# OnSwitch for Philips Hue vs C5.now

The clearest difference is monetization model: OnSwitch for Philips Hue at freemium against C5.now's subscription. OnSwitch for Philips Hue also leads on ratings volume (9.6K vs 236). C5.now's advantage is review sentiment (99% vs 62%) and rating (4.9 vs 4.7). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. OnSwitch for Philips Hue sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per month and C5.now sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

C5.now holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: OnSwitch for Philips Hue has 9.6K ratings behind it against 236, 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 99% of C5.now's.

OnSwitch for Philips Hue ships an update every 2 weeks, C5.now every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | OnSwitch for Philips Hue | C5.now |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (9.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/onswitch-for-philips-hue/id853520339/reviews) | **[4.9 (236 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/c5now/id6751903400/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **9.6K** | 236 |
| Positive reviews | 62.0% of reviews | **98.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | **Freemium** | Subscription |
| Size | 88 MB | 55 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | +17 | 17+ |
| Developer | [Buzzhaus, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1162934164) | [Fourthwall, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1464239151) |

## 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


### C5.now

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/c5now/id6751903400)

This app offers a curated selection of real documentaries, featuring a variety of genres without studio interference. Enjoy unfiltered stories, field reporting, and first-person access across politics, culture, crime, and more. Watch on any device and support independent creators.

**Highlights:** Curated documentary library, Multiple genres available, Unfiltered stories and field reporting, Cross-device compatibility, Human curation by experts, Support for independent creators, New releases and deep dives

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Stream Membership | $7.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is OnSwitch for Philips Hue free?

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

### Is C5.now free?

C5.now is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, OnSwitch for Philips Hue or C5.now?

C5.now is rated higher. OnSwitch for Philips Hue averages 4.7 out of 5 from 9.6K ratings, while C5.now averages 4.9 from 236 ratings.

### Do OnSwitch for Philips Hue or C5.now have ads?

Neither OnSwitch for Philips Hue nor C5.now shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, OnSwitch for Philips Hue or C5.now?

OnSwitch for Philips Hue ships an update every 2 weeks, and C5.now every 3 weeks. Most recently, OnSwitch for Philips Hue was updated on November 8, 2026 and C5.now on November 5, 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.*