If you've dipped your toes into the world of smart homes, you've definitely come across Philips Hue. It's the go-to brand for creating amazing lighting scenes, from perfect warm-white task lighting to colorful, movie-night ambiances, all controlled from your phone or voice assistant.
But while Philips Hue has built an incredible ecosystem, their premium quality often comes with a premium price tag. The good news is the smart lighting market is full of fantastic alternatives. Whether you're looking for more budget-friendly options, hub-free setups, or unique decorative fixtures, there's a perfect brand out there for you. Here are 29 other smart lighting brands to check out.
1. LIFX
LIFX is a major contender to Philips Hue, offering Wi-Fi-enabled smart LED bulbs known for their exceptional brightness and incredibly rich, vibrant colors. Unlike Hue, LIFX bulbs don’t require a central hub, connecting directly to your Wi-Fi network for a simpler setup. This makes it easy to start with one or two bulbs and expand from there.
In terms of quality and performance, LIFX is on par with Hue, providing extensive control through its user-friendly app, which includes a wide range of effects and scenes. If you want some of the brightest, most vivid smart bulbs on the market without the need for extra hardware, LIFX is an excellent choice.
Shop now at lifx.com
2. Sengled
Sengled is all about making smart lighting accessible and affordable for everyone. They offer a huge variety of smart bulbs, light strips, and accessories that work with smart hubs like Zigbee or connect directly via Wi-Fi. This flexibility allows you to build a system that fits your budget and existing tech.
While Sengled's color accuracy might not be quite as punchy as premium brands like Hue or LIFX, their products are reliable, easy to set up, and provide fantastic value. It's the perfect brand for anyone trying smart lighting for the first time or looking to equip an entire house without breaking the bank.
Shop now at sengled.com
3. Nanoleaf
Nanoleaf takes smart lighting from a utility to a work of art. The brand is famous for its modular, geometric lighting panels (like triangles, hexagons, and lines) that you can arrange into custom designs on your walls. These panels can display millions of colors, sync with music in real-time, and create immersive, dynamic ambiances.
Where Philips Hue focuses on functional lighting within traditional fixtures, Nanoleaf turns your walls into a canvas for light. It's a statement piece for gamers, creatives, and anyone who wants their lighting to be a conversation starter. They also offer smart bulbs and light strips in their "Essentials" line.
Shop now at nanoleaf.me
4. Govee
Govee has quickly become a fan favorite for its innovative and affordable smart lighting, especially its LED light strips and TV backlights. Govee’s unique camera-based systems, like the DreamView, match the colors on your TV screen for a truly immersive viewing experience similar to Philips Hue Sync, but at a much lower cost.
The Govee app is packed with creative scenes, effects, and customization options, often more than what Philips Hue offers out of the box. If you're into vibrant, dynamic lighting effects for gaming setups, home theaters, or just for fun, Govee delivers a ton of features and value for the money.
Shop now at govee.com
5. Yeelight
As part of the Xiaomi ecosystem, Yeelight offers reliable, feature-rich smart lighting at incredibly competitive prices. Their lineup includes everything from standard color bulbs and light strips to unique desk lamps and ceiling fixtures. Most Yeelight products are Wi-Fi connected, so you don’t need a separate hub.
Yeelight balances cost and quality beautifully, providing performance that gets very close to Philips Hue without the high-end price. It integrates well with major smart assistants and is a fantastic choice for budget-conscious consumers who still want a polished and dependable smart lighting experience.
Shop now at us.yeelight.com
6. C by GE
C by GE focuses on making smart lighting simple and straightforward, perfect for beginners. Now rebranded as Cync, their products are known for their easy, direct-connect setup via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, meaning no hub is required. Their range includes smart bulbs, switches, and light strips.
While the feature set might be more basic compared to the deep customization of Philips Hue, C by GE covers all the essentials: dimming, color changes, and scheduling. It's a reliable, no-fuss option from a trusted brand that allows you to easily control your lights without getting overwhelmed by extra settings.
Shop now at gelighting.com
7. Sylvania Smart+
Sylvania is a legacy lighting brand that has successfully moved into the smart home space. Their Smart+ line offers a wide range of products that work with different protocols, including Zigbee, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi. This makes them a flexible choice, whether you want to add them to an existing Philips Hue (Zigbee) system or use them hub-free.
Sylvania's products are known for being solid, dependable, and often more affordable than Hue's. They're a great workhorse brand for filling out your smart lighting setup with reliable white and color bulbs that integrate well into your preferred smart home ecosystem.
Shop now at consumer.sylvania.com
8. Innr
Innr is specifically designed to be an affordable, high-quality alternative that works seamlessly with Zigbee-based systems like Philips Hue and Samsung SmartThings. In fact, many people use Innr bulbs and light strips to expand their Philips Hue setup at a fraction of the cost of Hue's own products.
While they don't offer some of Hue’s most advanced software integrations like Hue Sync, Innr products provide excellent lighting quality, responsive control, and an almost identical user experience for basic commands. If you already have a Hue bridge and want to add more lights affordably, Innr is one of the best choices.
Shop now at innr.com
9. Feit Electric
Feit Electric is a well-known name found in many big-box home improvement stores, offering a range of dependable and budget-friendly smart lighting products. Their Wi-Fi-connected bulbs, light strips, and outdoor fixtures give you solid smart features like dimming, color-changing, and scheduling without needing a hub.
Similar to Philips Hue in product variety, Feit Electric aims to provide an accessible entry point into smart lighting. While not as feature-rich as Hue, they're a great workhorse brand for general home lighting that's simple to set up and control through their app or with a voice assistant.
Shop now at feit.com
10. Eve
Eve is entirely focused on the Apple HomeKit ecosystem, prioritizing privacy, security, and tight integration with Apple devices. Their smart lighting products, including a light strip and bulb, are known for their premium build quality and rock-solid performance, especially with their embrace of the newer Thread protocol for enhanced reliability.
If you're an Apple user, Eve offers a seamless experience that Philips Hue can't always match. Control is instant, and automations via the Home app are incredibly powerful. It’s a premium choice for those who live and breathe Apple and want their smart home to reflect that same level of polish.
Shop now at evehome.com
11. IKEA TRÅDFRI
Leave it to IKEA to create a modular, affordable, and stylish smart lighting system. The TRÅDFRI line includes bulbs, light panels, and even cabinetry lighting that operate on the Zigbee protocol, making them compatible with IKEA's own gateway as well as hubs like Philips Hue. The products feature a signature Scandinavian minimalist design.
TRÅDFRI is significantly cheaper than Philips Hue, offering a straightforward path to smart lighting for those on a budget. The system is less about flashy colors and more about functional control over brightness and white temperature, perfectly aligning with IKEA's practical design philosophy.
Shop now at ikea.com
12. Lutron Caséta
Lutron Caséta is less about smart bulbs and more about the smart switch. This system focuses on providing incredibly reliable and high-quality control at the wall switch or dimmer itself, which then works with almost any dimmable bulb. Lutron is the professional's choice for lighting control due to its unmatched reliability and patented technology that prevents flickering.
While Philips Hue controls the bulb, Lutron controls the power going to the fixture. This is ideal for situations with many bulbs on one circuit (like recessed ceiling lights) or for people who still want the intuitive feel of a physical dimmer. It’s a more permanent, integrated solution for serious smart home enthusiasts.
Shop now at casetawireless.com
13. Leviton
Similar to Lutron, Leviton is a giant in the electrical world, specializing in high-quality smart switches, dimmers, and plugs. Their Decora Smart line offers products that connect via Wi-Fi, Z-Wave, or Zigbee, giving users tremendous flexibility in how they build their smart home. It's a great choice for creating a smart lighting system without replacing every single bulb.
Leviton competes with Hue by offering robust, in-wall control that feels more traditional and permanent. This approach is perfect for controlling fixtures where smart bulbs are impractical, and it ensures that your smart lighting always works, even if someone flips the physical switch.
Shop now at leviton.com
14. Nanoleaf Essentials
While their light panels get all the attention, Nanoleaf's Essentials line of bulbs and light strips are fantastic Hue competitors. They stand out with support for the Thread smart home protocol, which creates a super-fast and reliable mesh network with other Thread-enabled devices, like the Apple HomePod Mini.
The Essentials bulbs also feature a unique rhombicosidodecahedron design that looks cool even when turned off. They deliver brilliant colors and a wide range of whites, offering a high-tech alternative to Hue for those building a cutting-edge smart home network.
Shop now at nanoleaf.me
15. Hive
Hive is best known in the UK and Europe for its ecosystem of smart home devices, including thermostats, cameras, and of course, lighting. Their Hive Active Light bulbs offer dimmable white and color options that are controlled through the sleek Hive app. The system is designed to be part of a complete, integrated smart home.
Compared to Philips Hue, Hive offers a more holistic "smart home in a box" solution, where lighting is just one piece of the puzzle. It's a great option if you're looking to adopt a single platform for your thermostat, sensors, and lighting instead of mixing and matching different brands.
Shop now at hivehome.com
16. Koogeek
Koogeek is another brand that focuses heavily on creating affordable products that integrate smoothly with Apple HomeKit, in addition to Alexa and Google Assistant. Their lineup includes simple and effective smart light strips, bulbs, and plugs that offer the core features of smart lighting without any complexity or a high price tag.
Koogeek provides a no-frills entry into a HomeKit-centric smart home, similar to how Sengled makes smart lighting accessible for general users. It's a fantastic, low-cost choice for Apple users who want to add accent or basic task lighting to their setup.
Shop now at koogeek.com
17. Brilliant
Brilliant offers a high-end, futuristic take on smart lighting by replacing your light switch with a smart home control panel. These touchscreen panels have built-in lighting controls, a camera, a motion sensor, and voice control via Alexa. From one panel, you can control your lights, music, climate, and more.
While Philips Hue gives you granular control over individual bulbs via an app, Brilliant consolidates control into a sleek, central wall unit. It can control a wide range of smart devices, including Philips Hue bulbs, making it more of an overarching home control system than just a lighting brand. It's an ultra-premium option for a fully integrated smart home.
Shop now at brilliant.tech
18. WiZ
WiZ, which is actually owned by the same parent company as Philips Hue (Signify), serves as its more accessible, Wi-Fi-based sibling. WiZ products connect directly to your home network without needing a hub, making the setup process quicker and more affordable. The app offers fun dynamic modes, like "Fireplace" and "Ocean," for instant ambiance.
WiZ is the perfect middle-ground for someone who wants more features than basic budget bulbs offer but doesn’t need the extensive ecosystem and cost of Philips Hue. It’s an incredibly strong value proposition with surprisingly robust features, making it a favorite for many.
Shop now at wiz.lighting
19. TP-Link Kasa Smart
TP-Link has a strong reputation for reliable networking gear, and their Kasa Smart line brings that stability to smart home products. Their smart bulbs are Wi-Fi connected, easy to set up, and controlled through the well-designed Kasa app. They're widely available and frequently go on sale, making them an excellent budget pick.
Kasa delivers all the core functions you'd expect - dimming, scheduling, color changes, and voice control - in a simple, dependable package. For anyone who just wants a smart bulb that works consistently without fuss, Kasa is one of the most trusted names in the hub-free market.
Shop now at kasasmart.com
20. Wyze
Wyze stormed the market by offering smart home tech at unbelievably low prices, and their smart lighting is no exception. With products like the Wyze Bulb Color and Light Strip, you get impressive features like vibrant colors and high brightness for a fraction of the cost of premium brands.
Wyze delivers exceptional value, often punching well above its price class in terms of specs and features. While the app experience might not be as polished as Hue's, it's an incredible option for anyone looking to make every corner of their home smart on a tight budget.
Shop now at wyze.com
21. Eufy by Anker
Eufy, the smart home brand from Anker, applies the same principle to its products as the parent company does to charging gear: quality, reliability, and fair pricing. The Eufy Lumos line of smart bulbs offers tunable white and full-color options that connect via Wi-Fi for easy setup.
Eufy products integrate into the broader Eufy Security ecosystem, making it a great choice if you already own or are considering their cameras or doorbells. They provide a solid, reliable experience very similar to TP-Link Kasa, backed by Anker's reputation for quality customer support.
Shop now at eufylife.com
22. Meross
Meross is a powerhouse in the affordable smart home space, offering a wide array of reliable Wi-Fi connected devices. Their smart bulbs and light strips are particularly popular for their strong HomeKit integration at a very low price point, something many budget brands struggle to deliver well.
If you're an Apple HomeKit user on a budget, Meross is one of your best options. Its performance is consistent, and the setup is usually painless. It provides the core functionality of a Hue system for users who prioritize value and seamless integration with their existing smart home platform.
Shop now at meross.com
23. Shelly
Shelly is a brand beloved by DIY smart home enthusiasts and tinkerers. Instead of making smart bulbs, Shelly creates tiny Wi-Fi relays and dimmers that you install behind your existing light switches or inside light fixtures. This allows you to turn any "dumb" light into a smart one while keeping your preferred switches and bulbs.
This is a completely different approach that offers ultimate customization for those comfortable with basic wiring. Shelly is the go-to for invisible smart home control, favored by users who want to build a truly custom, locally-controlled system without relying on cloud services.
Shop now at shelly.com
24. Lightwave
Lightwave is a premium, UK-based brand that focuses on beautifully designed smart switches, dimmers, and sockets. Their products replace your standard wall plates with sleek, metallic ones that look and feel high-end. The system requires a hub for control, which ensures a very reliable connection.
Similar to Lutron and Leviton, Lightwave elevates the in-wall control experience, but with a strong focus on European design aesthetics. If you appreciate premium hardware and want your smart home controls to be a stylish design element, Lightwave provides a sophisticated alternative to bulb-based systems.
Shop now at lightwaverf.com
25. Orro
Orro offers a uniquely intelligent, "human-centric" lighting system. Like Brilliant, it replaces your light switch with a smart controller, but Orro’s main goal is automation. It learns your habits and senses presence to automatically adjust the lights to the perfect level throughout the day, often eliminating the need for you to touch a switch or open an app at all.
This is a truly proactive, responsive lighting system that aims to be predictive rather than just reactive. It’s a very high-end product that competes less with Hue on color and more on providing an effortless, automated wellness lighting experience.
Shop now at getorro.com
26. Cygnett
Cygnett, primarily an Australian electronics brand, has expanded its range into smart home products, including an accessible line of smart lighting. Their bulbs and light strips connect via Wi-Fi and offer practical features like RGB colors, tunable whites, and scheduling through their dedicated app or major voice assistants.
Cygnett provides a solid and affordable hub-free alternative to Philips Hue, similar to brands like Kasa or Wyze. It's a great option for those looking to get started with smart lighting without a significant upfront investment, offering all the essential features in a simple, easy-to-use package.
Shop now at cygnett.com
27. Twinkly
Twinkly began with app-controlled Christmas lights but has now expanded into year-round decorative lighting. They are the masters of mapping and effects. Using your phone’s camera, you can map the exact location of every single LED on their light strings, curtains, or shapes, then apply incredibly complex, custom animations and gradients.
While Hue is great for general ambiance, Twinkly is all about creating spectacular, dynamic light shows. It's the ultimate choice for holidays, parties, or any permanent installation where you want pixel-perfect control and dazzling visual effects.
Shop now at twinkly.com
28. AiDot
AiDot is an ecosystem that aims to unite multiple smart home brands under a single app and platform. They offer their own line of lighting products while also ensuring compatibility with partner brands like Linkind and OREiN. This focus on interoperability is a key differentiator.
Their products are typically Wi-Fi or Bluetooth-based and compete on price and features with other value-oriented brands. The appeal of AiDot lies in its promise of a more unified smart home, where you can mix and match products from different affordable manufacturers and have them all work together seamlessly.
Shop now at aidot.com
29. ilumi
Ilumi was one of the early pioneers in smart lighting, offering premium Bluetooth Mesh-connected bulbs. Their technology, called Meshtek, allows each bulb to talk to the next, creating a self-healing network that extends range far beyond standard Bluetooth. This allows for whole-home control without a hub or Wi-Fi.
The ilumi app provides deep customization with features like a color-grabbing "Experience" tool and dynamic scenes. While it's a smaller player now, their robust Bluetooth implementation offers a compelling, hub-free experience with excellent color quality, setting them apart from Wi-Fi competitors.
Shop now at ilumi.co
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