# OnSwitch for Philips Hue vs Sunrise Simulator

The clearest difference is review sentiment: OnSwitch for Philips Hue at 62% against Sunrise Simulator's 17%. OnSwitch for Philips Hue also leads on price (Free vs $4.99) and rating (4.7 vs 1.0). Sunrise Simulator's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

OnSwitch for Philips Hue is free to download; Sunrise Simulator costs $4.99 up front. OnSwitch for Philips Hue sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per month. Sunrise Simulator asks for nothing beyond the download.

OnSwitch for Philips Hue holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: OnSwitch for Philips Hue has 9.6K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 62% of OnSwitch for Philips Hue's written reviews are positive against 17% of Sunrise Simulator's.

OnSwitch for Philips Hue ships an update every 2 weeks, Sunrise Simulator every 10 months. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | OnSwitch for Philips Hue | Sunrise Simulator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $4.99 |
| Rating | **[4.7 (9.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/onswitch-for-philips-hue/id853520339/reviews)** | [1.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sunrise-simulator/id1133864698/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **9.6K** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | **62.0% of reviews** | 16.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 10 months |
| Monetization | **Freemium** | Paid |
| Size | 88 MB | 104 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | +17 | 4+ |
| Developer | [Buzzhaus, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1162934164) | [James Derrick](https://appshunter.io/developer/582907514) |

## What reviewers say

### OnSwitch for Philips Hue

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/onswitch-for-philips-hue/id853520339)

Enhance your smart lighting with dynamic scenes and effects. Create immersive experiences for holidays, parties, and relaxation with a user-friendly interface. Features include sunrise alarms, sunset timers, and creative color controls.

**Highlights:** Animated light scenes for holidays and parties, Live game-sync events for sports, Sunrise alarm and sunset sleep timer, Creative color control and discovery, Manage and control light groups, Hero lighting with cinematic flair

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| OnSwitch Premium | $12.99 | per month |
| OnSwitch Premium | $35.99 | per year |
| OnSwitch Premium – Family | $49.99 | per year |
| Embers | $0.99 | one-time |
| Fireplace | $1.99 | one-time |
| Lightning | $1.99 | one-time |
| Aurora | $1.99 | one-time |
| Nature Album | $4.99 | one-time |
| Science Fiction Album | $5.99 | one-time |
| Fireworks Album | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ⭐ Simply the best
- 🚀 Fantastic app
- 👍 Great app
- 👍 Awesome app
- 👍 Excellent app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Subscription to control my lights
- 🔒 No One-Time Purchase Option
- 🐛 Doesn't work with LifX
- 🐛 Disconnects from the hue bridge
- 🐛 Unable to open after recent update

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on launch after update
- Connectivity issues
- Lights not responding correctly
- Scenes not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Add support for LIFX bulbs
- Allow customization of light groups
- Add background mode/automation
- Add Siri/HomeKit integration
- Improve interface and organization


### Sunrise Simulator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sunrise-simulator/id1133864698)

Wake up gently with a simulated sunrise using your smart lights. Customize duration, brightness, and color temperature. Includes audible alarms with various sounds and a night clock mode.

**Highlights:** Simulated sunrise with smart lights, Customizable wake-up time and duration, Gradual light brightening and color temperature change, Audible alarm with custom sounds, Night clock mode, Multi-location support

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is OnSwitch for Philips Hue free?

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

### Is Sunrise Simulator free?

Sunrise Simulator costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, OnSwitch for Philips Hue or Sunrise Simulator?

OnSwitch for Philips Hue is rated higher. OnSwitch for Philips Hue averages 4.7 out of 5 from 9.6K ratings, while Sunrise Simulator averages 1.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do OnSwitch for Philips Hue or Sunrise Simulator have ads?

Neither OnSwitch for Philips Hue nor Sunrise Simulator shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, OnSwitch for Philips Hue or Sunrise Simulator?

OnSwitch for Philips Hue ships an update every 2 weeks, and Sunrise Simulator every 10 months. Most recently, OnSwitch for Philips Hue was updated on November 4, 2026 and Sunrise Simulator on November 2, 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.*