The Cost Breakdown
Smart bulbs (Philips Hue equivalent): 30 bulbs × $30/bulb = $900. Hub: $80. Total: $980 for a 4-bedroom house. Bulbs last approximately 15,000 hours (4-5 years at typical use). Replacement cost after 5 years: $900 again.
Smart switches (Lutron Caseta or equivalent): 10 switches × $15/switch = $150. Hub: $80. Total: $230 upfront. Switches last 20+ years. After 5 years: $0 additional cost. After 10 years: still $0.
The Automation Quality Trade-off
Smart bulbs win: Color changing (RGB), dimming without rewiring, per-bulb control, easy addition of new bulbs.
Smart switches win: Work with existing dumb bulbs (no need to replace every bulb), work when the WiFi is down (via Pico remote), don't leave you in the dark when a bulb dies, better for ceiling fixtures (bulbs are expensive at 75W-equivalent brightness).
Our Recommendation
Use smart switches for primary lighting (ceiling lights, hallway lights). Use smart bulbs only where you need color-changing (living room accent lighting, bedroom ambiance). This hybrid approach captures the best of both systems at lower total cost.