# LIFX vs Meross

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Meross at 77% against LIFX's 18%. Meross also leads on rating (4.5 vs 3.7) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.0). LIFX's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 8). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Meross sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. LIFX asks for nothing beyond the download.

Meross holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7.1K and 7.9K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 18% of LIFX's written reviews are positive against 77% of Meross's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 23, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | LIFX | Meross |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (7.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lifx/id657758311/reviews) | **[4.5 (7.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meross/id1260842951/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 7.1K | **7.9K** |
| Positive reviews | 18.2% of reviews | **77.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 259 MB | 232 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [LIFX](https://appshunter.io/developer/657758314) | [Chengdu Meross Technology Co.,Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1260842710) |

## 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


### Meross

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meross/id1260842951)

Control and manage a wide range of smart home devices remotely. Set schedules, create custom scenes, and integrate with voice assistants for automated control. Access troubleshooting guides, firmware updates, and community forums for support.

**Highlights:** Remote device control, Custom schedules and scenes, Voice assistant integration, Firmware updates, In-app hardware guides, Consumer forum

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

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 10 SMS for a month | $0.99 | per month |
| 优惠测试-月 | $1.99 | per month |
| 优惠测试-年 | $1.99 | per year |
| 优惠测试-周 | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| 30 SMS for a month | $2.49 | per month |
| 100 SMS for a month | $6.99 | per month |
| 30 SMS | $3.49 | one-time |
| 100 SMS | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use app
- 🚀 Reliable and stable performance
- 💡 Useful features like power consumption monitoring
- 🔒 Secure and private
- 🔌 Seamless integration with smart home platforms

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional connectivity issues and device disconnections
- 🔧 Setup can be tricky at times
- 📱 Limited customization options in the app
- 🕰️ Routines and scheduling could be more flexible

**Reported bugs**

- Unreliable garage door status reporting
- Compatibility issues with iOS 16 updates
- Inconsistent device discovery and pairing

**Requested features**

- Add support for more smart home platforms
- Improve app interface and allow for more customization
- Enhance scheduling and automation features
- Provide more detailed energy consumption reporting


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LIFX free?

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

### Is Meross free?

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

### Which has better reviews, LIFX or Meross?

Meross is rated higher. LIFX averages 3.7 out of 5 from 7.1K ratings, while Meross averages 4.5 from 7.9K ratings.

### Do LIFX or Meross have ads?

Neither LIFX nor Meross shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, LIFX or Meross?

LIFX ships an update fortnightly, and Meross fortnightly. Most recently, LIFX was updated on October 23, 2026 and Meross on October 23, 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.*