Softwr

Smart Home · head to head

Shelly vs Yeelight

Shelly logo

Shelly

Smart Home

Powerful WiFi smart home devices with local control

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Yeelight logo

Yeelight

Smart Home

Smart lighting for modern homes

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Shelly has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Shelly premium features limited to cloud-based functionality; local control requires separate setup; Yeelight requires owning Yeelight-branded smart lighting hardware; the app itself is a controller with no standalone function
  • They diverge on capability: Shelly covers Local Control, Yeelight covers Color control.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Shelly and Yeelight actually diverge.

Attributes where Shelly and Yeelight differ
AttributeShellyYeelight
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownone-time
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Mobile app, Cloud, Local networkIOS, Android
Founded20162012

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Smart Home).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Shelly

  • Local Control
  • Open API
  • MQTT Support
  • Energy Monitoring
  • Alexa
  • Google Home
  • Web support
  • Local API support

Only in Yeelight

  • Color control
  • Brightness dimming
  • Schedules
  • Music sync
  • Sunrise/sunset
  • Scenes
  • Google Assistant
  • Amazon Alexa

Both cover

  • Home Assistant
  • SmartThings
  • IOS support
  • Android support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Shelly

  • Smart home automation and controlnot Yeelight
  • Energy monitoring and managementnot Yeelight
  • WiFi/Bluetooth/Matter device integrationnot Yeelight

Yeelight

  • Ambient lightingnot Shelly
  • Entertainment syncnot Shelly
  • Automated schedulesnot Shelly
  • Energy savingnot Shelly

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Shelly

  • Premium features limited to cloud-based functionality; local control requires separate setup
  • Device-specific capabilities vary; not all features available across entire product range

Yeelight

  • Requires owning Yeelight-branded smart lighting hardware; the app itself is a controller with no standalone function
  • Requires iOS 16.2 or later, per the App Store listing

Pricing, plan by plan

Shelly

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Shelly review.

Yeelight

On request
  • Smart Bulb$15/month
    • WiFi
    • 16M colors
    • Voice control
  • Light Strip$30/month
    • Music sync
    • Extendable
    • Scene modes

Which should you pick?

Choose Shelly if

  • You need local control.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile app, Cloud, Local network.
  • You also want open api.
Shelly review

Choose Yeelight if

  • You need color control.
  • You work on IOS, Android.
  • You also want brightness dimming.
Yeelight review

Questions people ask

Is Shelly or Yeelight better?
Neither clearly leads. Shelly starts at Free and Yeelight at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Shelly or Yeelight?
Shelly has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Shelly and On request for Yeelight.
Does Shelly or Yeelight run on more platforms?
Shelly runs on Web, Mobile app, Cloud, Local network. Yeelight runs on IOS, Android.
Can I use Shelly for free?
Yes. Shelly has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Yeelight starts at On request.
What is Shelly best used for?
Shelly is most often used for smart home automation and control, energy monitoring and management, wifi/bluetooth/matter device integration. Of those, smart home automation and control and energy monitoring and management are not what Yeelight is typically brought in for.
What can Shelly do that Yeelight cannot?
Shelly covers Local Control, Open API, MQTT Support, Energy Monitoring. Yeelight covers Color control, Brightness dimming, Schedules, Music sync. Both handle Home Assistant, SmartThings, IOS support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Shelly: Does Shelly offer a free tier or paid premium service?

Shelly offers a free service with an option to upgrade. The site mentions Go Premium in the Shelly app, which provides more automation and control capabilities. A Shelly Cloud Premium Voucher is available for purchase.

Source
Yeelight: Where can I find Yeelight pricing?

The main Yeelight website redirects to a Chinese regional site (cn.yeelight.com) which does not display pricing information. Specific pricing details would need to be found through product pages or local retailers.

Source
Shelly: What is the difference between free Shelly and Shelly Cloud Premium?

The free version provides basic functionality, while Premium unlocks more automation options and additional control features. Specific pricing for Premium is not disclosed on the homepage.

Source
Shelly: Can I purchase Shelly Cloud Premium directly?

Yes. Shelly Cloud Premium Vouchers are available for purchase through the Shelly shop. Pricing details are available on the product shop page.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Shelly

More on Yeelight

Keep looking

Other head to heads