Hue Essentials vs 52Dates
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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.
52Dates
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**52dates** helps you turn love into something you can look forward to, week after week. Instead of giving one gift, create a full collection of thoughtful date ideas for your partner. Choose and customize dates, add personal details, and share them through a special link. Your partner can open each date when the countdown ends, revealing a new surprise moment to enjoy together. Whether you want to plan romantic dinners, cozy nights in, spontaneous adventures, creative activities, or meaningful quality time, 52dates makes it easy to build a year full of memories. **How it works** Create your own date plan with 52 dates, or choose a different number that fits your gift. Customize each date with your own ideas, messages, locations, costs, and extra details. Once your plan is ready, your partner receives a link to their personal date calendar. Each date stays hidden until it is time to reveal it. This creates anticipation, surprise, and something special to look forward to throughout the year. **Perfect for** Anniversaries, birthdays, Valentine’s Day, Christmas, weddings, long-term couples, new relationships, or simply as a thoughtful way to spend more quality time together. **Why couples love 52dates** 52dates is more than a list of date ideas. It is a personal gift, a planning tool, and a romantic experience in one. You can make each date as simple, funny, adventurous, cozy, or meaningful as you like. Plan once, enjoy all year. **Features** Create a personalized collection of date ideas Choose 52 dates or customize the number Add your own romantic, fun, or creative plans Share your date plan with your partner Use countdowns to reveal dates at the right moment Keep future dates hidden for extra surprise Create a meaningful gift that lasts beyond one day With 52dates, every date becomes part of a bigger story.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: 52Dates at every 2 days against Hue Essentials's every 2 weeks. Hue Essentials's advantage is device support (5 vs 3). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Hue Essentials sells 8 one-off in-app purchases and 52Dates sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Hue Essentials ships an update every 2 weeks, 52Dates every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Hue Essentials | 52Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.2 (138 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 37.8% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 138 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 2 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 271 MB | 68 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Thomas Vos | Aslan Innovations |
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
52Dates
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Hue Essentials
- Effects: Christmas$0.99
- Effects: Universe$0.99
- Effects: Wonders of nature$0.99
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- Effects: Romantic$0.99
- Effects: Floral fantasy$0.99
- Effects: Spooky$0.99
- Multiple bridges$4.99
- Premium$7.99
52Dates
- Upgrade to Ultimate Outdoor &$0.99
- Creative Starter Pack$1.99
- Entertainment Starter Pack$1.99
Show 7 moreShow fewer
- Entertainment Date Idea Pack$1.99
- Upgrade to Ultimate Outdoor &$2.99
- Creative Big Box$2.99
- Entertainment Big Box$2.99
- Entertainment Date Big Box$2.99
- Ultimate Home & Food Pack$5.99
- Ultimate Entertainment & Adventure$5.99
Questions
Is Hue Essentials free?
Is 52Dates free?
Do Hue Essentials or 52Dates have ads?
Which is updated more often, Hue Essentials or 52Dates?
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