The Best Smart Home Hubs of 2026: Homey, Aqara and Home Assistant
Compared model by model in our Energy & Smart Home section
Searching for “best smart home hub”? Our Smart Home Hubs guide in the Energy & Smart Home section ranks every model on what still matters after years of ownership: annual energy cost, the EU energy label (A to G), data privacy under the EU's GDPR, replacement parts for five years and Matter support. Models that lean on marketing claims get cut; the ones built to last make the list.
Our picks
Smart Home Hubs: which one should you buy in 2026?
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Best overall
Homey Pro (Early 2023)
Built-in Zigbee, Z-Wave, Thread, Matter, infrared and 433 MHz, local automations and a simple app.
Photo: © Athom (Homey)
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Best value
Aqara Hub M3
Matter controller, Thread border router, Zigbee, 360° infrared and PoE, with locally executed automations.
Photo: © Aqara
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Best for power users
Home Assistant Green
Fully local open-source software with 2,000+ integrations; Zigbee/Thread and Z-Wave via ZBT-2 and ZWA-2 adapters.
Photo: © Nabu Casa / Home Assistant
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Our buying guides
- Best Smart Home Hubs of 2026: Matter, Zigbee and Z-Wave ComparedHomey Pro, Home Assistant Green, Aqara Hub M3, IKEA Dirigera, Hue Bridge Pro or Jeedom Atlas: which smart home hub should you buy in 2026? We compare Zigbee, Z-Wave, Thread and Matter radios, local vs. cloud control, ease of use and automation power.Read the guide →
- Matter and Thread Explained: The Smart Home Standard in 2026Matter lets smart devices from different brands talk to each other, and Thread links them in a low-power mesh. Versions, Thread border routers by ecosystem, the IKEA DIRIGERA update and which hub to pick in 2026.Read the guide →
- Smart Home Trends 2026: What's Actually ChangingMatter for cameras and energy, Thread, generative AI assistants like Alexa+ and Gemini for Home, local control, no-subscription security and new EU rules: the smart home trends that matter in 2026, and the products behind them.Read the guide →
More categories in this section
Smart Thermostats
Netatmo, Tado, Nest, Honeywell smart thermostats — cut your heating bill.
Home Energy Monitors
Track your home's electricity use in real time, room by room.
Balcony Solar Panels
Balcony solar kits that plug into an outlet — and whether they pay off in 2026.
Home Batteries
Home solar batteries that let you use more of the power your own panels produce.
Smart Lighting
Smart bulbs and LED light strips from Philips Hue, IKEA Tradfri, WiZ and LIFX.
Smart Light Switches
Smart light switches from Shelly, Sonoff and Legrand — including no-neutral models.
Smart Blinds & Shutters
Motorized blinds, shades and shutters that open and close on their own with the daylight.
Air Quality Monitors
CO₂, VOC and particulate sensors to monitor your indoor air.
Water Leak Detectors
Smart water leak detectors that help you head off costly water damage.
Home EV Chargers
Home EV chargers — Wallbox, EVBox, Easee.
Frequently asked questions
Usually, yes: every Matter device needs a controller, and Matter-over-Thread devices also need a Thread border router. Some Amazon Echo, Google Nest and Apple TV or HomePod models already handle both jobs, so you may own a hub without realizing it. A dedicated hub is still worth having for local automations and for the many Zigbee and Z-Wave devices that don't speak Matter.
Sometimes: a few Echo speakers include a built-in Zigbee hub that handles simple devices such as bulbs, plugs and sensors. Check the spec sheet for Zigbee before relying on it, since most Echo models don't have it. Alexa routines also offer fewer options than a dedicated hub such as Home Assistant or SmartThings, and some device features may not show up in the Alexa app.
For battery-powered sensors, choose Zigbee or Thread: both use little power and build a mesh in which plug-in devices relay the signal. Wi-Fi suits plugs and cameras but crowds your router once you add dozens of devices. Z-Wave is reliable but pricier, and it runs on different frequencies by region (908 MHz in the US, 868 MHz in Europe), so buy modules made for your region: the two aren't compatible.
Very little: a hub drawing 5 W all year uses 5 W × 8,760 hours, or about 44 kWh. At an example rate of 20 cents per kWh, that's roughly $8.80 a year; use the rate on your utility bill for an exact figure. A mini PC running Home Assistant may draw more and a Raspberry Pi often less, so check with a smart plug that measures energy.
Usually because of Wi-Fi interference or a weak mesh. Zigbee shares the 2.4 GHz band with Wi-Fi, so keep the hub or USB dongle away from your router, using a USB extension cable for dongles. Add plug-in Zigbee devices such as smart plugs to act as repeaters. Choosing Zigbee channel 15, 20 or 25 also avoids overlap with Wi-Fi channels 1, 6 and 11.