# Hue Essentials vs Command for Philips Hue

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Hue Essentials at 38% against Command for Philips Hue's 0%. Hue Essentials also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hue Essentials sells 8 one-off in-app purchases and Command for Philips Hue sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Hue Essentials ships an update every 2 weeks, Command for Philips Hue every 4 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hue Essentials | Command for Philips Hue |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.2 (140 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hue-essentials/id1462943921/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **140** | — |
| Positive reviews | **37.8% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 4 weeks |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 271 MB | 46 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple Watch | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Thomas Vos](https://appshunter.io/developer/1462943920) | [Joseph Leporati](https://appshunter.io/developer/1155292653) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Command for Philips Hue

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/command-for-philips-hue/id6760245363)

Take full control of your smart lights with advanced features not found in the official app. Create custom scenes, manage multiple bridges, and even sync lights with entertainment.

**Highlights:** Precise color wheel with XY color space accuracy, Powerful scene builder for static or dynamic palettes, Circadian rhythm lighting with automatic adjustments, Remote access and control from anywhere, Switch and button programming for custom actions, Energy usage tracking per light and room, Entertainment streaming for light synchronization

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $39.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hue Essentials free?

Hue Essentials is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Command for Philips Hue free?

Command for Philips Hue is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

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

Neither Hue Essentials nor Command for Philips Hue shows ads.

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

Hue Essentials ships an update every 2 weeks, and Command for Philips Hue every 4 weeks. Most recently, Hue Essentials was updated on October 24, 2026 and Command for Philips Hue on October 24, 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.*