# Chipolo vs Philips Hue

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Chipolo at none against Philips Hue's 10. Philips Hue's advantage is review sentiment (85% vs 69%) and chart position (#177 vs unranked). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Philips Hue sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Chipolo asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Chipolo against 4.7 for Philips Hue. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Philips Hue has 117K ratings behind it against 18K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 69% of Chipolo's written reviews are positive against 85% of Philips Hue's.

Chipolo ships an update weekly, Philips Hue every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chipolo | Philips Hue |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (18K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chipolo/id651447811/reviews) | **[4.7 (117K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/philips-hue/id1055281310/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 18K | **117K** |
| Positive reviews | 68.9% of reviews | **85.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#177** |
| Size | 55 MB | 247 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chipolo d.o.o.](https://appshunter.io/developer/929603589) | [Signify Netherlands B.V.](https://appshunter.io/developer/979064009) |

## What reviewers say

### Chipolo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chipolo/id651447811)

This app enhances your ability to locate misplaced items with free features like calling your phone and customizing ringtones. It also offers unique functionalities such as using the device as a remote camera shutter for perfect group photos.

**Highlights:** Call Your Phone, Customize Ringtone, Remote Camera Shutter, Find Lost Items, Personalize Finding Experience

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Excellent product
- 👍 Useful little tool
- 👍 Quick and easy way to find keys and phone
- 👍 Reminds when leaving keys behind
- 👍 Finds keys and phone

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Terrible
- 🔋 poor quality
- 🔋 doesn't ring after a year of usage
- 🐛 Constant error emails
- 🔋 Always shows low battery for all 3 units

**Reported bugs**

- Bug Issues
- Crashes
- Keeps disconnecting
- Sound doesn't work

**Requested features**

- Needs warning
- Dark mode option
- Advanced analytics dashboard


### Philips Hue

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/philips-hue/id1055281310)

**Currently charting:** #177 Top Free · Lifestyle (US App Store)

Control and customize your smart lighting system from anywhere. Organize lights by room, create custom scenes, and automate your lighting to match your daily routine or enhance security. Sync lights with media for immersive experiences.

**Highlights:** Organize lights into rooms and zones, Remote control from anywhere, Explore and create custom lighting scenes, Home security features with sensors, Automate lighting schedules, Sync lights with TV, music, and games, Voice control integration

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Motion Aware Monthly Plan | $0.99 | per month |
| Sync TV-app for LG (1 Month) | $2.99 | per month |
| Secure Basic for 1 camera | $3.99 | per month |
| Secure Basic for 2 cameras | $7.99 | per month |
| Secure Plus | $9.99 | per month |
| Motion Aware Yearly Plan | $9.99 | per year |
| Secure Basic for 1 camera | $39.99 | per year |
| Secure Basic for 2 cameras | $79.99 | per year |
| Secure Plus | $99.99 | per year |
| Sync TV-app for LG (Lifetime) | $129.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Reliable and stable
- 💡 Flexible lighting control
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly
- 🎨 Vibrant and customizable colors
- 🔒 Secure remote access

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connectivity issues after updates
- 🔀 Confusing navigation and UI changes
- ⏱️ Slow performance and lag
- 🤯 Frustrating loss of key features
- 🤖 Incompatible with older devices

**Reported bugs**

- Lights not responding to app commands
- Scenes and automations not working as expected
- Frequent app crashes and freezes
- Inability to log in or sync with account
- Erratic behavior after software updates

**Requested features**

- Ability to control lights individually in a room
- More dynamic and customizable lighting scenes
- Seamless integration between multiple Hue bridges
- Improved automation and scheduling options
- Restore removed timer and widget functionality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chipolo free?

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

### Is Philips Hue free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Chipolo or Philips Hue?

Philips Hue is rated higher. Chipolo averages 4.6 out of 5 from 18K ratings, while Philips Hue averages 4.7 from 117K ratings.

### Do Chipolo or Philips Hue have ads?

Neither Chipolo nor Philips Hue shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chipolo or Philips Hue?

Chipolo ships an update weekly, and Philips Hue every 2 weeks. Most recently, Chipolo was updated on October 21, 2026 and Philips Hue on October 22, 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.*