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IoT & Smart Home · head to head

Yeelight vs Arlo

Yeelight logo

Yeelight

IoT & Smart Home

Smart lighting for modern homes

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Arlo logo

Arlo

IoT & Smart Home

Wire-free security cameras with cloud intelligence

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Yeelight requires owning Yeelight-branded smart lighting hardware; the app itself is a controller with no standalone function; Arlo without an Arlo Secure subscription the cameras are limited to live streaming and two-way audio, with no cloud video history
  • They diverge on capability: Yeelight covers Color control, Arlo covers Wire-Free.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Yeelight and Arlo actually diverge.

Attributes where Yeelight and Arlo differ
AttributeYeelightArlo
Pricing modelone-timesubscription
PlatformsIOS, AndroidIOS, Android, Web, Smart Displays
Founded20122018

Identical on both: starting price (On request), 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 Yeelight

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

Only in Arlo

  • Wire-Free
  • 4K Video
  • AI Detection
  • Color Night Vision
  • Alexa
  • Google Home
  • HomeKit
  • Web support

Both cover

  • SmartThings
  • IOS support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Yeelight

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

Arlo

  • Wire-free home security cameras, video doorbells and floodlight camerasnot Yeelight
  • Cloud recorded video history with person, vehicle and package detectionnot Yeelight
  • Professionally monitored home security through the Arlo appnot Yeelight

Where each one falls short

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

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

Arlo

  • Without an Arlo Secure subscription the cameras are limited to live streaming and two-way audio, with no cloud video history
  • Video history, Activity Zones and Advanced Detection require the paid Arlo Plus plan
  • 24/7 Professional Monitoring and 24/7 Emergency Response are only on the Premium plan
  • 24/7 continuous recording is an add-on to Premium and covers up to three cameras only
  • Unlimited camera plans apply only to Arlo cameras at a single residential location on the same account
  • Cameras must be bought as hardware before any plan applies, and the included plan is a trial that ends

Pricing, plan by plan

Yeelight

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

Arlo

On request
  • Arlo Secure$2.99/month
    • 30-day cloud
    • AI detection
    • 1 camera
  • Arlo Secure Plus$14.99/month
    • Unlimited cameras
    • 24/7 recording
    • E911

Which should you pick?

Choose Yeelight if

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

Choose Arlo if

  • You need wire-free.
  • You work on IOS, Android, Web, Smart Displays.
  • You also want 4k video.
Arlo review

Questions people ask

Is Yeelight or Arlo better?
Neither clearly leads. Yeelight starts at On request and Arlo at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Yeelight or Arlo?
Yeelight starts at On request and Arlo at On request.
Does Yeelight or Arlo run on more platforms?
Yeelight runs on IOS, Android. Arlo runs on IOS, Android, Web, Smart Displays.
What is Yeelight best used for?
Yeelight is most often used for ambient lighting, entertainment sync, automated schedules, energy saving. Of those, ambient lighting and entertainment sync are not what Arlo is typically brought in for.
What can Yeelight do that Arlo cannot?
Yeelight covers Color control, Brightness dimming, Schedules, Music sync. Arlo covers Wire-Free, 4K Video, AI Detection, Color Night Vision. Both handle SmartThings, IOS support, Android support.
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