# ColorPicker4Hue vs Hue Essentials

The clearest difference is rating: ColorPicker4Hue at 5.0 against Hue Essentials's 4.2. ColorPicker4Hue also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 8) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Hue Essentials's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 7 months) and ratings volume (138 vs 1). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hue Essentials sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. ColorPicker4Hue asks for nothing beyond the download.

ColorPicker4Hue holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hue Essentials has 138 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

ColorPicker4Hue ships an update every 7 months, Hue Essentials every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ColorPicker4Hue | Hue Essentials |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/colorpicker4hue/id1454382242/reviews)** | [4.2 (138 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hue-essentials/id1462943921/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **138** |
| Positive reviews | — | 37.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 14 MB | 271 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Gerard Broeksteeg](https://appshunter.io/developer/1443397483) | [Thomas Vos](https://appshunter.io/developer/1462943920) |

## What reviewers say

### ColorPicker4Hue

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/colorpicker4hue/id1454382242)

Capture colors from your surroundings using your iPhone camera and instantly match your smart lights to those shades. Adjust brightness and saturation directly on the camera screen for precise control. Easily select which lights to control and switch between camera and light lists.

**Highlights:** Camera color capture, Match lights to captured colors, Brightness and saturation sliders, Select specific lights, Swipe between camera and light list

**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 ColorPicker4Hue free?

ColorPicker4Hue 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, ColorPicker4Hue or Hue Essentials?

ColorPicker4Hue is rated higher. ColorPicker4Hue averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Hue Essentials averages 4.2 from 138 ratings.

### Do ColorPicker4Hue or Hue Essentials have ads?

Neither ColorPicker4Hue nor Hue Essentials shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ColorPicker4Hue or Hue Essentials?

ColorPicker4Hue ships an update every 7 months, and Hue Essentials every 2 weeks. Most recently, ColorPicker4Hue was updated on October 9, 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.*