# MagicHue vs Color Lights Flashing

The clearest difference is rating: Color Lights Flashing at 4.6 against MagicHue's 3.4. Color Lights Flashing also leads on review sentiment (81% vs 50%) and ratings volume (198 vs 25). MagicHue's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 12.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Color Lights Flashing sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. MagicHue asks for nothing beyond the download.

Color Lights Flashing holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Color Lights Flashing has 198 ratings behind it against 25, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of MagicHue's written reviews are positive against 81% of Color Lights Flashing's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MagicHue | Color Lights Flashing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.4 (25 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magichue/id586219707/reviews) | **[4.6 (198 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/color-lights-flashing/id1644950428/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 25 | **198** |
| Positive reviews | 49.6% of reviews | **80.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 9 MB | 124 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Peter Breitling](https://appshunter.io/developer/286215120) | [Pavel Rojas](https://appshunter.io/developer/1497928146) |

## What reviewers say

### MagicHue

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magichue/id586219707)

Transform your Philips Hue lights into dynamic, colorful art. Enjoy relaxing fades or a vibrant music-reactive visual experience for parties or romantic dinners. Control individual lights and customize effects.

**Highlights:** Disco effect for Philips Hue lights, Music and voice-reactive light effects, Individual light control, Brightness and saturation control, Adjustable fading speed and light position, Multiple bridge support, Predefined and custom light presets

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Fantastic disco sync
- 🎶 Music synchronization works well
- 💡 Great for parties
- 🚀 Fast color changes
- 👍 Easy setup

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Does not respond to music
- 🐛 Cycles colors endlessly
- 🐛 No longer shows connected lights
- 🐛 Doesn't work at all
- 🐛 Complex setup and UI

**Reported bugs**

- Only shows 0 connected lights
- No longer works
- Doesn't work at all
- App crashes
- Disco effect does nothing

**Requested features**

- Pickup music from the same phone
- Strobe like features
- Ability to select a range of colors to cycle through
- More control of which colors it cycles through
- Update for Hue Bridge 2.0 with HomeKit support


### Color Lights Flashing

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/color-lights-flashing/id1644950428)

Transform your phone into a versatile lighting tool. Enjoy a bright flashlight, customizable disco effects, and music synchronization for parties or mood lighting. It offers a user-friendly interface with battery optimization and privacy respect.

**Highlights:** Music synchronization, Disco ball simulation, Adjustable strobe frequency, Mood lighting effects, Battery optimized flashlight, Clean and fast interface

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| FlashBeat – Weekly Access | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| MusicVibe Pro Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Weekly Access | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Infinity Lights – Yearly Pass | $19.99 | per year |
| Origin Lights – Launch Deal | $49.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🤩 Fun and enjoyable experience
- 💡 Creative exploration features
- 🌈 Colorful and vibrant lights
- 👍 Easy to use interface
- 🎶 Syncs with music (paid version)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Expensive paid features
- 🆓 Free version is limited/useless
- 💡 Wish all features were unlocked
- 💡 Desire for more affordable options
- 💡 Wish for a free version with more features

**Reported bugs**

- Free version is useless
- Paid features inaccessible
- Unable to restore purchases
- App bugged a lot
- App didn't work as shown in ads

**Requested features**

- More affordable pricing or a free version
- Free trial option
- Unlock all features
- Brighter lights
- Wider light coverage


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MagicHue free?

MagicHue is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Color Lights Flashing free?

Color Lights Flashing is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, MagicHue or Color Lights Flashing?

Color Lights Flashing is rated higher. MagicHue averages 3.4 out of 5 from 25 ratings, while Color Lights Flashing averages 4.6 from 198 ratings.

### Do MagicHue or Color Lights Flashing have ads?

Neither MagicHue nor Color Lights Flashing shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MagicHue or Color Lights Flashing?

MagicHue ships an update every 2 months, and Color Lights Flashing every 2 months. Most recently, MagicHue was updated on November 6, 2026 and Color Lights Flashing on November 3, 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.*