automations
  • Strobing/flashing effects
  • Dark mode
  • Alexa integration

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Lamptier for Philips Hue

Subscriptions10
  • Starter Plan, up to 15 lamps$2.991 Month
  • Starter Plan, up to 15 lamps7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Monthly Plan, up to 50 lamps$4.991 Month
Show 7 more
  • Monthly Plan, up to 50 lamps7 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Quarterly Plan, up to 50 lamps$14.993 Months
  • Quarterly Plan, up to 50 lamps7 Days trial$14.993 Months
  • Yearly Plan, up to 50 lamps$29.991 Year
  • Starter Plan, up to 15 lamps$29.991 Year
  • Starter Plan, up to 15 lamps7 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Yearly Plan, up to 50 lamps7 Days trial$34.991 Year
8 purchases

Hue Essentials

One-time8
  • Effects: Christmas$0.99
  • Effects: Universe$0.99
  • Effects: Wonders of nature$0.99
Show 5 more
  • Effects: Romantic$0.99
  • Effects: Floral fantasy$0.99
  • Effects: Spooky$0.99
  • Multiple bridges$4.99
  • Premium$7.99

Questions

Is Lamptier for Philips Hue free?
Lamptier for Philips Hue is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Hue Essentials free?
Hue Essentials is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Lamptier for Philips Hue or Hue Essentials?
Lamptier for Philips Hue is rated higher. Lamptier for Philips Hue averages 4.6 out of 5 from 398 ratings, while Hue Essentials averages 4.2 from 139 ratings.
Do Lamptier for Philips Hue or Hue Essentials have ads?
Lamptier for Philips Hue shows ads; Hue Essentials does not.
Which is updated more often, Lamptier for Philips Hue or Hue Essentials?
Lamptier for Philips Hue ships an update every 5 weeks, and Hue Essentials every 2 weeks. Most recently, Lamptier for Philips Hue was updated on October 14, 2026 and Hue Essentials on October 22, 2026.

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