If you decide to go with SmartThings, check out our video about what I wish I knew when I started with SmartThings. Best Bulbs and Switches for Home Assistant, SmartThings vs Home Assistant: What is the Best Smart Home Hub, 6 things the smart home industry should STOP doing in 2022, Raspberry Pi, HA Blue, NUC or Server for Home Assistant, 3 best doorbell without cloud that focus on secure local protocols, Dahua vs Hikvision: The battle of Best PoE Bullet Cameras. Im thinking of possibly abandoning Hubitat and just leveraging HomeAssistant. This smart home hub came out a few years ago and is still gaining recognition, but those who use it love it. I moved from HE to HA 3 years ago. The main benefit in HA is the ability to control Wifi devices locally like Tuya and Chamberlain. If you have any questions on Hubitat vs. Home Assistant, please leave them in the comments! With the sunset of the SmartThings Groovy platform announced, we noticed an influx of webCoRE users arriving in the SharpTools community who brought with them a desire for math functionality and improved date features! Therefore, there is no need to worry about data privacy with Hubitat. Controlling it remotely also takes some extra work. The reason for this is that SmartThings can be connected with both WiFi and ethernet. Another related feature is that it can be used as powerful notification centre notifying you not only when your cleaner came and left, but any other events (for example if the shares you bought drops in price or bitcoins is in trouble again). Hubitat is never been stable. You set this with the Rule machine and install codes, and it will open at 45% within the time you set it in a code. That's a big advantage. SmartThings is solid off the shelf device from a known brand for an average consumer, but a dependency on the internet and limited flexibility might put off some more advanced users. Of course, not every smart home device needs a hub. The writers of this blog received a free sample of Hubitat for review. Be aware that its not exactly as it sounds. When picking a smart home hub, SmartThings, Hubitat, and Home Assistant are some of the most popular DIY options you'll find on the market. It is very easy to learn, make prototype automations and rollout with a very simple visual interface. Before we get into those details, I want to extend a special thank you to each and every one of you who, It's that time of year again in which festive lighting is often used to set the mood for the holidays. Looking at competition we do not see any comparable system in terms of complexity and flexibility. If you are wondering which smart home hub to get for yourself, then you have come to the right place. Hubitat and Home Assistant both support tons of different smart home devices and since theyre both Z-wave and Zigbee compatible, there are thousands of different devices that can be added to both. It is also compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Home Assistant. Once your device is in Home Assistant you can setup all the automations via a text editor and YAML (scripting language). All devices have different attributes; hence they use different technologies such as Zigbee, Z-Wave, WiFi, Bluetooth, etc., to communicate. Supports Ethernet connectivity for reliable network connection. Is there any problems hooking HomeBridge up with HE? However, Hubitat does not have an app but instead provides a web interface to set up your smart home. What might be a good option is to buy SmartThings and when you worked on the setup and encountered limitation mentioned above, you make SmartThings a middleman to Home Assistant. This most likely to cover the majority of the devices that you own and will allow you to use one place to control all of them rather than having a dozen of apps on your phone. Additionally, Hubitat doesnt have a mobile app, so you will need to open it through the browser to control and monitor them. It all works great. The configuration and guideline parameters are presented inside the user interface below the unique cause when a Rule becomes a part of a Trigger. The reason is that any new system (even as simple as Smart Things) require some investment of time to get used to it, so we recommend to do it with more flexible and powerful system. SmartThings vs Hubitat vs Home Assistant - SharpTools Blog I had a lot of problems with older Fibaro ZW devices in HE). To be clear, this is not a cost-effective solution, but I have been extremely happy with how the Hubitat connects and handles devices and simply wanted a way to interact with them in Home Assistant. The beauty of this is one platform or another might work best for you and your unique needs! Hi there! Home Assistant started fairly recently in 2015 and has been growing at a great pace over the last years. While the dashboard is extremely functional and modern, it required HACS installation, YAML code changes, and was created from a blank slate meaning that the entire dashboard was customized. Please view our complete disclaimer at the bottom of this page for more information. Maybe the app will be more clear and easy to use in the future, but for now its not as easy as you would think, since certain functionality and automations only work in one of the apps. If people need an 'appliance' where it works closer to 99% of the time, then HA is NOT for them and SmartThings is a better choice. You can use devices that work with either protocol and it will build out its own mesh network for each protocol. I had been pretty happy with SmartThings with several custom groovy apps (MyQ, home bridge, flume lock user managements, Konnected alarm, etc). Comment below with your own ideas, experiences, and opinions! In addition, SmartThings costs less and can be used wirelessly. There are good integrations both way between Hubitat and HA. I installed Hubitat about a year ago. If you cherish your devices and want to advance your, Hubitat is perfect for those who own a large number of, Both Hubitat and SmartThings can be efficiently integrated with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, IFTTT, and Lutron Caseta but not with, SmartThings is a hub itself that can be used for home automation systems. Have you had any stability issues with HE? What are you using to get devices from Hubitat into HA? But if you want to keep it easy, then SmartThings is an appropriate choice. But if you still wish to keep things simple and enjoy the idea of installing your smart hub within the connectivity of the WiFi range, then we would recommend you to go for SmartThings. Same as SmartThings, you can control all your smart home devices through a similar app. More recently, SmartThings has pushed more of the 'brains' into the local hub with a significant push in 2022 to make devices and automations run directly on the hub where possible. As of now, it has over 2,000 supported devices and one of the most active open source projects. Automation Gears. If it all goes well, you can still use it with Home Assistant. But Hubitat is cheaper than Home Assistant and requires less technical knowledge to operate. In addition, it also modular and there are very useful add-ons (likeNode-Red, home bridge and so on) that can be installed and configured in minutes further increasing functionally. It is not something you buy in the shop and within 30 minutes all works. The UI is also based on Polymer, the Google library implementing the Web Components standard, so it looks clean and attractive out of the box. Comparing to Home Assistant, however, it loses in the flexibility and complexity of automations possible, but even more so in the amount of integration possible. Home Assistant is literally free, and the RPi you showed is only around $40 depending on which model you decide to use. Has anyone had any reason to use zwave, zigbee devices directly with HA for any reason (like missing device features or functions)? I just read your article on Dahua vs Hikvision: The battle of Best PoE Bullet Cameras and I, Wow, I am thoroughly impressed by the Dahua 4K camera! Without electricity, both the devices will be of no use. Have deconz conbee stick for zigbee. Automations are more difficult to create (but also more flexible): Simple automations like turning lights on at a certain time are just as easy to create in HA as they are in SmartThings. One thing to note about Home Assistant is that if you sign up for the $5/month Nabu Casa service you get easy remote access without programming in addition to simplified Google Assistant/Alexa integration. Sunset of Groovy devices and SmartApps planned. There is no looking back once you get started with home automation. Its just an extra second of loading, but if you are a smart home perfectionist then that can bother you. These apps are an inbuilt app called Hub Link in Hubitat and an installable app called Send Hub Events within SmartThings. We include a few of these in the table below. Wink is similar to SmartThings since its automations are also in the cloud. Hubitat provides an engaged developer community who have put together some amazing device integrations and 'apps' that work with a fantastic commercially available hub. That is fine for the tinkerer and those with some technical and coding knowledge but I would rather have a more stable system that does not need my frequent attention. HomeKit also doesnt work with Alexa or Google Assistant, and has less devices that are compatible (though the list is always growing). Hubitat C-7 vs C-8: Is Upgrading Worth It? Vesternet What is Home Assistant? The devices connected to SmartThings can convey to the Hubitat through some apps. This might be a lack of official mobile application. If youre looking to build a smart home, theres a chance that youre interested in designing a system around a specific platform. Wink has all of the other negatives of cloud-based hubs and was actually a little slower than SmartThings in our tests, but not by much. The catch? For the most part, everything makes sense and can be easily found. Benefits of this cannot be understated as all your devices and information from them can be used as triggers and conditions (like motion or luminance). It needs Internet to work, but this allows it to be linked to Virtual Assistants. So I decided to try a different approach. I have Zigbee devices, Z-Wave devices and a handful of other (like Kasa WiFi switches), all set as devices in Hubitat, and HA just sees them for automation use. It has not had the years of availability on the market that SmartThings has had. You and I are singing the same song and came to the same conclusion. Connect the power cable of the hub, then click on Next. I preemptively purchased Habitat this past Dec. thinking that would be my next move. But, with some programming, Home Assistant gets more compatibility than Hubitat. When you interact with them in Home Assitant, it will use the Maker API to send commands to your Hubitat devices. Homeassistant is certainly the more capable option, can't argue there. I LOVE the Classic App. This makes simple, time-sensitive automations like 'lights turning on when motion is detected' run much faster than before while still keeping the power of complex automations available through solutions like SharpTools Rule Engine. In terms of cost, Hubitat is more expensive than SmartThings but it's still priced competitively. When the Hubitat integration brings Z-wave devices over does it do it in the same way that the official documentation talks about leveraging other home automation hubs to bridge z-wave devices over? This can be of great significance for most people, as some people like to go for wireless ones. There is a (custom) integration to use Hubitats Maker API to talk/control devices that are tied to Hubitat - main application is to use Hubatat hub as the radio for zigbee and z-wave. You May Also Enjoy Reading: If youre an Android user, youll want to skip HomeKit entirely, unless youre willing to switch teams. This allows you to remotely control and automate devices across different. This hub works with many smart home devices, allowing you to control many major brands within SmartThings. HomeKit runs locally by using an iPad thats always at home, a HomePod, or an Apple TV 3rd gen or higher. Even if youre a developer, there is a learning curve and set up work with Home Assistant. For some, it is an important consideration in a product, while for others, it is completely negligible. The price of the devices is an important point to be considered before making your decision. Hubitat vs. Home Assistant I see Home Assistant mentioned quite a bit here, Hubitat less so. Another key area where Home Assistant shines is automation. Hi, I am in the same shoes, I use HE to take care all Z-wave and Zigbee devices, integrated with HA through maker API. Besides, setting up SmartThings is not that complex. I moved from HE to HA 6months ago. This is morepolished and self-contained version of Home Assistant which can be installed and minutes. The user interface and the user experience of Hubitat and Home Assistant are drastically different. The company even sells a range extender for Z-Wave mesh networks. Therefore, to control them together with a single-user app, you will require a hub. One thing that I have to say worked really well in STH was their Smart Home Monitor which was basically three sections to monitor alarm hardware, leak detector hardware, smoke & co2 detector hardware. The level of detail and clarity it provides is truly, My SmartThings Wifi controller: $70. Besides the hubs listed above, there is other smart home hardware that people refer to as hubs, but I wouldnt consider them hubs. Home Assistant can be similarly configured but if I was starting from zero then I would probably go down the Hubitat route as a nearly out-of-the-box solution that is not subject to very frequent changes, some of them breaking, that Home Assistant seems to be. You can link both smart home hubs with virtual assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, so you can use voice commands to control your devices. Best yet, you can mix-and-match devices from each of these smart home hubs in your SharpTools dashboards and rules as we support all three of these popular smart home hubs! However, as mentioned above, if you plan on using Z-wave or Zigbee, you must purchase a device that works with Home Assistant, so its not free in that case. This makes it easier for users to interact with the hub. Keep in mind that both Home Assistant and SmartThings hub require electricity to operate. Home Assistant & Hubitat? - Lounge - Hubitat I just hope that HE takes full advantage of all the features of all my Zigbee & ZWave devices. Was that known when writing this article? * Voice, These features are now available natively in the Rule Engine in beta! There are several options for automating your home with a hub. If anything, its quite simple. If youre a developer or love tinkering with gadgets, Home Assistant (also called Hass.io) is a cool option for setting things up exactly as you like them. You need to spend $2,000 on just hardware while $1,000 would be the absolute maximum for any of the above systems. Hubitat vs SmartThings: Let's Pick The Best One - Automation Gears Some of the most compatible brands with Hubitat are: SmartThings WiFi hub is entirely cloud-based for smart home automation that primarily enables control of smart lights, smart outlets, and much more. How did oyu pay so much? This is important because it can lead to better support in terms of questions that have already been answered or tutorials that have been created. The opinions are 100% their own and not influenced. Seems to work well. Hubitat and SmartThings integrate well with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Lutron Caseta, and IFTTT. Custom automation can be created inside Home Assistant by customizing triggers, conditions, and actions. Hubitat has a distinct advantage when it comes to local functionality. Sry. The initial setup & UI are better in Home Assistant. Overall, its hard to get better than the UI/tools Home Assistant provides from an automation perspective. However, there will be some changes to SmartThings hardware. Another important criterion while choosing a hub is the ease with which you can use it. Its more user-friendly than SmartThings, but doesnt offer as many advanced automations or the option to add devices that arent natively compatible. Just want to leave a reference link here for future users coming to this thread. So if you are someone who isnt looking forward to hooking a cable to your smart home hub, stay clear of Hubitat. Bottom line, keep & integrate both. Send Hub Events is an installable app within SmartThings. At the same time, it requires time to understand and use, so we think spending time on learning Home Assistant will give you more returns. All reviews and suggestions are solely the authors opinion and not of any other entity. In addition, both the devices are compatible with Z-wave and Zigbee protocols used to connect smart home devices. The philosophy is that web application designed for mobile first would not require a designated app and smart home needs to be smart, not just allow you to manually control devices. Few questions for you guys if anyone has experience with any of the following anything you could answer would be greatly appreciated. Hubitat does not depend on a cloud-based service that provides the best for privacy in a smart hub. However, consumers need to be aware of the limitation of the system and factor this in when making a purchase choice. I found HA really overly complex and unstable at the time (was using HASSIO on a Pi). Home Assistant is literally free, and the RPi you, Doesn't appear that the ASH22-W listed here actually supports Amcrest's API. Knowing about the origin and its establishment made it easier for us to understand its compatibility with other products on the market. Last, would it be better to keep Hubitat for the z wave and zigbee radios and just leverage the Hubitat integration? Originally released as a Kickstarter project in 2012 and later acquired by Samsung in 2014, SmartThings has evolved into a tremendously popular smart home hub. This investment will give you benefits and better return on effort long after. It works well on a Raspberry Pi that you keep plugged in at home. General: The information on this blog has been self-taught through years of technical tinkering. But if you own only a few smart home devices and are on a budget, go for SmartThings. The developers here are dedicated and actually respond to user concerns and issues. The major benefit of this device is it features an integration of the hub with a voice assistant, mainly, Hubitat is compared with SmartThings mainly because of its potential to adapt since its a DIY, Plug one end of the ethernet cable into the port, Plug the other end to the LAN port on the modem, Plug the Samsung-approved AC adapter into the DC port, Plug that into the power strip or wall outlet. Hubitat vs. Home Assistant in 2023 - WunderTech The experience of @bpsmicro and @domenicdistefano are encouraging and suggest I can invest in Hubitat and it wont go to waste. The only reason why I decided to spend extra is that I use it for notifications. Please also have a look at out comprehensive guide into the best smart home hubs in the market today. In the intervening time Home Assistant has become more user friendly. HS4 vs Hubitat - HomeSeer Message Board Although, you have to maintain and code every device all by yourself. Bingo! But maybe I was to early for hubitat to be stable. Yet another very crucial aspect while picking devices is their ease of use in practical daily life. If you are among those who enjoy decorating their room with modern devices and smart gadgets, we recommend you go with Hubitat Elevation. SmartThings is a hub that is used for home automation. Automations and grouping devices into rooms are both simple to set up. Moreover, you can set a Rule using codes for the lights to turn on once you enter a room with motion sensors. Both platforms have pros and cons, so it depends on your individual needs and preferences. These things can also be populated in ST as virtual devices with complete control. But, simultaneously, you might also want to be aware of how long that product was made available. It enables you to create more intricate tasks. Not necessarily a bad thing but I am just looking to manage everything in one place, ie in HA. Assistant already there is really nothing you need hubitat for. In addition, if your internet or the company servers are down, you suddenly cant control your devices using the app. Samsung SmartThings is probably the most well-known hub available. While Hubitat can be configured for external access, its set up as a local system by default, meaning that everything is contained inside of the local network. The claim that Hubitat is entirely local is true unless you use services such as Alexa which are cloud-based. Now lets elaborate with how cloud-based and local hubs work. For example, if you want a hub that enables complex integrations, then it Hubitat, but only possesses only a few smart home devices and runs under a tight budget, then you should go for Samsung SmartThings hub. One big advantage: it works natively with Nest, Ring, August, and a few other devices that SmartThings doesnt work with. Hubitat works with Amazon Alexa. No email required, we are offering this to our audience for free. A smart home is an integral part of the modern house and significantly reducing the resilience of the hub of making it dependent on internet connection is not a wise choice. You probably need at least couple of hours to get it started. The point I was trying to make is that HA has more integrations with what I need i.e Sense and Flume. Home Assistant is simply an application, so you must have a way for Home Assistant to interact with Z-wave or Zigbee devices if thats a requirement.