# HueZapper for Philips Hue vs Hue Essentials

The clearest difference is update cadence: Hue Essentials at every 2 weeks against HueZapper for Philips Hue's every 2 months. Hue Essentials also leads on device support (5 vs 3). HueZapper for Philips Hue's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. HueZapper for Philips Hue sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Hue Essentials sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.1 for HueZapper for Philips Hue against 4.2 for Hue Essentials. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 47 and 138 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 30% of HueZapper for Philips Hue's written reviews are positive against 38% of Hue Essentials's.

HueZapper for Philips Hue ships an update every 2 months, Hue Essentials every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HueZapper for Philips Hue | Hue Essentials |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (47 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/huezapper-for-philips-hue/id1338836073/reviews) | **[4.2 (138 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hue-essentials/id1462943921/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 47 | **138** |
| Positive reviews | 30.4% of reviews | **37.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 7 MB | 271 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Giulio Spelanzon](https://appshunter.io/developer/1325747155) | [Thomas Vos](https://appshunter.io/developer/1462943920) |

## What reviewers say

### HueZapper for Philips Hue

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/huezapper-for-philips-hue/id1338836073)

Control your Philips Hue lights with an intuitive interface. This app transforms your device into a remote surface for instant access to lights, allowing you to adjust brightness, color, and create custom scenes. Organize lights into zones and control multiple lights simultaneously.

**Highlights:** Instant light access via remote surface, Adjust brightness and color, Create and recall custom scenes, Organize lights into zones, Control multiple lights simultaneously, Smart dimming feature

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Version | $5.99 | one-time |


### 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 HueZapper for Philips Hue free?

HueZapper 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, HueZapper for Philips Hue or Hue Essentials?

Hue Essentials is rated higher. HueZapper for Philips Hue averages 4.1 out of 5 from 47 ratings, while Hue Essentials averages 4.2 from 138 ratings.

### Do HueZapper for Philips Hue or Hue Essentials have ads?

Neither HueZapper for Philips Hue nor Hue Essentials shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HueZapper for Philips Hue or Hue Essentials?

HueZapper for Philips Hue ships an update every 2 months, and Hue Essentials every 2 weeks. Most recently, HueZapper for Philips Hue was updated on October 16, 2026 and Hue Essentials on October 17, 2026.

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