Which smart home hub works with no subscription?

What “no subscription” should mean

A smart home has five parts, and each can have its own fee: the hub, the devices, voice control, remote access and cloud storage. Hubs and sensors are sold once. Voice assistants are included with their devices. Fees tend to show up in cameras and video history and in optional cloud services. Aim for a home where nothing you rely on every day needs a monthly bill: lights, plugs, door sensors, locks, thermostat schedules and leak alerts.

Option 1: the hub you already own

You may not need to buy anything. Amazon says its Echo and eero devices have built-in smart home hubs, with Zigbee on the models it lists, and that the Echo device is the Matter administrator. Google lists the Nest devices that function as Matter hubs. Samsung says TVs from the Q60 series up, released after 2022, include a built-in SmartThings hub that supports Matter, Thread and Zigbee. Apple says HomePod mini, HomePod and Apple TV can each serve as a home hub. Using one of these costs nothing extra, though advanced camera features may be paid separately.

The drawback is that these devices are not designed only as hubs. Moving, unplugging or replacing them can disrupt your setup. See dedicated hub vs smart speaker as your controller.

Option 2: a dedicated local hub

Choose this if you want Zigbee or Z-Wave sensors and locks and you want automations to run without the internet. SmartThings’ developer documentation says hub-connected devices benefit from low latency, local execution and the reliability of the hub. Look for a hub that supports the radios you want (Z-Wave is not on every hub), has an Ethernet port, and runs automations locally. Check the product page for the words “local” or “works without internet” and read what the app needs an account for.

Option 3: Home Assistant

Home Assistant is software that runs on your own hardware. Its installation page lists official hardware and options such as a Raspberry Pi 4 or 5 with at least 2 GB of RAM, and says local operation is a core feature, so your smart home keeps working when the internet is down. Add a Zigbee, Z-Wave or Thread radio on USB as needed; Home Assistant’s documentation says its Z-Wave integration supports 500, 700 and 800 series adapters, recommends an 800-series adapter for new users and advises a USB extension cable against interference. The software is the free part; hardware, time and upkeep are the cost. Read Is Home Assistant worth it? first.

Remote access is where a fee can appear. Home Assistant describes its Cloud service as a subscription that supports the project, and lists alternatives such as a VPN or a reverse proxy, with free dynamic DNS available. Some ISPs charge for a dedicated IPv4 address if you use port forwarding, per Home Assistant. See Home Assistant remote access, done safely.

Which one fits you

Checks before you buy

1. Local automations. Does a door sensor still turn on a light with the internet unplugged?
2. Notifications. Which alerts reach your phone for free, and which need a plan?
3. Account. Home Assistant notes that some Matter products still require a vendor account for setup, even though control is local.
4. Radio fit. Match the hub to the radios your devices use. Z-Wave end devices cannot change frequency, so buy US-region devices.
5. Power and backup. A small UPS for the router and hub keeps local automations running through short outages.

For a full list of what a no-fee home can include, see the local-only smart home kit and cloud vs local smart devices.