Home Assistant smart home overview

InternationalChecked 11 November 2026

Home Assistant is an open-source home automation platform that its homepage describes as putting local control and privacy first. It is a project of the Open Home Foundation, which describes itself as a tax-exempt non-profit Stiftung based in Switzerland, and Nabu Casa, a commercial partner, makes the official hardware and the optional subscription. It is controlled through a web interface, the Companion apps and the Assist voice assistant, and runs on your own hardware.

Visit Home Assistant website Back to all brands

Works with full table

  • MatterYes
  • AlexaYes
  • SmartThingsUnconfirmed

Where Home Assistant fits in a smart home

Home Assistant is software that runs locally, mainly as Home Assistant OS on a hub or computer or as a Container. Devices connect through integrations: the project documents built-in integrations for Zigbee (ZHA), Z-Wave (Z-Wave JS), Matter, Thread, Bluetooth, MQTT, KNX and ESPHome, and on Home Assistant Green the radios for Zigbee, Thread and Z-Wave come from separate adapters such as Connect ZBT-2 and Connect ZWA-2. The paid Home Assistant Cloud subscription adds remote access and the simplest Alexa and Google Assistant link, and the project says Home Assistant works fully without it.

That suits people who want one local system that spans many brands and protocols and who are comfortable choosing and maintaining the pieces: install type, radio adapters, apps and community add-ons. Points where the official pages show limits: only Home Assistant OS and Container are supported install types, and Core and Supervised are not; Container has no apps; Matter control is controller-only, with no bridge role; the Thread border router integration with Matter is described as work in progress; Voice Preview Edition is labelled a preview; and everything in the new Marketplace is community-made and not tested or supported by the project.

Runs on
Home Assistant OS or Container on your own hardware; official hub: Home Assistant Green
Radios and protocols
Zigbee, Z-Wave, Thread, Bluetooth LE, MQTT and KNX through integrations; Green has no built-in radio, adapters are separate
Matter
Controller (control only); not a Matter bridge
Integrations / apps
Homepage button reads Browse 1600+ integrations (as shown on the page we read, 11 Nov 2026)

What can be connected

Source: Home Assistant integrations page

Apps

Home Assistant Companion App (iOS)

The official iPhone app, linked from Home Assistant's companion download page. Home Assistant's Thread documentation says the Companion apps use the phone's preferred Thread network when adding Matter devices.

Thread integration App Store Companion app download page

Home Assistant Companion App (Android)

The official Android app, listed on Google Play and, as a minimal build, on F-Droid. The Assist page says Android supports hands-free wake words (Hey Jarvis, Hey Nabu).

Google Play F-Droid (minimal build)

Home Assistant on SideQuest (VR headsets)

The companion download page also lists a SideQuest download for VR headsets. We did not open that listing.

SideQuest

Compatibility, platform by platform

Official supported by the brand Community built by someone else Not found searched, nothing found Unconfirmed sources conflict or could not be opened

PlatformStatusWhat it meansSources
Hardware, editions and installation
Home Assistant Operating System (HAOS)OfficialCalled the recommended installation type for most users. It includes the Supervisor and is the only type that supports apps (formerly add-ons). The installation page lists Raspberry Pi, Odroid and x86-64 hardware, and Home Assistant OS in a virtual machine on macOS and Windows.Installation OS vs Container FAQ Installation types (contributors)
Home Assistant ContainerOfficialOne of the two supported installation types. A standalone container install of Core, with the user maintaining the host system and updates. The FAQ says Container does not support apps, and the Z-Wave JS page points Container users to Z-Wave JS UI.OS vs Container FAQ Installation Z-Wave integration
Home Assistant Core (Python install)Not foundDeprecated in a post dated 22 May 2025. The contributors page says its support ended with Home Assistant 2025.12, and the FAQ says it is no longer offered or supported. Developer documentation for running Core in a Python virtual environment remains.Deprecation post (22 May 2025) Installation types (contributors) OS vs Container FAQ
Home Assistant SupervisedNot foundDeprecated in the same post. Support ended with 2025.12, after which issue reports are no longer accepted. The post says users can keep running it and migrate to Container or Home Assistant OS. The Supervisor still starts outside Home Assistant OS but is flagged as unsupported.Deprecation post (22 May 2025) Installation types (contributors)
32-bit systems (i386, armhf, armv7)Not foundDropped at the same time: no builds or containers for these architectures from 2025.12, and the contributors page says Home Assistant OS 17 removed the last 32-bit boards.Deprecation post (22 May 2025) Installation types (contributors)
Home Assistant GreenOfficialOfficial hub that comes with Home Assistant OS preinstalled. As shown on the product page: Rockchip RK3566, 4 GB RAM, 32 GB eMMC, Gigabit Ethernet, two USB 2.0 ports, recommended MSRP $199 / 179 EUR (USD excludes taxes, EUR includes them). The page lists no built-in Zigbee or Thread radio and says Connect ZBT-2 adds Zigbee or Thread; the ZHA page also says Green has no built-in radio. The Green page attaches an asterisk to Thread that we could not read in full.Home Assistant Green About Green ZHA integration
Home Assistant YellowOfficialOfficial hub with a built-in Zigbee or Thread adapter and optional PoE, sold as a kit that needs a Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4. Nabu Casa announced on 15 October 2025 that it no longer produces Yellow; software support is said to continue. Yellow's Thread guide installs Thread-only firmware, so Zigbee and Thread are not run together on that setup. We found no price.End of production (15 Oct 2025) Yellow lineup (1 Aug 2024) About Yellow Yellow Thread guide
Home Assistant Connect ZBT-1 (formerly SkyConnect)OfficialUSB radio on a Silicon Labs EFR32MG21: Zigbee 3.0, with Thread (Matter) by firmware update. Multiprotocol (Zigbee and Thread together) is called experimental and not recommended. Production has ended and the product page says it still receives software updates. The page lists no price.Connect ZBT-1 ZBT-2 post (19 Nov 2025)
Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2OfficialUSB radio with a Silicon Labs MG24 and an ESP32-S3 bridge: Zigbee 3.0 or Thread, one at a time (it cannot do both). Home Assistant can use it as a Thread border router but the adapter cannot do so on its own. Recommended MSRP $49 / 45 EUR (USD excludes taxes), announced 19 Nov 2025.Connect ZBT-2 ZBT-2 post (19 Nov 2025)
Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2OfficialUSB Z-Wave adapter on a Silicon Labs ZG23 (800 series) with an ESP32-S3 bridge. Supports Z-Wave and Z-Wave Long Range, 860-930 MHz with region-specific frequencies. Recommended MSRP $69 / 59 EUR (USD excludes taxes). The page describes experimental repeater firmware, and says the Wi-Fi/Bluetooth antenna is inactive.Connect ZWA-2
Home Assistant Voice Preview EditionOfficialOfficial voice satellite hardware, labelled a preview. ESP32-S3 plus XMOS XU316 audio chip, dual microphones, hardware mute switch, speaker and 3.5 mm jack, 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C power (charger not included), ESPHome firmware. Recommended MSRP $69 / 59 EUR.Voice Preview Edition
Home Assistant Cloud (to be renamed Home Assistant Link)OfficialOptional paid subscription from Nabu Casa. Features listed on the Nabu Casa page: remote access, offsite backups, voice control with Alexa and Google Home, speech-to-text and text-to-speech voice processing, media streaming and support. The page shows $6.50 a month or $65 a year in USD, tax not included. A Nabu Casa update dated 6 January 2026 adds 5 GB of storage for the latest backup. The project says Home Assistant works fully without it. Naming: the Nabu Casa page already reads Home Assistant Link (formerly Home Assistant Cloud), while the Home Assistant page says the rename is planned for 2 December 2026 and the 2 October 2026 post says it is intended for the 2026.12 release.Nabu Casa: Home Assistant Link Home Assistant Cloud page Rename post (2 Oct 2026) Nabu Casa update (6 Jan 2026)
Cloud free trial lengthUnconfirmedTwo official pages disagree: the Nabu Casa page says a 31-day free trial with no card required, while Home Assistant's Alexa page says a paid subscription after a 30-day free trial.Nabu Casa: Home Assistant Link Alexa Smart Home Skill
Protocols and ecosystems
Wi-FiYesNo single Wi-Fi page. Wi-Fi devices connect through integrations: ESPHome devices use the native API, Matter devices often use 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, and HomeKit Device pairs accessories on Ethernet or Wi-Fi.ESPHome integration Matter integration HomeKit Device
BluetoothYesThe Bluetooth integration supports BLE only; Bluetooth Classic is not supported. Local adapters need BlueZ on Linux, with Home Assistant OS recommended. ESP32 devices running ESPHome can act as Bluetooth proxies, and Shelly and SMLIGHT devices are supported for advertisement listening.Bluetooth integration
ZigbeeYesBuilt-in ZHA integration, maintained by the project, acts as a Zigbee gateway and needs a coordinator radio. The ZHA page recommends official hardware and, for new users, Connect ZBT-2. The 2026.11 release notes add support for batteryless Zigbee Green Power devices.ZHA integration 2026.11 release notes
Z-WaveYesBuilt-in Z-Wave JS integration with a Z-Wave JS server. The Z-Wave JS app requires Home Assistant OS, and Container users are pointed to Z-Wave JS UI. Supports 500, 700 and 800 series adapters, with Z-Wave Long Range where the adapter and region support it.Z-Wave integration Connect ZWA-2
ThreadYesHome Assistant can act as a Thread border router with a compatible radio (the Thread page names Yellow, Connect ZBT-1 and ZBT-2) and can use Apple and Google border routers. The page says enabling Thread involves manual steps, that integration of the Home Assistant border router with Matter is work in progress, and that the preferred-network function is not fully implemented.Thread integration
433/868 MHz radios (other than Z-Wave)UnconfirmedZ-Wave itself uses sub-GHz bands (ZWA-2: 860-930 MHz by region). The 2026.11 release notes add LoRaWAN support through ChirpStack and The Things Network. We did not open an official page on 433 MHz or 868 MHz sensor integrations, so we could not confirm them.Connect ZWA-2 2026.11 release notes
InfraredUnconfirmedWe did not open an official Home Assistant page on infrared control, so we could not confirm which infrared integrations exist.Searched, no source
MatterYesHome Assistant is a Matter controller and the page says it supports control only. It is not a bridge and cannot expose its own devices as Matter devices. The Matter server app on Home Assistant OS is called the only supported option, Thread devices need Home Assistant OS 10 or later and a border router, and devices can be shared from Apple Home or Google Home through multi-fabric. Matter bridges (examples named: SwitchBot Hub 2, Aqara Hub M2, IKEA Dirigera, Philips Hue Bridge) can be used. The 2026.11 notes add Matter 1.5 cameras.Matter integration 2026.11 release notes
KNXYesBuilt-in KNX integration that needs a local KNX/IP interface or router; tunneling is the recommended connection type, routing and automatic gateway scan are also offered.KNX integration
MQTTYesBuilt-in MQTT integration (IoT class Local Push) that needs an MQTT 5 broker. The Mosquitto broker app is the recommended setup and MQTT discovery is on by default.MQTT integration
Assist (voice)OfficialHome Assistant's own voice assistant. The Assist page says it can run fully on your own hardware, or use Home Assistant Cloud (marked the simplest option), and can use large language models for conversational requests. The recommended hardware is Voice Preview Edition; Android supports hands-free wake words. Language support differs between local and cloud processing.Assist Voice Preview Edition
Amazon AlexaOfficialTwo routes: Home Assistant Cloud (no dynamic DNS, certificates or open ports) or a self-hosted Smart Home Skill, which the page says takes considerable effort and needs an Amazon Developer account, an AWS Lambda function and a trusted HTTPS endpoint. Limits listed include no voice-PIN arming and no turning scenes off.Alexa Smart Home Skill Works with Apple, Google, Alexa FAQ Alexa Skills store
Google Home / Google AssistantOfficialHome Assistant's FAQ links to Nabu Casa's Google Assistant setup page, labelled Google Assistant via Home Assistant Cloud. We did not open Nabu Casa's setup page itself. Separately, the Matter page describes sharing devices between Google Home and Home Assistant by multi-fabric.Works with Apple, Google, Alexa FAQ Matter integration
Apple Home (HomeKit)YesTwo built-in integrations. HomeKit Bridge exposes Home Assistant entities to Apple Home, local push, up to 150 accessories per bridge, HomeKit Secure Video not supported. HomeKit Device brings Works with HomeKit accessories into Home Assistant over IP, Bluetooth or Thread; such an accessory can only be paired to one controller at a time.HomeKit Bridge HomeKit Device
Philips HueYesBuilt-in integration for lights, motion sensors and remotes on a Hue Bridge. V2 bridges push changes over the local event stream. The V1 bridge is described as end of life at Signify. The Matter page advises against bridging Hue through Matter because the native integration offers more features.Philips Hue integration Matter integration Works with Philips Hue
Samsung SmartThingsUnconfirmedA SmartThings integration page did not appear in our search, so we could not confirm one.Searched, no source
Apps, integrations and developer access
Companion apps (iOS, Android)OfficialOfficial apps for iOS and Android, plus a SideQuest listing for VR headsets, linked from the companion download page. Store links come from that page; we did not open the store listings.Companion app download page
Number of integrationsUnconfirmedThe homepage shows a button reading Browse 1600+ integrations, while its feature text says Home Assistant integrates with over a thousand different devices and services. The integrations page states no total (its description says thousands of brands across more than a hundred categories, while its category filter lists 28). Both figures as shown on the pages we read on 11 November 2026. The 2026.11 notes say that release adds 38 new integrations.Home Assistant homepage Integrations page 2026.11 release notes
Apps (formerly add-ons)OfficialApps run alongside Home Assistant and work only on Home Assistant OS. The change from the name add-ons to apps started with release 2026.2 (4 February 2026). The app store includes the Home Assistant Community Apps repository of apps the community maintains, and the page warns that quality and security of apps from other repositories cannot be guaranteed.Installing and managing apps 2026.2 release notes
Automations: UI and YAMLYesA visual automation editor with trigger, condition and action steps, and an Edit in YAML mode on the same automation. UI automations are stored in automations.yaml, and automations can also be written in configuration.yaml. Blueprints are mentioned on the editor page.Automation editors Automations in YAML
REST APIOfficialThe Home Assistant API integration exposes a RESTful API for interacting with an instance. Details are in the developer documentation, which we could not open (the page redirected to a contributors site).Home Assistant API integration
WebSocket APIOfficialHosted at /api/websocket. Clients authenticate with an access token and can subscribe to events such as state_changed.WebSocket API
ESPHomeOfficialESPHome turns ESP32, ESP8266 and RP2040 microcontrollers into smart home devices, configured in YAML or the visual Device Builder, and works with Home Assistant locally through the native API. ESPHome's site names it an Open Home Foundation project.ESPHome ESPHome integration
HACS / Marketplace (community)CommunityHACS is a community project for custom integrations, cards and themes, and from Home Assistant 2026.11 (4 November 2026) it is built into Home Assistant as the Marketplace. The release notes say everything in the Marketplace is made by the community and is not tested, audited or supported by the Home Assistant project. Existing HACS users are migrated and a separate HACS install is no longer possible on that version.2026.11 release notes How the Marketplace works HACS site
Homey (comparison)Not foundWe found no official Home Assistant page that compares Home Assistant with Homey, so no comparison is made here.Searched, no source
openHAB (comparison)Not foundWe found no official Home Assistant page that compares Home Assistant with openHAB, so no comparison is made here.Searched, no source
Open Home FoundationOfficialHome Assistant is a project of the Open Home Foundation, which describes itself as a tax-exempt non-profit Stiftung based in Switzerland. The homepage says Nabu Casa, a commercial partner, funds part of the foundation and also makes official Home Assistant products.Open Home Foundation structure Home Assistant homepage

Checked 11 November 2026 against the brand's own pages, app store listings and each project's own page. “Not found” means we searched and found nothing, not that it is impossible. Compatibility changes often. Spot an error? Tell us and we will fix it.

Common questions about Home Assistant

Does Home Assistant support Matter?

Yes. Home Assistant is a Matter controller and the page says it supports control only. It is not a bridge and cannot expose its own devices as Matter devices. The Matter server app on Home Assistant OS is called the only supported option, Thread devices need Home Assistant OS 10 or later and a border router, and devices can be shared from Apple Home or Google Home through multi-fabric. Matter bridges (examples named: SwitchBot Hub 2, Aqara Hub M2, IKEA Dirigera, Philips Hue Bridge) can be used. The 2026.11 notes add Matter 1.5 cameras.

Does Home Assistant work with Alexa?

Yes, officially. Two routes: Home Assistant Cloud (no dynamic DNS, certificates or open ports) or a self-hosted Smart Home Skill, which the page says takes considerable effort and needs an Amazon Developer account, an AWS Lambda function and a trusted HTTPS endpoint. Limits listed include no voice-PIN arming and no turning scenes off.

Does Home Assistant work with SmartThings?

Unconfirmed. A SmartThings integration page did not appear in our search, so we could not confirm one.

Answers come from the sourced table above. See how Home Assistant compares with all brands on the smart home brand statistics page.