# Lighter for Philips Hue Lights vs Hue Essentials

The clearest difference is rating: Lighter for Philips Hue Lights at 4.6 against Hue Essentials's 4.2. Lighter for Philips Hue Lights also leads on ratings volume (1.9K vs 141) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). Hue Essentials's advantage is device support (5 vs 3). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Lighter for Philips Hue Lights sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Hue Essentials sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Lighter for Philips Hue Lights holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lighter for Philips Hue Lights has 1.9K ratings behind it against 141, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 32% of Lighter for Philips Hue Lights's written reviews are positive against 38% of Hue Essentials's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Lighter for Philips Hue Lights ships an update every 3 weeks, Hue Essentials every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 26, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lighter for Philips Hue Lights | Hue Essentials |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (1.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lighter-for-philips-hue-lights/id1437769103/reviews)** | [4.2 (141 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hue-essentials/id1462943921/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.9K** | 141 |
| Positive reviews | 31.9% of reviews | **37.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 249 MB | 271 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [A Better Home, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/853520342) | [Thomas Vos](https://appshunter.io/developer/1462943920) |

## What reviewers say

### Lighter for Philips Hue Lights

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lighter-for-philips-hue-lights/id1437769103)

Transform your Philips Hue lights with dynamic scenes and custom ambiance. Easily manage rooms and light groups, and enjoy a new free scene every week. Elevate your home lighting experience with professional designs and community-driven features.

**Highlights:** Weekly free scenes, Custom mood and ambiance creation, Room and light group management, Professionally designed lighting tracks, Dynamic lighting effects

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lighter Monthly Subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| Lighter Yearly Subscription | $29.99 | per year |
| Lighter Yearly Subscription | $29.99 | per year |
| Lighter Yearly Subscription | $59.99 | per year |
| Sky Scene Album | $4.99 | one-time |
| Nightlife Scene Album | $4.99 | one-time |
| America Scene Album | $4.99 | one-time |
| Forest Scene Album | $4.99 | one-time |
| Ultimate Lighting Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Lighter All Scenes | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌈 Great variety of scenes and colors
- 🎨 Fun and entertaining lighting effects
- 👍 Works well with Google Home and smart lights
- 💡 Excellent app for Philips Hue lights

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription model (up to $79/year)
- 🔒 Locked content behind paywall
- 🔋 Battery drain issues
- 🐛 Connectivity and stability problems
- 🤔 Confusing pricing and subscription options

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes and freezes frequently
- Inability to connect to Hue bridge
- Scenes not working as expected
- Subscription issues and locked content

**Requested features**

- Add monthly subscription option
- Allow customization and saving of scenes
- Improve app performance and stability
- Provide more free content and features


### 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 Lighter for Philips Hue Lights free?

Lighter for Philips Hue Lights 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, Lighter for Philips Hue Lights or Hue Essentials?

Lighter for Philips Hue Lights is rated higher. Lighter for Philips Hue Lights averages 4.6 out of 5 from 1.9K ratings, while Hue Essentials averages 4.2 from 141 ratings.

### Do Lighter for Philips Hue Lights or Hue Essentials have ads?

Neither Lighter for Philips Hue Lights nor Hue Essentials shows ads.

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

Lighter for Philips Hue Lights ships an update every 3 weeks, and Hue Essentials every 2 weeks. Most recently, Lighter for Philips Hue Lights was updated on October 26, 2026 and Hue Essentials on October 26, 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.*