# Hue Lights vs Magic Hue Bluetooth

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Magic Hue Bluetooth at none against Hue Lights's 9. Magic Hue Bluetooth also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 5 months) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 11.0). Hue Lights's advantage is rating (4.1 vs 3.7) and review sentiment (45% vs 17%). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hue Lights sells 9 one-off in-app purchases. Magic Hue Bluetooth asks for nothing beyond the download.

Hue Lights holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hue Lights has 464 ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 45% of Hue Lights's written reviews are positive against 17% of Magic Hue Bluetooth's.

Hue Lights ships an update every 5 months, Magic Hue Bluetooth every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 26, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hue Lights | Magic Hue Bluetooth |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.1 (464 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hue-lights/id762009425/reviews)** | [3.7 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-hue-bluetooth/id1218777307/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **464** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | **45.2% of reviews** | 16.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 53 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 | **8.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [LapApps, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/762009431) | [明长 周](https://appshunter.io/developer/595148652) |

## What reviewers say

### Hue Lights

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hue-lights/id762009425)

Unlock advanced control for your smart lights. Create custom scenes, schedules, and dynamic lighting effects. Enhance your home ambiance with unique features like simulated weather and fire.

**Highlights:** Precise lighting control, Multi-room scenes, Customizable schedules, Dynamic lighting effects, Hue sensor and switch configuration, Apple Watch integration, In-app purchase for special effects

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock 100 Scenes | Free | one-time |
| Thunderstorm | $1.99 | one-time |
| Fire | $1.99 | one-time |
| Water | $1.99 | one-time |
| Perfect Sunrise | $1.99 | one-time |
| Richer Colors and Scenes | $1.99 | one-time |
| Premium Actions | $1.99 | one-time |
| Premium Sequences | $1.99 | one-time |
| Unlock 48 Lights | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great app for controlling Hue lights
- 👍 Excellent functionality and customization
- 💡 Helpful for connecting older Hue bulbs
- 🚀 Touchlink feature works well
- 👍 Responsive and helpful developer support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable after updates
- 👎 Complicated and unintuitive user interface
- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases required
- 🐛 Compatibility issues with newer Hue bridges
- 👎 Scenes and schedules not working as expected

**Reported bugs**

- Lights not responding to commands
- Scenes not loading or activating properly
- Frequent crashes and connection issues
- Unexpected changes to light groups and settings

**Requested features**

- Alexa/Siri integration and voice control
- Ability to run effects/animations in the background
- More customization options for sunrise/sunset scenes
- Better widget and Apple Watch support


### Magic Hue Bluetooth

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-hue-bluetooth/id1218777307)

Control smart bulbs with your phone via Bluetooth. Adjust color, brightness, and set dynamic lighting scenes like flowing colors or music synchronization. Automate on/off times for personalized ambiance.

**Highlights:** Bluetooth Low Energy control, Color and brightness adjustment, Dynamic scene lighting, Music synchronization, Scheduled on/off times

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hue Lights free?

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

### Is Magic Hue Bluetooth free?

Magic Hue Bluetooth is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Hue Lights or Magic Hue Bluetooth?

Hue Lights is rated higher. Hue Lights averages 4.1 out of 5 from 464 ratings, while Magic Hue Bluetooth averages 3.7 from 7 ratings.

### Do Hue Lights or Magic Hue Bluetooth have ads?

Neither Hue Lights nor Magic Hue Bluetooth shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hue Lights or Magic Hue Bluetooth?

Hue Lights ships an update every 5 months, and Magic Hue Bluetooth every 2 months. Most recently, Hue Lights was updated on October 26, 2026 and Magic Hue Bluetooth on October 26, 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.*