# OnSwitch for Philips Hue vs Swatchkin

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Swatchkin at none against OnSwitch for Philips Hue's 10. Swatchkin also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 2 weeks). OnSwitch for Philips Hue's advantage is iOS requirement (16.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads and device support 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. Swatchkin asks for nothing beyond the download.

OnSwitch for Philips Hue ships an update every 2 weeks, Swatchkin every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | OnSwitch for Philips Hue | Swatchkin |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (9.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/onswitch-for-philips-hue/id853520339/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **9.6K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 62.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Size | 88 MB | 135 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | +17 | 4+ |
| Developer | [Buzzhaus, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1162934164) | [John Mu](https://appshunter.io/developer/6771601267) |

## 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


### Swatchkin

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swatchkin/id6799449811)

**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 Swatchkin free?

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

### Do OnSwitch for Philips Hue or Swatchkin have ads?

Neither OnSwitch for Philips Hue nor Swatchkin shows ads.

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

OnSwitch for Philips Hue ships an update every 2 weeks, and Swatchkin every 2 days. Most recently, OnSwitch for Philips Hue was updated on November 8, 2026 and Swatchkin 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.*