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Software · head to head

Yeelight vs LIFX

Yeelight logo

Yeelight

Software

Smart lighting for modern homes

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
LIFX logo

LIFX

Software

WiFi-enabled smart lights with no hub required

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; 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: Yeelight covers Color control, LIFX covers No Hub Required.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Yeelight and LIFX actually diverge.

Attributes where Yeelight and LIFX differ
AttributeYeelightLIFX
PlatformsIOS, AndroidIOS, Android, Windows, MacOS

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (one-time), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown), founded (2012).

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 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.

Yeelight

  • Ambient lighting
  • Entertainment syncnot LIFX
  • Automated schedulesnot LIFX
  • Energy savingnot LIFX

LIFX

  • Ambient lighting
  • Gaming setupnot Yeelight
  • Photography lightingnot Yeelight
  • Smart homenot Yeelight

Both are used for ambient lighting, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

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

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

Yeelight

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

LIFX

On request
  • LIFX Bulb$40/month
    • 16M colors
    • WiFi direct
    • No hub required

Which should you pick?

Choose Yeelight if

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

Choose LIFX if

  • You need no hub required.
  • You work on IOS, Android, Windows, MacOS.
  • You also want 16 million colors.
LIFX review

Questions people ask

Is Yeelight or LIFX better?
Neither clearly leads. Yeelight 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, Yeelight or LIFX?
Yeelight starts at On request and LIFX at On request.
Does Yeelight or LIFX run on more platforms?
Yeelight runs on IOS, Android. LIFX runs on IOS, Android, Windows, MacOS.
What is Yeelight best used for?
Yeelight is most often used for ambient lighting, entertainment sync, automated schedules, energy saving. Of those, entertainment sync and automated schedules are not what LIFX is typically brought in for.
What can Yeelight do that LIFX cannot?
Yeelight covers Color control, Brightness dimming, Schedules, Music sync. LIFX covers No Hub Required, 16 Million Colors, WiFi Direct, High Brightness. Both handle SmartThings, IOS support, Android support.
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