How to get the Philips Hue look for under $40

Philips Hue is synonymous with smart home lighting these days, but it’s also synonymous with expensive pricing. Philips Hue does offer some nice features, like HomeKit, Assistant, and Alexa integration among many in-app bonuses as well.

But, it’s possible to achieve the same look of Philips Hue for less. You can sometimes expect to pay up to $80 or more for a single LightStrip from Philips. If you want to outfit a den or office with these strips, it can get very expensive, very quick. Keep reading to find out how you can get the same look at a much lower price point with these Philips Hue alternatives.

Philips Hue alternatives with HomeKit

This is for our Apple readers out there. HomeKit support is normally on the more expensive side of things when it comes to smart home solutions, but it doesn’t have to be outrageous.

Bulb

Philips Hue requires a dedicated hub and can get expensive to outfit your entire home. A starter kit is often $100 or more, and expanding is only more expensive as time goes on.

For smart bulb Philips Hue alternatives, we recommend checking out LIFX. For white only, it starts at just $25 shipped with the Mini A19 bulb and requires no hub to function with Alexa, HomeKit, or Assistant. Though this is only a white bulb, it’s still one of the best prices for a quality option that works with HomeKit.

If you want RGB colors, check out Koogeek. This specific bulb is HomeKit only but is just $30 shipped for full RGB capabilities to add a flair of color to any space. You can upgrade to the Alexa, HomeKit, and Assistant model for $40 shipped.

Strip

The Philips Hue Lightstrip will run $80 or more. Though quality-built, you can get great alternatives that require no hub for around 50% of the cost.

For this, we’ll go back to Koogeek again. Their strip is $39 shipped and works with Alexa, HomeKit, and Assistant. This means that you can use whatever smart assistant you want for it and command your home with just the use of voice commands.

Philips Hue alternatives with Alexa/Assistant

If you only want Alexa or Assistant capabilities, you can save a bit on cost there. Since Apple makes it harder to get certified for its programs, many companies opt for lower-cost alternatives that only offer Alexa or Assistant control.

Bulb

TP-Link makes a white bulb that’s just $23 Prime shipped and packs Alexa and Assistant capabilities. These bulbs are great budget-friendly Philips Hue alternatives to outfit the bathrooms, kitchen, or hallways where you don’t need RGB bulbs.

TP-Link is also our choice for RGB bulbs. At $40 shipped, you’ll get Alexa and Assistant compatibility and the company’s highly-rated name behind the product.

Strip

Here, we have Amazon’s #1 best-seller. The Netlux LED strip works with Alexa and Assistant for $30 shipped. That’s right, just $30 will get you this RGB LED strip you can put anywhere in your home. This is a fantastic option for kitchens, bars, and office spaces that you want to outfit on a budget.

As you can see, you don’t have to spend hundreds on single rooms to outfit your home with voice-commanded products. This is a great way to get the Philips Hue look for less, and still retain many of the features people love about Hue.

Subscribe to the 9to5Toys YouTube Channel for all of the latest videos, reviews, and more!