# 2nd vs Hue Essentials

The clearest difference is update cadence: Hue Essentials at every 2 weeks against 2nd's every 44 months. Hue Essentials also leads on device support (5 vs 3). 2nd's advantage is iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. 2nd sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Hue Essentials sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

2nd ships an update every 44 months, Hue Essentials every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 17, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 2nd | Hue Essentials |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.1 (133 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hue-essentials/id1462943921/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **133** |
| Positive reviews | — | 37.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 44 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | — | Freemium |
| Size | 26 MB | 269 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [DENTSU INC.](https://appshunter.io/developer/326362308) | [Thomas Vos](https://appshunter.io/developer/1462943920) |

## What reviewers say

### 2nd

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/2nd/id972428729)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2nd | $5.99 | per month |
| 2nd 2016年8月号 Vol.113 | $3.99 | one-time |
| 2nd 2016年11月号 Vol.116 | $3.99 | one-time |
| 2nd 2016年12月号 Vol.117 | $3.99 | one-time |
| 2nd 2017年7月号 Vol.124 | $3.99 | one-time |
| 2nd 2017年8月号 Vol.125 | $3.99 | one-time |
| 2nd 2017年9月号 Vol.126 | $3.99 | one-time |
| 2nd 2018年1月号 Vol.130 | $3.99 | one-time |
| 2nd 2018年4月号 Vol.133 | $3.99 | one-time |
| 2nd 2018年5月号 Vol.134 | $3.99 | one-time |
| 2nd 2016年7月号 Vol.112 | $3.99 | one-time |


### Hue Essentials

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hue-essentials/id1462943921)

Unlock the full potential of your smart lighting system. Create custom scenes, dynamic effects, and automate your lights with schedules and triggers. Control multiple smart home bridges and devices seamlessly for a personalized ambiance.

**Highlights:** Custom scenes and effects, Music and entertainment sync, Sunrise/sunset automation, Multi-bridge control, Device discovery and setup, Button and sensor automation, Away from home control

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Effects: Christmas | $0.99 | one-time |
| Effects: Universe | $0.99 | one-time |
| Effects: Wonders of nature | $0.99 | one-time |
| Effects: Romantic | $0.99 | one-time |
| Effects: Floral fantasy | $0.99 | one-time |
| Effects: Spooky | $0.99 | one-time |
| Multiple bridges | $4.99 | one-time |
| Premium | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent Hue lighting control
- 👍 Works well with multiple bridges
- 💡 Customizable remote controls
- 🚀 Faster than official Hue app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and crashes frequently
- 🔒 In-app purchases required for key features
- 👎 Poor execution and user experience
- 🔋 Widgets and Apple Watch app not working

**Reported bugs**

- Fade feature not working
- Saving automations not working
- Crashes when checking 'About' section
- Widgets and Apple Watch app issues

**Requested features**

- Repeat/loop function for automations
- Strobing/flashing effects
- Dark mode
- Alexa integration


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 2nd free?

2nd is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Hue Essentials free?

Hue Essentials is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do 2nd or Hue Essentials have ads?

Neither 2nd nor Hue Essentials shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, 2nd or Hue Essentials?

2nd ships an update every 44 months, and Hue Essentials every 2 weeks. Most recently, 2nd was updated on September 17, 2026 and Hue Essentials on September 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.*