Comparison

Hue Essentials vs Fliteboard

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

Head to head
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.

About

Fliteboard

Enhance your assisted foiling experience with performance analytics, wave riding data, and video guides. Connect with a global community to share riding spots, view sessions, and compete on leaderboards. Keep your equipment updated with the latest software for an improved on and off-water experience.

Highlights
  • Performance analytics
  • Wave riding data
  • Video guides
  • Community sharing
  • Global leaderboards
  • Warranty registration
  • Software updates
Features
Read full description

Find Freedom. Take Flite. Fliteboard & FLITELab* Take your assisted foiling to the next level with new rider features and performance analytics including wave riding data, video guides and warranty registration. Connect with the global Flite community, share your favourite spots to ride, see where others are riding and compete in online leaderboards. Relax, you’ve got this. FEATURES & BENEFITS * Customisable ride data (km/h, mph, knots, ºC, ºF, Kelvin) * Unlock new rider features such as Wave Mode * Track and share rides with the global community * View community sessions * Compete in global leaderboards * Register warranty - Secure user profiles & privacy settings * Help & support * Video guides Use Flite App to keep your Fliteboard, AMP_Board, Flite Controller and LAUNCHPad updated with the latest software to enhance your experience on and off the water.

Screenshots

Hue Essentials4 screens
Fliteboard4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Hue Essentials at 4.2 against Fliteboard's 3.1. Hue Essentials also leads on ratings volume (138 vs 21) and device support (5 vs 3). Fliteboard's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 8) and review sentiment (58% vs 38%). On price, update cadence, ads and iOS requirement 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. Hue Essentials sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Fliteboard asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Hue Essentials holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hue Essentials has 138 ratings behind it against 21, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 38% of Hue Essentials's written reviews are positive against 58% of Fliteboard's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Hue Essentials ships an update every 2 weeks, Fliteboard every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Hue Essentials versus Fliteboard: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHue EssentialsFliteboard
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (138 ratings) — better3.1 (21 ratings)
Positive reviews37.8% of reviews58.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings138 — better21
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 4 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size271 MB102 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperThomas VosFliteboard Pty Ltd

Customer experience

Hue Essentials

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

Fliteboard

All ratings21 ratings
Positive47.6%
Neutral14.3%
Negative38.1%
Written reviews12 reviews
Positive58.3%
Neutral16.7%
Negative25.0%

Bugs and requests

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

Fliteboard

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

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
None

Fliteboard

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Hue Essentials free?
Hue Essentials is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Fliteboard free?
Fliteboard is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Hue Essentials or Fliteboard?
Hue Essentials is rated higher. Hue Essentials averages 4.2 out of 5 from 138 ratings, while Fliteboard averages 3.1 from 21 ratings.
Do Hue Essentials or Fliteboard have ads?
Neither Hue Essentials nor Fliteboard shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Hue Essentials or Fliteboard?
Hue Essentials ships an update every 2 weeks, and Fliteboard every 4 weeks. Most recently, Hue Essentials was updated on October 17, 2026 and Fliteboard on October 12, 2026.

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