WiZ vs Philips Hue: how to tell them apart

Maker and positioning

WiZ began as a startup in 2017 and joined Signify in June 2019. Hue is Signify's own line.[1]

Signify has described Hue as its premium line and WiZ as an open IoT platform that other lighting vendors can build on.[4]

In 2020, Signify sold WiZ-compatible lights in the United States as Philips Wi-Fi LED, exclusively at Home Depot.[5]

Hub and radio

WiZ lights connect to a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network and need no hub or gateway. Bluetooth handles setup on recent lights.[2][6]

Hue lights built on Zigbee connect through a Hue Bridge. Hue says Bluetooth-capable bulbs can be used without a Bridge, with a limit of 10 lights per Bluetooth control device.[3]

WiZ accessories such as the remote, button and motion sensor use a proprietary broadcast technology and work without Wi-Fi.[6]

The WiZ FAQ states that WiZ lights support 2.4 GHz b/g/n Wi-Fi with security up to WPA-3 Personal.[6]

The Hue FAQ labels the Bridge setup as Zigbee and Matter.[3]

Signify's 2021 post said Hue and WiZ together cover the whole range of smart home lighting connectivity.[4]

App and naming

• WiZ lights are set up in the WiZ app. The older WiZ legacy app lost support from August 2024.[7]
• Hue lights use the Philips Hue app.[3]
• WiZ lights have been sold as WiZ and as Philips Smart LED connected by WiZ.[8]
• Signify press releases from 2026 call the range Philips Smart Lighting (connected by WiZ), a Wi-Fi system that needs no extra hub or bridge and runs through the WiZ app. Signify says it is distinct from Philips Hue.[9][10]

What each line sells

WiZ sells its products on wizconnected.com. The range covers color and tunable white bulbs, filament bulbs, spot bulbs, LED strips, string lights, ceiling lights, downlights, table and floor lamps, outdoor lights, smart plugs, a remote, a button, sensors and cameras.[1][2]

Some WiZ products are sold only in some regions. WiZ bulbs come with E27, E14 and B22 bases in Europe and E26 and E12 bases in the United States.[2][8]

WiZ launched an HDMI Sync Box in April 2025 alongside the Gradient Light Bars and the Gradient Floor Light, and Signify's September 2026 release adds screen sync to the Philips Smart Lighting range.[10][11]

Packaging clues

• On WiZ retrofit lamps, a 10-digit number followed by the letter A on the bottom of the color box marks a Matter-capable lamp. Filament bulbs, table lamps and the 6 inch downlight show a Bluetooth sign on the box.[8]
• New WiZ products were to carry the Matter logo on the packaging beginning in H2 2023.[12]
• Hue tells owners to look for the Bluetooth logo on the packaging to confirm a bulb works without a Bridge.[3]
• Smart plugs from WiZ that support Matter show a power meter on the packaging.[8]

Matter on WiZ

WiZ implements Matter over Wi-Fi. Its product pages state Matter functionality as available via third-party hubs over Wi-Fi.[2]

In November 2022, Signify announced that it was certifying all WiZ products for Matter. Products made since the second quarter of 2021 were to receive the update over the air, and partners selling Connected by WiZ products could certify their own.[12]

WiZ states that only lights and smart plugs made after the second quarter of 2021 support Matter. The WiZmote, Smart Button and Motion Sensor do not, and the camera is not supported because Matter had no device type for it.[13]

The WiZ FAQ lists the A23 bulb, R20 and BR40 floods, Bar linear light, Mobile portable light, Pole floor light, Squire table light and the 13 ft LED strip as Matter-compatible regardless of manufacturing date in the United States market.[8]

For Europe, the WiZ FAQ list adds the P45, frosted A60 and A80 bulbs, the Up and Down, Panel, Adria, Super Slim and Rune lights and the 4 m LED strip.[8]

WiZ supports Matter from firmware 1.29.0. Lights without the Matter logo download a certificate and a per-device setup code in the WiZ app.[14]

WiZ states that Matter 1.0 supports only basic controls: on and off, brightness, color temperature, color and grouping. Dynamic light modes and custom scenes stay in the WiZ app.[15]

Lights made before the second quarter of 2021 are outside that group. WiZ's Matter FAQ describes Matter 1.0 (basic on/off, brightness, color temperature, color, grouping).[13][15]

Setup needs the light and the Matter hub on the same network and the latest light firmware. WiZ lists the WiZ app as the place to download the certificate for lights that lack the Matter logo.[14]

The 2024 RGB and RGBIC LED strips and the Wall Light Classic were launched as Matter-compatible, and the 2025 Gradient Light Bars and Gradient Floor Light are Matter-compatible.[11][16]