# ColorfulLight vs SF ESS

The clearest difference is rating: SF ESS at 4.7 against ColorfulLight's 2.0. SF ESS also leads on ratings volume (8.4K vs 119). ColorfulLight's advantage is review sentiment (13% vs 3%) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.1). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

SF ESS holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SF ESS has 8.4K ratings behind it against 119, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 13% of ColorfulLight's written reviews are positive against 3% of SF ESS's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

ColorfulLight ships an update every 5 weeks, SF ESS monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ColorfulLight | SF ESS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.0 (119 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/colorfullight/id937162147/reviews) | **[4.7 (8.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sf-ess/id1483947998/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 119 | **8.4K** |
| Positive reviews | **13.4% of reviews** | 2.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 3 MB | 30 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Shenzhen Macrothings Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/906678336) | [StoreForce Solutions Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/481422456) |

## What reviewers say

### ColorfulLight

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/colorfullight/id937162147)

Control your ColorfulLight series LED devices using Bluetooth 4.0. This application allows for seamless management of your lighting setup directly from your smartphone.

**Highlights:** Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, Control LED devices, Manage ColorfulLight series, Smartphone control

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Colors show well
- 💡 Basic functionality works
- 💡 Lamp is cool
- 💡 Lights look great
- 💡 Works great!

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Music sync issues
- 🐛 Voice feature useless
- 🐛 Needs update badly
- 🐛 Weird sound at higher brightness
- 🐛 Limited color options

**Reported bugs**

- Cannot sync with music
- Voice feature is useless
- Weird sound at higher brightness
- Connectivity issues
- No instructions for pairing

**Requested features**

- Update for more adjustability and colors
- Open to bright setting
- Link to radio as music function
- More cool options for preset customization
- Ability to save presets


### SF ESS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sf-ess/id1483947998)

Manage your work schedule, request time off, and view performance metrics. Receive important communication updates directly from your employer. Features may differ based on your specific retailer.

**Highlights:** Schedule management, Time off requests, Performance viewing, Communication updates, Retailer-specific options

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Convenient scheduling
- 💡 Ability to sync with calendar

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Constant glitches and crashes
- 💤 Slow and unresponsive
- 🤯 Confusing and unintuitive UI
- 🔒 Login issues and lack of security features

**Reported bugs**

- Can't log in or access schedule
- Shifts not updating or displaying correctly
- Constant crashing and freezing
- Notification issues

**Requested features**

- Bring back monthly calendar view
- Improve scheduling visibility and clarity
- Add ability to see coworker schedules
- Integrate with more calendar apps


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ColorfulLight free?

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

### Is SF ESS free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ColorfulLight or SF ESS?

SF ESS is rated higher. ColorfulLight averages 2.0 out of 5 from 119 ratings, while SF ESS averages 4.7 from 8.4K ratings.

### Do ColorfulLight or SF ESS have ads?

Neither ColorfulLight nor SF ESS shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ColorfulLight or SF ESS?

ColorfulLight ships an update every 5 weeks, and SF ESS monthly. Most recently, ColorfulLight was updated on October 21, 2026 and SF ESS on October 24, 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.*