Best Apple Home Alternatives in 2026
The top Apple Home alternatives are Google Home, Homey and openHAB: 15 home automation our editors would look at instead of Apple Home, in our ranking order.
Apple Home: A free HomeKit and Matter controller for Apple households, with remote access requiring a home hub. Where it falls short: available on iOS and macOS, limiting platform fit.
Switching from Apple Home? For most home automation buyers the best Apple Home alternative is Google Home, built for google households wanting broad, simple smart-home control. On a budget, Homey starts at $2.99/mo.
Why People Look for an Apple Home Alternative
- Available on iOS and macOS, limiting platform fit
- Remote access and away-from-home automations require a HomePod or Apple TV hub
- Energy usage and rates are limited to participating U.S. providers
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallGoogle Home9.2
Google households wanting broad, simple smart-home control
Visit Google Home - Lowest priceHomey9.1
Paid plans from $2.99/mo
Visit Homey - Best free optionGoogle Home9.2
Has a free plan
Visit Google Home
All 15 Apple Home Alternatives, Ranked
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
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Best forGoogle households wanting broad, simple smart-home control
- Better than Apple Home:
- Editor score 9.2 vs 8.8
Free smart-home control with device organization, routines, Matter and Nest viewing.
- Matter support
- Camera integration
- Energy monitoring
9.2/10★★★★★Visit Google Home -
Best forUsers seeking advanced flows and flexible hub options
- Better than Apple Home:
- Editor score 9.1 vs 8.8
Flexible cloud and hub options pair smart-home control with advanced automations.
- Z-Wave support
- Matter support
- Zigbee support
9.1/10★★★★★Visit Homey -
Best forSelf-hosters seeking open, cross-platform device integration
- Better than Apple Home:
- Editor score 9.0 vs 8.8
Flexible, local-first device integration for people comfortable self-hosting.
- Z-Wave support
- Matter support
- Zigbee support
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit openHAB -
Best forTechnical users wanting extensible local automation
- Better than Apple Home:
- Editor score 8.9 vs 8.8
A locally run automation hub with adapters, visual tools and code-based control.
- Z-Wave support
- Matter support
- Zigbee support
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit ioBroker -
Best forUsers wanting local automation with broad radio support
A multi-radio hub for local automations, with a $184.95 one-time price.
- Z-Wave support
- Matter support
- Zigbee support
8.7/10★★★★☆Visit Hubitat -
Best forSelf-hosters who want local automation and camera recording
A self-hosted hub for local automations, broad device integrations, and camera recording.
- Z-Wave support
- Matter support
- Zigbee support
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit HomeSeer -
Best forAqara device owners wanting local scenes and automations
A free companion app for Aqara devices, with scenes, schedules and hub-dependent local automations.
- Matter support
- Zigbee support
- Camera integration
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit Aqara Home -
Best forSwitchBot owners automating locks, blinds and plugs
A free companion app for automating SwitchBot devices across locks, blinds and plugs.
- Matter support
- Camera integration
- Energy monitoring
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit SwitchBot -
Best forTuya-compatible device users wanting free mobile control
A free iOS and Android app for controlling compatible devices and setting up scenarios.
- Matter support
- Zigbee support
- Energy monitoring
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit Tuya Smart -
Best forXiaomi device owners wanting app-based scenes and monitoring
A free mobile control and automation app focused on compatible Xiaomi devices.
- Matter support
- Zigbee support
- Camera integration
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit Xiaomi Home -
Best forBosch users seeking heating-focused home automation
A heating-focused home system with local control, automations and broad device connections.
- Matter support
- Zigbee support
- Camera integration
8.1/10★★★★☆Try Bosch Smart Home -
Best forBudget users wanting local control and Matter support
A flexible smart-home app with local control and Matter support, plus a free Basic plan.
- Matter support
- Zigbee support
- Camera integration
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit eWeLink -
Best forIKEA smart-home users wanting free basic automation
A free mobile control center for IKEA devices, scenes, routines and Matter bridging.
- Matter support
- Zigbee support
- Energy monitoring
7.9/10★★★★☆Try IKEA Home smart -
Best forBuyers seeking professionally integrated whole-home control
Whole-home automation with deep device coordination, local control, and integrator-led setup.
- Z-Wave support
- Zigbee support
- Camera integration
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit Control4 -
Best forHomeowners prioritizing energy automation and AV control
A dealer-configured home system that combines AV control with detailed energy automation.
- Camera integration
- Energy monitoring
- Voice assistant support
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit Savant
Apple Home Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to Apple Home?
Google Home: #1 in our Home Automation ranking, with an editor score of 9.2 out of 10. Free smart-home control with device organization, routines, Matter and Nest viewing.
Is there a free alternative to Apple Home?
Yes. Google Home, Homey, openHAB, ioBroker and Aqara Home have a free plan or a free tier (11 of the 15 alternatives on this page).
Why do people look for Apple Home alternatives?
Available on iOS and macOS, limiting platform fit; Remote access and away-from-home automations require a HomePod or Apple TV hub; Energy usage and rates are limited to participating U.S. providers.
How do I switch from Apple Home?
Export your data from Apple Home (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Apple Home.
How to Switch from Apple Home
- Export your data from Apple Home (most tools have an export in their settings).
- Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
- Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
- Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Apple Home.
Apple Home vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Local control | Matter support | Zigbee support | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Apple Home | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | 8.8 | |
| 1 | Google Home | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | 9.2 | |
| 2 | Homey | Yes | $2.99/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.1 |
| 3 | openHAB | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.0 |
| 4 | ioBroker | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.9 | |
| 5 | Hubitat Elevation | No | $184.95 one-time | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.7 |
| 6 | HomeSeer HS4 | No | $149.95 one-time | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.6 |
| 7 | Aqara Home | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.5 |
| 8 | SwitchBot | Yes | Free | Yes | 8.4 | ||
| 9 | Tuya Smart | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.3 |
| 10 | Xiaomi Home | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | 8.2 | |
| 11 | Bosch Smart Home | Yes | €49.99/yr | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.1 |
| 12 | eWeLink | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.0 | |
| 13 | IKEA Home smart | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.9 |
| 14 | Control4 | No | Yes | Yes | 7.8 | ||
| 15 | Savant | No | 7.7 |
Head-to-Head
- Apple Home vs Google Home
- Apple Home vs Homey
- Apple Home vs openHAB
- Apple Home vs ioBroker
- Apple Home vs Hubitat Elevation
- Apple Home vs HomeSeer HS4
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Nov 2026
Last updated · How we research and update