IoT & Smart Home · head to head
SwitchBot vs LIFX
LIFX
IoT & Smart Home
WiFi-enabled smart lights with no hub required
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: SwitchBot switchBot Lock Ultra is priced at 139.99 USD standalone, rising to 299.99 USD bundled with the Touch Doorbell combo; LIFX the Internet Archive's capture of LIFX's products page on 19 July 2016 priced the White 800 bulb at $39.99 USD (890 lumens) and the Color 1000 bulb at $59.99 USD (1,055 lumens); this is a 2016 capture and current prices likely differ.
- They diverge on capability: SwitchBot covers Button automation, LIFX covers No Hub Required.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which SwitchBot and LIFX actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (one-time), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (IoT & 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 SwitchBot
- Button automation
- IR control
- Schedules
- Sensors
- Scene automation
- Voice control
- Amazon Alexa
- Google Assistant
Only in LIFX
- No Hub Required
- 16 Million Colors
- WiFi Direct
- High Brightness
- HomeKit
- Alexa
- Google Home
- Windows support
Both cover
- SmartThings
- IOS support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
SwitchBot
- Retrofit automationnot LIFX
- Curtain controlnot LIFX
- AC controlnot LIFX
- Simple automationnot LIFX
LIFX
- Ambient lightingnot SwitchBot
- Gaming setupnot SwitchBot
- Photography lightingnot SwitchBot
- Smart homenot SwitchBot
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
SwitchBot
- SwitchBot Lock Ultra is priced at 139.99 USD standalone, rising to 299.99 USD bundled with the Touch Doorbell combo
LIFX
- The Internet Archive's capture of LIFX's products page on 19 July 2016 priced the White 800 bulb at $39.99 USD (890 lumens) and the Color 1000 bulb at $59.99 USD (1,055 lumens); this is a 2016 capture and current prices likely differ.
Pricing, plan by plan
SwitchBot
On request- Bot$29/month
- Button pusher
- Schedule
- Voice control
- Curtain$89/month
- Solar powered option
- Light sensor
- Schedule
- Hub Mini$39/month
- IR control
- Cloud access
- Voice assistants
LIFX
On request- LIFX Bulb$40/month
- 16M colors
- WiFi direct
- No hub required
Which should you pick?
Choose SwitchBot if
- You need button automation.
- You work on IOS, Android.
- You also want ir control.
Choose LIFX if
- You need no hub required.
- You work on IOS, Android, Windows, MacOS.
- You also want 16 million colors.
Questions people ask
- Is SwitchBot or LIFX better?
- Neither clearly leads. SwitchBot starts at On request and LIFX at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, SwitchBot or LIFX?
- SwitchBot starts at On request and LIFX at On request.
- Does SwitchBot or LIFX run on more platforms?
- SwitchBot runs on IOS, Android. LIFX runs on IOS, Android, Windows, MacOS.
- What is SwitchBot best used for?
- SwitchBot is most often used for retrofit automation, curtain control, ac control, simple automation. Of those, retrofit automation and curtain control are not what LIFX is typically brought in for.
- What can SwitchBot do that LIFX cannot?
- SwitchBot covers Button automation, IR control, Schedules, Sensors. LIFX covers No Hub Required, 16 Million Colors, WiFi Direct, High Brightness. Both handle SmartThings, IOS support, Android support.