# LIFX vs Philips Hue

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Philips Hue at 85% against LIFX's 18%. Philips Hue also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.7) and ratings volume (118K vs 7.1K). LIFX's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10). On price, update cadence, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

Philips Hue holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Philips Hue has 118K ratings behind it against 7.1K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 18% of LIFX's written reviews are positive against 85% of Philips Hue's.

LIFX ships an update fortnightly, Philips Hue every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | LIFX | Philips Hue |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (7.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lifx/id657758311/reviews) | **[4.7 (118K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/philips-hue/id1055281310/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 7.1K | **118K** |
| Positive reviews | 18.1% of reviews | **85.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#164** |
| Size | 259 MB | 248 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [LIFX](https://appshunter.io/developer/657758314) | [Signify Netherlands B.V.](https://appshunter.io/developer/979064009) |

## What reviewers say

### LIFX

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lifx/id657758311)

Control your smart lights with this app. Easily adjust brightness, color, and temperature. Automate schedules, create custom scenes, and explore fun lighting effects. Integrates with voice assistants and HomeKit for seamless control.

**Highlights:** Basic light control (on/off, dim, color, temperature), Group lights for easy management, Automated schedules and scenes, Special lighting effects (music visualizer, fire, etc.), Live color painting on compatible lights, Custom color palettes, HomeKit integration

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Excellent color quality and brightness
- 🔍 Customizable lighting effects and scenes
- 🔌 Easy setup and connectivity
- 📱 Responsive and intuitive app
- 🤖 Good integration with smart home platforms

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connectivity issues and unreliable performance
- 🤯 Confusing and cluttered app UI
- 🔄 Frequent app and firmware updates breaking functionality
- 🤖 Poor integration with smart home platforms
- 🕰️ Scheduling and automation issues

**Reported bugs**

- Lights randomly disconnecting from app
- Scenes and effects not working as expected
- Scheduling issues and lights not responding to timers
- Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions
- Frequent app crashes and freezes

**Requested features**

- More granular control over individual lights
- Improved scene and effect customization
- Better scheduling and automation options
- Seamless integration with smart home platforms
- Simplified onboarding and setup process


### Philips Hue

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

**Currently charting:** #164 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 LIFX free?

LIFX 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, LIFX or Philips Hue?

Philips Hue is rated higher. LIFX averages 3.7 out of 5 from 7.1K ratings, while Philips Hue averages 4.7 from 118K ratings.

### Do LIFX or Philips Hue have ads?

Neither LIFX nor Philips Hue shows ads.

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

LIFX ships an update fortnightly, and Philips Hue every 2 weeks. Most recently, LIFX was updated on October 31, 2026 and Philips Hue on October 31, 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.*