Best Philips Hue alternatives 2024

Philips Hue smart lights are some of the coolest on the market, and they're definitely some of the most popular, but they can be quite expensive, especially once you get into colored bulbs. So, if you're looking for a less expensive option or just something other than what's popular (maybe something without a hub?), then check out these other best Philips Hue alternatives.

What are the best Philips Hue alternatives?

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So many bulbs, so little time

Philips Hue bulbs might be among the most recognizable in the smart lighting space, but as you can see, they're far from your only option. Surprisingly, one of the best alternatives to a Philips Hue is another Philips product. Whether it's the color-changing WiZ Connected bulbs or the all-white WiZ Connected bulbs, Philips now has your home covered for less money than ever. The best part? These don't even require a hub to work, yet they can connect directly to your smartphone via Bluetooth or be controlled by your favorite virtual assistant.

Govee is a great pick for a large room that needs a lot of light. Its bright A19 bulbs offer up to 1000 lumens of brightness with CRI90+, which means colors are represented more naturally and look more vibrant. Some cheap bulbs don't give off the full range of colors and can make your home look less colorful.

Finally, if you don't want to be locked into any single ecosystem, the Tapo L535E smart bulb is Matter-certified, meaning it can be set up with any Matter hub or app. Since Matter is a universal protocol, it doesn't need a specific app to set up. You could even use it with your Philips Hue hub if it's gotten the matter update.

No matter which smart bulbs you get, you have many great options to choose from for kicking off (or expanding) your favorite smart home devices.

Nicholas Sutrich
Senior Content Producer — Smartphones & VR
Nick started with DOS and NES and uses those fond memories of floppy disks and cartridges to fuel his opinions on modern tech. Whether it's VR, smart home gadgets, or something else that beeps and boops, he's been writing about it since 2011. Reach him on Twitter or Instagram @Gwanatu
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