Comparison

Starfish Smart Lighting vs SimplBlue Lighting Controls

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

Head to head
About

Starfish Smart Lighting

Control your home lighting remotely and create custom scenes for atmosphere, security, and convenience. Integrate with voice assistants for hands-free operation and manage access for family and guests.

Highlights
  • Remote lighting control
  • Custom scene creation
  • Voice assistant integration
  • Multi-user access
  • Guest access control
  • Scheduling and automation
  • Color changing options
Features
Read full description

Satco’s STARFISHTM app brings you a simple, scalable, smart lighting solution! STARFISHTM Smart lighting connects life and home together helping enhance convenience, security, atmosphere and wellness. The STARFISHTM app synchronizes your life and home using mobile and activated devices. Transition daily routines, add light for safety, color the atmosphere, STARFISHTM connects your home and life. COMPATIBILITY The STARFISHTM app integrates with Hey Google, Siri, and Alexa for voice control. STARFISHTM is also compatible with SmartThingsTM for total home integration. CONNECT ANYONE Your STARFISHTM home allows for secure multi-device and multi-user access. The whole family can connect, set scenes and personalize their space. When you have guests they can enjoy the freedom of smart light control and you can set the parameters. Allow for control of a room through "device" selection, or give them control of the entire home. Guests can operate STARFISHTM without disrupting your settings or you can allow them to create their own settings—it's up to you. CONNECT ANYWHERE Access your home through the STARFISHTM app with your secure login anywhere in the world. You will never be out of touch. SECURITY Whether lighting your way for a sure-footed path or gaining peace of mind while you’re away, STARFISHTM adds that extra layer of security though automations and control of your home using voice activation and mobile technology. ATMOSPHERE Create the mood. Dynamic scene setting with millions of colors strike up just the right atmosphere. Tone the room, dim the lights, own that personal space! Combine color changing products, light settings, groupings and electronics to personalize the moment. CONVENIENCE Set up your home to transition with your daily activities. Adjust the intensity of light to coincide with a task. Make certain your lights are off when you leave. Schedule your light so you return in the evening to a safe and well-lit home. You can voice activate lighting in an emergency. WELLNESS When you wake, set your lighting to gently follow the sleep/wake cycle, correlate color temperatures to adjust with natural daylight, match your lighting to seasonal patterns. Natural and human centric lighting are thought to enhance wellness and positivity.

About

SimplBlue Lighting Controls

Features
Read full description

Lighting Controls made simple. Utilizing the latest Bluetooth mesh technology, SimplBlue by Aleo Lighting allows for easy commissioning and startup of wireless lighting controls. Create networks, create groups, add devices, and provision settings through the app.

Screenshots

Starfish Smart Lighting4 screens
SimplBlue Lighting Controls4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: SimplBlue Lighting Controls at 12.0 against Starfish Smart Lighting's 14.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Starfish Smart Lighting ships an update every 5 months, SimplBlue Lighting Controls every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Starfish Smart Lighting versus SimplBlue Lighting Controls: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStarfish Smart LightingSimplBlue Lighting Controls
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (1K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews51.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings1K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 4 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS14.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size264 MB31 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperSatco Products, INCAleo Lighting, Inc.

Bugs and requests

Starfish Smart Lighting

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Lights turning on unexpectedly after power outages
  • Inconsistent color settings after turning lights on/off
  • App freezing and unresponsive
  • Inability to connect new devices after router upgrade

Requested features

4 requests
  • Localized sunset/sunrise support for scheduling
  • Native HomeKit support
  • Improved documentation and app localization
  • Better power outage handling

SimplBlue Lighting Controls

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Starfish Smart Lighting

No in-app purchases

None

SimplBlue Lighting Controls

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Starfish Smart Lighting free?
Starfish Smart Lighting is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is SimplBlue Lighting Controls free?
SimplBlue Lighting Controls is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Starfish Smart Lighting or SimplBlue Lighting Controls have ads?
Neither Starfish Smart Lighting nor SimplBlue Lighting Controls shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Starfish Smart Lighting or SimplBlue Lighting Controls?
Starfish Smart Lighting ships an update every 5 months, and SimplBlue Lighting Controls every 4 months. Most recently, Starfish Smart Lighting was updated on October 29, 2026 and SimplBlue Lighting Controls on October 27, 2026.

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