# OnSwitch for Philips Hue vs Philips PCA

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Philips PCA at 100% against OnSwitch for Philips Hue's 62%. Philips PCA also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 10) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). OnSwitch for Philips Hue's advantage is ratings volume (9.6K vs 1) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. OnSwitch for Philips Hue sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per month. Philips PCA asks for nothing beyond the download.

Philips PCA holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: OnSwitch for Philips Hue has 9.6K ratings behind it against 1, 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 100% of Philips PCA's.

OnSwitch for Philips Hue ships an update every 2 weeks, Philips PCA every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | OnSwitch for Philips Hue | Philips PCA |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (9.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/onswitch-for-philips-hue/id853520339/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/philips-pca/id924456349/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **9.6K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 62.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 88 MB | 16 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Buzzhaus, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1162934164) | [Signify Netherlands B.V.](https://appshunter.io/developer/979064009) |

## 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 (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| OnSwitch Premium | $12.99 | per month |
| OnSwitch Premium | $35.99 | 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


### Philips PCA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/philips-pca/id924456349)

This application allows for the control of lighting and HVAC systems from a single point. It utilizes visible light communication or QR code input to manage pre-commissioned connected lighting systems. A professionally installed Philips Connected Lighting system is required for operation.

**Highlights:** Lighting control, HVAC control, Visible light communication, QR code input, Self-configuring, Location-based control

**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 Philips PCA free?

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

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

Philips PCA is rated higher. OnSwitch for Philips Hue averages 4.7 out of 5 from 9.6K ratings, while Philips PCA averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

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

Neither OnSwitch for Philips Hue nor Philips PCA shows ads.

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

OnSwitch for Philips Hue ships an update every 2 weeks, and Philips PCA every 3 months. Most recently, OnSwitch for Philips Hue was updated on October 25, 2026 and Philips PCA on October 6, 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.*