Hub Advisor

Ten questions, then a shortlist of three hubs from eighteen, one per brand, with what each does well and what to watch out for. Tick as many boxes as apply where a question allows it.

Updated November 2026

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Hub Advisor

Question 1

Do you already have a smart home system?

What you're starting from often matters more than what you'd pick from scratch.

Question 2

How many smart devices do you have, or plan to have?

Device count drives mesh strength, hub capacity, and app-count limits.

Question 3

What types of devices do you have or want?

Tick all that apply — each type implies certain protocols.

Question 4

What do you most want to automate?

Tick all that apply.

Question 5

Do you have any of these energy systems?

Tick all that apply. These need a hub with real energy features, not just on/off control.

Question 6

Do you like to program and tinker, or prefer plug & play?

The most common reason people abandon a hub is picking the wrong end of this scale.

Question 7

Do you want to be independent from the cloud and run your home locally?

Local hubs keep your automations and data at home instead of on a company’s servers.

Question 8

Must your automations keep working if the internet drops?

This is what separates local-first hubs from cloud ecosystems.

Question 9

Do you mind a monthly subscription, or should the hub work without monthly fees?

Most hubs work without one, but a few put devices or features behind a subscription.

Question 10

What's your budget for the hub itself?

Excluding the devices you'll connect to it.

How this works. First, hubs that can’t meet a hard requirement are ruled out: a cloud-only hub when automations must survive an internet outage, or a lighting-only bridge when you want more than lights. Every remaining hub then gets a match score from 0 to 100, weighted most heavily on what you already own, the radios your devices need, how hands-on you want to be, offline operation and budget. The shortlist shows the three best matches with only one hub per brand, so no single maker can fill it. Hub ratings are our editorial judgement based on each hub’s profile; follow the links for the details and sources.

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