Comparison

Hue Essentials vs Patricia Shepherd

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

Patricia Shepherd

Features
Read full description

Download our latest app and search properties on the go! Patricia Shepherd is one of the leading estate agents specialising in sales, lettings and property management. Download thePatricia Shepherd now! The Patricia Shepherd enables you to receive a personalised service at your fingertips. Browse properties which meet your expectation and fit your budget. We are committed to providing exceptional service to our customers. Download our mobile app now to help us take care of your needs. With our latest app, you can now: Browse all our properties in one place Set your property preferences Make enquiries/request a viewing Receive regular updates See all our new properties as soon as they are available Call or email our office direct from the App Individual dashboard for; Applicants | Tenants | Landlords | Vendors | Contractors/suppliers App Highlights: For Landlords and tenants - have full access to your statements Tenants - report repairs and track progress through to completion Applicants – receive properties instantaneously that meet your criteria Contractors - send maintenance quotes with a single click Landlords - approve those maintenance quotes via the app All - call or email our office directly from the App.

Screenshots

Hue Essentials4 screens
Patricia Shepherd4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Patricia Shepherd at none against Hue Essentials's 8. Hue Essentials's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 12 months) and device support (5 vs 3). On price, 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. Patricia Shepherd asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Hue Essentials ships an update every 2 weeks, Patricia Shepherd every 12 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Hue Essentials versus Patricia Shepherd: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHue EssentialsPatricia Shepherd
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (144 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews37.8% of reviews—
Number of ratings144 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 12 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size271 MB38 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperThomas VosGlobal NoticeBoard

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

Patricia Shepherd

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

Patricia Shepherd

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Hue Essentials free?
Hue Essentials is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Patricia Shepherd free?
Patricia Shepherd is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Hue Essentials or Patricia Shepherd have ads?
Neither Hue Essentials nor Patricia Shepherd shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Hue Essentials or Patricia Shepherd?
Hue Essentials ships an update every 2 weeks, and Patricia Shepherd every 12 months. Most recently, Hue Essentials was updated on November 6, 2026 and Patricia Shepherd on October 30, 2026.

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