IoT & Smart Home · head to head
Zigbee Alliance vs LIFX
Zigbee Alliance
IoT & Smart Home
Low-power wireless standard for IoT and smart home
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
LIFX
IoT & Smart Home
WiFi-enabled smart lights with no hub required
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Zigbee Alliance has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Zigbee Alliance the Internet Archive's capture of the Connectivity Standards Alliance's Zigbee page on 4 January 2024 confirmed Zigbee is a protocol standard rather than a purchased product, with the Alliance's revenue coming from member dues and per-device certification fees rather than a software price list.; 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: Zigbee Alliance covers Low Power, LIFX covers No Hub Required.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Zigbee Alliance and LIFX actually diverge.
| Attribute | Zigbee Alliance | LIFX |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Pricing model | open-source | one-time |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Zigbee devices, Mesh networks, Smart home hubs, IoT platforms | IOS, Android, Windows, MacOS |
| Founded | 2002 | 2012 |
Identical on both: 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 Zigbee Alliance
- Low Power
- Mesh Networking
- Self-Healing
- Scalable
- Smart home devices
- Hubs
- Controllers
- Integration platforms
Only in LIFX
- No Hub Required
- 16 Million Colors
- WiFi Direct
- High Brightness
- HomeKit
- Alexa
- Google Home
- SmartThings
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Zigbee Alliance
- Smart lightingnot LIFX
- Sensor networksnot LIFX
- Home automationnot LIFX
- Industrial monitoringnot LIFX
LIFX
- Ambient lightingnot Zigbee Alliance
- Gaming setupnot Zigbee Alliance
- Photography lightingnot Zigbee Alliance
- Smart homenot Zigbee Alliance
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Zigbee Alliance
- The Internet Archive's capture of the Connectivity Standards Alliance's Zigbee page on 4 January 2024 confirmed Zigbee is a protocol standard rather than a purchased product, with the Alliance's revenue coming from member dues and per-device certification fees rather than a software price list.
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
Zigbee Alliance
Free- Open SpecificationFree
- Low power mesh
- Self-healing
- Interoperable
LIFX
On request- LIFX Bulb$40/month
- 16M colors
- WiFi direct
- No hub required
Which should you pick?
Choose Zigbee Alliance if
- You need low power.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Zigbee devices, Mesh networks, Smart home hubs, IoT platforms.
- You also want mesh networking.
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 Zigbee Alliance or LIFX better?
- Neither clearly leads. Zigbee Alliance starts at Free and LIFX at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Zigbee Alliance or LIFX?
- Zigbee Alliance has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Zigbee Alliance and On request for LIFX.
- Does Zigbee Alliance or LIFX run on more platforms?
- Zigbee Alliance runs on Zigbee devices, Mesh networks, Smart home hubs, IoT platforms. LIFX runs on IOS, Android, Windows, MacOS.
- Can I use Zigbee Alliance for free?
- Yes. Zigbee Alliance has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. LIFX starts at On request.
- What is Zigbee Alliance best used for?
- Zigbee Alliance is most often used for smart lighting, sensor networks, home automation, industrial monitoring. Of those, smart lighting and sensor networks are not what LIFX is typically brought in for.
- What can Zigbee Alliance do that LIFX cannot?
- Zigbee Alliance covers Low Power, Mesh Networking, Self-Healing, Scalable. LIFX covers No Hub Required, 16 Million Colors, WiFi Direct, High Brightness.