Philips Hue smart lights are some of the coolest on the market and they're definitely some of the most popular, but they can be quite expensive, especially once you get into colored bulbs. If you're looking for a less expensive alternative or just something other than what's popular, then check out these other awesome options (like the LIFX A19 bulbs).
Best alternative
LIFX
Staff pick
LIFX's relatively inexpensive bulbs provide 16 million colors and 1,000 shades of white, and they connect via Wi-Fi without the need for a hub. That and each bulb only uses 17 watts despite a lumen count of 1,017 (A19 model).
Budget pick
Cree Connected
The price of the Cree smart bulb belies its quality. Controllable with Alexa, you can get a 60-watt equivalent bulb in soft white or daylight, and it works with multiple other hubs. There's none better for value, with the Cree Connected bulb sporting a 22-year lifespan (25,000 hours).
Affordable color
Sylvania Smart RGBW bulb
For under $30, you can get the Sylvania Smart bulb that offers 16 million colors, multiple lighting presets, and it's controllable using a ZigBee hub along with your favorite smart assistant. You can also grab it in just white for even less money.
No hub required
Eufy Lumos
For hub-less Wi-Fi control of your smart lights, Eufy's Lumos bulbs are fantastic. They're somewhat expensive, but you can snag a plain white bulb without spending too much. The multicolor bulbs are where the fun begins, though — just screw them in, connect to Wi-Fi with the app, and use Alexa or Google Assistant to control them.
Light-up wall art
Nanoleaf Aurora Rhythm
If you want your smart lights to make more of a statement than a simple bulb does, check out the Aurora Rhythm from Nanoleaf. It comes in packs of 9 or 15 panels, which features millions of colors, as well as audio sensors, which change the lighting in time with your tunes. Orient the panels any way you like.
Great value
Yeelight multicolor smart bulb
Yeelight's bulbs work with Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT, and you don't need a hub to control them. There are 16 million color options, they're dimmable, and you have control of a color temperature range of 1700K to 6500K. Lots of bang for your buck.
3-pack deal
TP-Link Kasa dimmable white
For fabulous everyday bulbs at a great price, this TP-Link 3-pack is perfect for getting your smart home started. It's pretty affordable when you work out the per bulb cost, and you can control them with Alexa or Google Assistant with no hub required.
Super adjustable
LOHAS multicolor smart bulb
LOHAS' bulbs have incredibly fine built-in adjustments when it comes to dimming. You can set each bulb exactly how you like it, and you don't need a hub. Color temperature ranges from 2000K to 9000K and you have 16 million colors to choose, just like with any great multicolor smart bulb.
Changes throughout the day
C by GE C-Sleep
If you want an affordable smart bulb from a company you trust, the C by GE line is tough to beat. Looking at the C-Sleep bulb specifically, it has 850 lumens of brightness, doesn't required a hub the way Hue bulbs do, and automatically changes color throughout the day depending on if it's morning, afternoon, or night.
If we had to choose
Overall, we think the best alternative to Hue bulbs is LIFX. Looking specifically at the A19 model we highlighted above, you get access to millions of different colors and over 1,000 shades of white without the need for a hub of any kind. The bulb itself is a little pricey, but the fact that it works 100% on its own is a huge advantage.
If that's a bit more money than you'll willing to spend, there are plenty of budget options out there, too. We particularly like the Yeelight and Cree Connected.
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