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Smart Home · head to head

Arduino Cloud vs Yeelight

Arduino Cloud logo

Arduino Cloud

Smart Home

Cloud platform for Arduino IoT devices and applications

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 Arduino Cloud has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Arduino Cloud the free plan allows 2 connected devices, 5 variables each and one day of data retention; Yeelight requires owning Yeelight-branded smart lighting hardware; the app itself is a controller with no standalone function
  • They diverge on capability: Arduino Cloud covers Device Connectivity, Yeelight covers Color control.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Arduino Cloud and Yeelight actually diverge.

Attributes where Arduino Cloud and Yeelight differ
AttributeArduino CloudYeelight
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionone-time
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsArduino devices, Cloud, Mobile app, Web dashboardIOS, Android
Founded20052012

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 Arduino Cloud

  • Device Connectivity
  • Cloud Storage
  • Real-Time Sync
  • Security
  • Arduino IDE
  • Mobile app
  • REST API
  • Integration services

Only in Yeelight

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

What people use each for

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

Arduino Cloud

  • Connecting Arduino boards to a cloud dashboardnot Yeelight
  • Over-the-air firmware updates to deployed devicesnot Yeelight
  • Logging sensor data and charting it over timenot Yeelight
  • Triggering notifications from device thresholdsnot Yeelight
  • Classroom IoT projects on the School plannot Yeelight

Yeelight

  • Ambient lightingnot Arduino Cloud
  • Entertainment syncnot Arduino Cloud
  • Automated schedulesnot Arduino Cloud
  • Energy savingnot Arduino Cloud

Where each one falls short

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

Arduino Cloud

  • The free plan allows 2 connected devices, 5 variables each and one day of data retention
  • Free accounts are limited to 25 compilations a day and 10 trigger notifications a day
  • The Maker plan at $72 a year lifts devices to 25 and retention to 3 months, still for a single user
  • Team pricing jumps to $1,000 a year
  • Two years of data retention and unlimited ingestion require Enterprise

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

Arduino Cloud

Free
  • MakerFree
    • 2 devices
    • Basic features
    • Cloud access
  • Maker Plus$7/month
    • Up to 10 devices
    • Advanced features
    • Better storage

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 Arduino Cloud if

  • You need device connectivity.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Arduino devices, Cloud, Mobile app, Web dashboard.
  • You also want cloud storage.
Arduino Cloud review

Choose Yeelight if

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

Questions people ask

Is Arduino Cloud or Yeelight better?
Neither clearly leads. Arduino Cloud 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, Arduino Cloud or Yeelight?
Arduino Cloud has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Arduino Cloud and On request for Yeelight.
Does Arduino Cloud or Yeelight run on more platforms?
Arduino Cloud runs on Arduino devices, Cloud, Mobile app, Web dashboard. Yeelight runs on IOS, Android.
Can I use Arduino Cloud for free?
Yes. Arduino Cloud has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Yeelight starts at On request.
What is Arduino Cloud best used for?
Arduino Cloud is most often used for connecting arduino boards to a cloud dashboard, over-the-air firmware updates to deployed devices, logging sensor data and charting it over time, triggering notifications from device thresholds. Of those, connecting arduino boards to a cloud dashboard and over-the-air firmware updates to deployed devices are not what Yeelight is typically brought in for.
What can Arduino Cloud do that Yeelight cannot?
Arduino Cloud covers Device Connectivity, Cloud Storage, Real-Time Sync, Security. Yeelight covers Color control, Brightness dimming, Schedules, Music sync.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

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