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Philips HueandNanoleafare two of the biggest names in smart lighting, but which system is right for you?

Generally speaking, Nanoleaf lights are less expensive than Philips Hue and skew toward fun more than function.

Philips Hue and Nanoleaf smart light bulbs on blue and teal background

The Philips Hue range includes a huge selection of bulbs for just about every fixture in your home

Those aren’t the only differences, though.

The Nanoleaf app lets you map your design, apply preset lighting modes, or create custom effects.

Philips Hue vs Nanoleaf: features

Different Nanoleaf products can be controlled in different ways.

Philips Hue Edison bulbs

The Philips Hue range includes a huge selection of bulbs for just about every fixture in your home

They can also be controlled using the Nanoleaf app via Bluetooth.

The Nanoleaf app is available for iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows.

To unlock all their features, you’ll also need aPhilips Hue Bridge.

Nanoleaf Expo smart lighting with collectibles on shelves

The Nanoleaf x Fantaqi Expo system of stackable illuminated display cases is handy for showing off your collectibles

This small hub uses theZigbee wireless protocolto create a mesh online grid that links all your Hue devices.

Philips Hue Play Sync system in use, with lights shining on a wall matching a video game image on a TV screen

The Philips Hue Play Sync system mirrors colors from your screen in a similar way to Philips Ambilight - but without the need to buy a whole new TV

Nanoleaf Shapes behind a PC setup

Nanoleaf’s Shapes connect directly to your home Wi-Fi network, and can be controlled using the company’s desktop or mobile app