# Alternatives to SmartThings

Samsung's consumer smart home.

SmartThings ranks #4 of 8 in Home automation, with an Alt Score of 73. It is proprietary and available on Windows, iOS and Android. 9 of 10 checklist rows are verified against a public source.

Source: https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/smartthings/
Category: Home automation

## Overview

- **Who it's for**: Homeowners and renters who want to control and automate smart devices from multiple brands in one place, whether they're using a standalone hub or hub-optional setup (e.g., a compatible Samsung TV).
- **What you get**: A single app to view, control, and automate smart home devices such as lights, locks, cameras, thermostats, and appliances. It supports hundreds of devices and brands via Matter, Thread, and Zigbee standards, and includes features like AI Energy Mode for reducing power usage and routines for automating recurring tasks.
- **How it works**: You add devices to the SmartThings app via automatic detection, manual entry, or QR code scanning, and they sync to your Samsung Account. From there you can control devices individually or set up automations/routines that trigger actions across connected devices, using either a physical hub or a hub built into supported Samsung products.

## Profile

- **License**: Proprietary (verified 2026-07-10)
- **Pricing model**: ?
- **Starts at**: ?
- **Platforms**: Windows, iOS, Android
- **Status**: active (verified 2026-07-10)

## Ranked alternatives

| # | App | Alt Score | Licence | Platforms |
|---|-----|-----------|---------|-----------|
| 1 | [Domoticz](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/domoticz.md) | 100 | GPL-3.0 | Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
| 2 | [Home Assistant](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/home-assistant.md) | 100 | Apache-2.0 | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS |
| 3 | [ESPHome](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/esphome.md) | 86 | GPL-3.0 | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| 4 | [Homebridge](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/homebridge.md) | 68 | Apache-2.0 | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| 5 | [openHAB](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/openhab.md) | 64 | EPL-2.0 | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| 6 | [Scrypted](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/scrypted.md) | 64 | ISC | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS |
| 7 | [Frigate](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/frigate.md) | 46 | MIT | Linux, Web |

Alt Score = Verified coverage (90%) + Visibility (10%). See https://altcatalog.com/how-alt-score-works/

## Feature comparison

Legend: Yes / No / Partial / ? (not verified).

| Home automation checklist | SmartThings | Domoticz | Home Assistant | ESPHome | Homebridge | openHAB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | ? | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Starts at | ? | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| License | Proprietary | GPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 | GPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 | EPL-2.0 |
| Platforms | Windows, iOS, Android | Windows, Linux, iOS, Android | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Local-first (no cloud required) | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Device / integration count | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? |
| Automation engine | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes |
| Voice assistant integration | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? |
| Matter / Thread support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial | Partial | ? |
| Energy monitoring | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | ? |
| Dashboards | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile app | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | ? | Yes |
| Open source | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Runs on Raspberry Pi | ? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |

## Sources

Sources for SmartThings. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.

- **Platforms**: Windows, iOS, Android — <https://partners.smartthings.com/smartthings-app> (verified 2026-07-10)
  - Note: A Windows PC version also exists per Samsung support.
  - Quote: “Android 10.0 and above, iOS 15.0 and above.”
- **License**: Proprietary — <https://developer.smartthings.com/termsofservice> (verified 2026-07-10)
  - Quote: “Samsung or its Affiliates own all right, title, and interest, including, without limitation, all Intellectual Property Rights, in and to the SmartThings Developer Tools, the SmartThings Platform and t”
- **Status**: active — <https://developer.smartthings.com/docs/release-notes> (verified 2026-07-10)
  - Note: Release-notes entry dated June 2026.
  - Quote: “Introducing API Access Apps, the updated name and development path for SmartApp-style integrations.”
- **Local-first (no cloud required)**: No — <https://developer.smartthings.com/docs/getting-started/architecture-of-smartthings> (verified 2026-07-10)
  - Quote: “The SmartThings Cloud is responsible for ensuring complex automations are executed, for maintaining device health, for onboarding devices, and for allowing users to remotely access their Devices.”
- **Device / integration count**: Yes — <https://developer.smartthings.com/docs/enterprise/get-started/introduction> (verified 2026-07-10)
  - Quote: “Control and manage thousands of connected devices across multiple locations, users, and regions.”
- **Automation engine**: Yes — <https://www.samsung.com/us/smartthings/> (verified 2026-07-10)
  - Quote: “Create new routines easily with devices you already have at home.”
- **Voice assistant integration**: Yes — <https://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS10006871/> (verified 2026-07-10)
  - Quote: “Connect them to your Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa, and control them with your voice!”
- **Matter / Thread support**: Yes — <https://partners.smartthings.com/matter> (verified 2026-07-10)
  - Quote: “Most Matter devices work with SmartThings right out of the box, making it easier than ever to build a connected home.”
- **Energy monitoring**: Yes — <https://partners.smartthings.com/smartthings-energy> (verified 2026-07-10)
  - Quote: “effortlessly monitor and manage their home's energy usage, gain deeper insights into their overall energy consumption, and operate their devices more efficiently.”
- **Dashboards**: Yes — <https://www.samsung.com/us/smartthings/> (verified 2026-07-10)
  - Quote: “Streamline your life with a bird's eye view summary of your home.”
- **Mobile app**: Yes — <https://partners.smartthings.com/smartthings-app> (verified 2026-07-10)
  - Quote: “Android 10.0 and above, iOS 15.0 and above.”
- **Open source**: No — <https://developer.smartthings.com/termsofservice> (verified 2026-07-10)
  - Quote: “Samsung or its Affiliates own all right, title, and interest, including, without limitation, all Intellectual Property Rights, in and to the SmartThings Developer Tools, the SmartThings Platform and t”

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Ranked by verified data, never by who paid. https://altcatalog.com/trust/