European Alternatives to Samsung SmartThings

Looking for a European alternative to Samsung SmartThings? The SmartThings privacy notice is issued by Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., you sign in with a Samsung account, and voice commands are relayed through SmartThings servers to be processed. Its hub is also built into many Samsung TVs, which ties a household to one manufacturer's ecosystem.

The European platforms below include open-source hubs that run on your own hardware, a Dutch hub with a free cloud tier, and German and French device systems for heating, switches and security.

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10 European Alternatives to Samsung SmartThings

Home Assistant

Open-source smart home hub that runs locally in your home

Switzerland

Homey

Dutch smart home hub with a free cloud start and a local Pro

Netherlands

Shelly

Wi-Fi, Zigbee and Matter relays, plugs and sensors with a local API

Bulgaria

openHAB

Vendor-neutral open-source home automation from a German foundation

Germany

Bosch Smart Home

Controller-based system for heating, security and lighting

Germany

Gladys Assistant

Open-source local smart home with a paid remote-access plan

France

tado

Smart heating and cooling control from a Munich company

Germany

Eve

Matter and Thread accessories with no cloud and no account

Germany

Jeedom

Open-source home automation framework with a paid plugin market

France

Gira

KNX and Gira One smart home systems built around wall switches

Germany

Key takeaways

  • Samsung SmartThings is operated under the privacy notice of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. in South Korea, so the case against it rests on cloud dependence and ecosystem lock-in, not on US jurisdiction.
  • According to Samsung, voice commands in SmartThings are relayed through SmartThings servers to be processed, while Home Assistant and openHAB can run entirely on hardware in your own home.
  • Samsung states that TVs from the Q60 range upward, released after 2022, have a SmartThings Hub built in that supports Matter, Thread and Zigbee.
  • Homey offers a free cloud tier for 5 devices and a local Homey Pro at €449, which is the closest European match for the app-led SmartThings experience.
  • No European platform imports SmartThings routines, so every automation has to be rebuilt in the new system.

Why people leave Samsung SmartThings

Samsung SmartThings is the smart home platform of Samsung Electronics: an app and cloud service that connects lights, plugs, sensors, appliances and televisions under one Samsung account. Samsung says it is compatible with hundreds of devices and brands, and it recognises "Works with Samsung SmartThings" and Matter badges on third-party hardware. For a household that already owns a Samsung TV, fridge or phone, SmartThings is often the platform that is simply there, without a purchase decision.

The reasons to look elsewhere are about how the platform is built rather than about any single failure. The US privacy notice, effective 21 September 2026, is issued by Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and its affiliates.

It says voice commands are relayed through SmartThings servers to be processed, and it lists audio, video clips, location and usage data among the things the service can obtain. Anyone who prefers that a light switch keeps working when a cloud account does not will want to compare it with the local systems below.

There is also the matter of the hub. Samsung states that TVs from the Q60 range upward, released after 2022, include a built-in SmartThings Hub supporting Matter, Thread and Zigbee. That is convenient, and it also ties the heart of your automation to a television you may replace in a few years. The European platforms on this page separate the two: the brain runs on a small box or server you own, and the devices come from whoever you choose.

  • The control path runs through the manufacturer's servers Samsung's privacy notice for SmartThings states that when you use voice commands, the conversation information is relayed through SmartThings servers to process the command. Connecting Bixby adds audio content to what Samsung may obtain. Against that, Home Assistant, openHAB, Gladys Assistant and Jeedom run on your own hardware, and Eve says its accessories work with no cloud and no account.
  • One Samsung account sits under everything Sign-in is through a Samsung account, and the notice lists account profile data, registered devices, device identifiers and subscription status among what the service collects. Data can be shared with Samsung subsidiaries and affiliates, business partners and service providers. A platform such as Homey Pro or a Bosch controller keeps the automation logic in the home instead of in a manufacturer profile.
  • The notice covers a wide range of data Depending on the features you switch on, the notice mentions video and audio recordings from connected cameras, precise location with permission, sleep and health information, and pet or cooking profiles. Most households use few of these features. If yours uses only lights, plugs and heating, a narrower system such as tado for heating or Shelly relays exposes much less to begin with.
  • The hub is a feature of a television Samsung says the built-in hub is available on Q60 and above TVs released after 2022. A hub that lives inside a screen follows the lifecycle of the screen. A dedicated controller, whether Home Assistant Green, a Homey Pro or a Bosch Smart Home Controller II, can stay in the cupboard for as long as the radios inside it are supported.

What you have to replace, not just match

Replacing SmartThings starts with an inventory of what the app actually does in your home.

Pair the devices by radio: if they are Zigbee, Thread or Matter devices, they can usually be re-paired to a new controller, while Wi-Fi devices tied to a Samsung or brand cloud need their own integration. The automations, called routines in SmartThings, have to be rebuilt by hand. Home Assistant calls them automations, Homey calls them Flows, openHAB uses rules, and none of them imports a SmartThings routine.

Next, list the Samsung-specific pieces. Appliances such as a Family Hub fridge, a Samsung TV or a Galaxy Watch integrate with SmartThings through Samsung's own account, and Samsung's notice describes features like Pet Care, Cooking, Clothing Care and Map View that have no direct counterpart in the European platforms. Whether an appliance can be controlled from Home Assistant or Homey depends on that appliance model, and you should check the integration list before removing SmartThings from the home.

Finally, decide where you want the radios. A hub built into a TV gives you Zigbee and Thread for free if you own the right model.

A standalone controller needs its own radios, and for Home Assistant that means separate adapters for Zigbee, Thread and Z-Wave, which the project's own pages treat as an extra cost. Homey Pro and the Bosch controller ship with radios already built in, which is the practical difference between a box you plug in and a project you assemble.

The alternatives compared

European Samsung SmartThings alternatives, in the order this page ranks them, compared on headquarters, pricing and jurisdiction
PositionToolHeadquartersPricingJurisdiction
#1 Home Assistant Baar, Switzerland Software free; Home Assistant Green hub listed at EUR 179 Switzerland (adequacy decision, outside the EEA)
#2 Homey Enschede, Netherlands Homey Cloud free for 5 devices, Premium EUR 2.99/month; Pro mini EUR 279; Pro EUR 449; Self-Hosted Server EUR 149 or EUR 4.99/month EU (Netherlands)
#3 Shelly Sofia, Bulgaria Per device, see shelly.com EU (Bulgaria)
#4 openHAB Ober-Ramstadt, Germany Free, donations accepted EU (Germany)
#5 Bosch Smart Home Stuttgart, Germany Devices bought separately; Home+ EUR 4.99/month or EUR 49.99/year EU (Germany)
#6 Gladys Assistant Paris, France Free locally; Gladys Plus EUR 6.99/month in Europe with 1-month trial EU (France)
#7 tado Munich, Germany Devices sold in the tado shop; subscription pricing not verified EU (Germany)
#8 Eve Munich, Germany Per accessory, see evehome.com EU (Germany)
#9 Jeedom Rillieux-la-Pape, France Core free; some plugins paid (for example Mobile EUR 4, JeeZigbee EUR 6) EU (France)
#10 Gira Radevormwald, Germany Pricing on request via the trade EU (Germany)

How each alternative compares to Samsung SmartThings

#1

Home Assistant

The local hub that replaces SmartThings if you accept a steeper start

Baar, SwitzerlandSoftware free; Home Assistant Green hub listed at EUR 179#1 in Smart Home Platforms and Hubs

Best for: Households that want full local control over devices from many brands, and can tolerate configuring things.

Home Assistant is what most people mean when they ask for a SmartThings replacement that does not depend on a manufacturer. It runs on your own hardware, the core is Apache-2.0 licensed, and it lists more than 1500 integrations. Where SmartThings routes voice commands through its servers, Home Assistant's Assist voice assistant is part of the same local software. The project is governed by the Open Home Foundation in Baar, Switzerland, which states that it cannot be sold.

The price of that control is effort. Home Assistant's own documentation describes a community of tinkerers, and Zigbee, Thread and Z-Wave each need a separate radio, so the hardware bill rises with your device mix. The Green hub is listed at €179. Remote access is sold through Nabu Casa, Inc., a company with a California address, which matters if keeping everything outside the US was your reason for leaving.

What Home Assistant does better than Samsung SmartThings

  • Runs entirely on your own hardware instead of through a manufacturer cloud
  • More than 1500 integrations against SmartThings' hundreds of compatible devices and brands
  • No requirement to sign in with a Samsung account
  • Open-source core with a foundation as owner

Where Home Assistant is a step down from Samsung SmartThings

  • Steeper learning curve than the SmartThings app
  • Separate radios needed for Zigbee, Thread and Z-Wave, where a Samsung TV has them built in
  • No single vendor to call for support

Standout against Samsung SmartThings. Home Assistant is the only option here that combines a local-first design with more than 1500 integrations under foundation governance.

home-assistant.io Visit Home Assistant
#2

Homey

The app-led Dutch hub closest to the SmartThings way of working

Enschede, NetherlandsHomey Cloud free for 5 devices, Premium EUR 2.99/month; Pro mini EUR 279; Pro EUR 449; Self-Hosted Server EUR 149 or EUR 4.99/month#2 in Smart Home Platforms and Hubs

Best for: Households that want an app and visual automations with an EU company behind them, local or in the cloud.

Homey, from Athom B.V. in Enschede (KvK 61036498), is the closest in spirit to SmartThings: an app on your phone, a hub or cloud service, and automations built with Flow. Homey Cloud is free for 5 devices, with Premium at €2.99 per month, and the local Homey Pro costs €449, with a Pro mini at €279. A Self-Hosted Server option costs €149 or €4.99 per month.

Against SmartThings, Homey puts a Dutch company, not a Samsung account, between you and your devices, and Homey Pro runs locally with many radios built in. The limits are real: Homey is closed source, the cloud tier uses official apps only, and the legal documents render client-side, so data location could not be read. Compared with SmartThings' hub inside a TV, Homey Pro is a cost you pay up front.

What Homey does better than Samsung SmartThings

  • Contracting company is in the EU (Netherlands) with a stated chamber of commerce number
  • Local Homey Pro keeps automations off a manufacturer cloud
  • Clear published hub prices from €149 to €449
  • Free cloud start for up to 5 devices

Where Homey is a step down from Samsung SmartThings

  • Closed source, unlike Home Assistant and openHAB
  • Hub hardware costs €279 to €449, where a Samsung TV already contains one
  • Cloud tier limited to official apps, so narrower device coverage

Standout against Samsung SmartThings. Homey offers both a free cloud tier and a local Homey Pro with many radios inside, so a household can start without hardware and move to a local box later.

homey.app Visit Homey
#3

Shelly

Retrofit relays and plugs with local API access, not a replacement hub

Sofia, BulgariaPer device, see shelly.com#3 in Smart Home Platforms and Hubs

Best for: Controlling existing wall switches, circuits and appliances with small devices from a Bulgarian maker.

Shelly, made by Shelly Europe Ltd. in Sofia, replaces the devices rather than the app. Its relays fit behind existing switches, and the range covers plugs, energy meters, sensors, thermostats and wall displays across Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Matter, Zigbee, Z-Wave and KNXnet/IP. Compared with SmartThings, where the hub is the product, Shelly sells the hardware and leaves the brain to someone else.

That someone else is often Home Assistant, openHAB or Homey, because Shelly is a device maker, not a full automation platform. Its API documentation is published, which makes that pairing straightforward. Installing relays behind switches means working with mains wiring, and the pages read did not state where Shelly Cloud data is stored, so check that before relying on the cloud app.

What Shelly does better than Samsung SmartThings

  • Fits behind existing switches without replacing the fixture
  • Wide protocol range, including Matter and KNXnet/IP
  • Documented API for local integration
  • Bulgarian registered company, with ISO 27001 stated

Where Shelly is a step down from Samsung SmartThings

  • Not an automation platform on its own
  • Cloud data location is not stated on the pages read

Standout against Samsung SmartThings. Shelly is the one entry that works by retrofit behind switches you already have, across Wi-Fi, Matter, Zigbee, Z-Wave and KNX.

shelly.com Visit Shelly
#4

openHAB

Foundation-run open-source engine for people who want rules, not apps

Ober-Ramstadt, GermanyFree, donations accepted#4 in Smart Home Platforms and Hubs

Best for: Long-term home automation on your own server, driven by rules and a large add-on library.

openHAB is an open-source home automation engine run by the openHAB Foundation e.V. in Ober-Ramstadt, Germany. It supports more than 400 technologies and systems, runs on your own hardware and costs nothing, with donations accepted. Against SmartThings, the difference is ownership: there is no company selling a hub or an account, and the EPL-2.0 core is available to anyone.

The cost is configuration. openHAB has a steeper learning curve than Homey, its Java-based setup suits developers better than casual users, and the interface is less polished than the commercial hubs. There is also no ready-made hub from the project and no commercial support line was found on the pages read, so help comes from the community. For someone leaving a polished app like SmartThings, that is a real step down in convenience.

What openHAB does better than Samsung SmartThings

  • Runs on your own hardware with no vendor account
  • More than 400 technologies supported through add-ons
  • Governed by a German association with a public imprint
  • Free to use, unlike the hub-plus-subscription models

Where openHAB is a step down from Samsung SmartThings

  • Interface less polished than the SmartThings app
  • Configuration-heavy, with community-based support
  • No ready-made hub, so you assemble hardware yourself

Standout against Samsung SmartThings. openHAB is the rule-driven engine in this list that supports more than 400 technologies and is owned by a foundation, not a company.

openhab.org Visit openHAB
#5

Bosch Smart Home

A closed German system with a local controller for heating and security

Stuttgart, GermanyDevices bought separately; Home+ EUR 4.99/month or EUR 49.99/year#5 in Smart Home Platforms and Hubs

Best for: Households that want one manufacturer for radiator thermostats, door contacts, smoke detectors and plugs.

Bosch Smart Home, from Robert Bosch Smart Home GmbH in Stuttgart, is the most SmartThings-like of the manufacturer systems: a controller, a set of devices, and an app. The Smart Home Controller II stores data locally, according to Bosch, and the range includes radiator thermostats, door and window contacts, smoke detectors and plugs, with Matter devices and links to Alexa, HomeKit and Google Assistant.

Against SmartThings, Bosch gives you a German manufacturer and a local controller, but also a narrower system. It is closed and built around its own devices, so mixing many brands is harder than on Home Assistant or Homey. Home+ costs €4.99 per month or €49.99 per year and unlocks extra features, and the shop pages read were in German.

What Bosch Smart Home does better than Samsung SmartThings

  • Data is held on the controller, according to Bosch
  • German manufacturer with a published commercial register entry
  • Matter-capable devices and links to the main voice assistants
  • Heating and security devices from one maker

Where Bosch Smart Home is a step down from Samsung SmartThings

  • Closed ecosystem with fewer third-party brands than SmartThings
  • Some features need the Home+ subscription

Standout against Samsung SmartThings. Bosch Smart Home covers heating, security and plugs under one German manufacturer, with data kept on the controller according to Bosch.

bosch-smarthome.com Visit Bosch Smart Home
#6

Gladys Assistant

A friendlier French open-source hub with an optional paid remote plan

Paris, FranceFree locally; Gladys Plus EUR 6.99/month in Europe with 1-month trial#6 in Smart Home Platforms and Hubs

Best for: Open-source users who want one-click integrations on a Docker install rather than configuration files.

Gladys Assistant, from Gladys Assistant SAS in Paris, is an Apache-2.0 open-source hub that installs with Docker on common hardware. It supports Zigbee, Z-Wave, Matter and MQTT, and offers one-click integrations including Tuya, Netatmo, Shelly, Sonos and Philips Hue. Against SmartThings, it keeps the data on your own hardware and does not need a manufacturer account.

Gladys is a smaller project than Home Assistant, so expect fewer integrations, and there is no hardware hub from the project: you supply and maintain the server. Remote access, voice assistants and AI features require the paid Gladys Plus plan at €6.99 per month in Europe, with a one-month trial. That is a recurring charge SmartThings does not have for its basic app.

What Gladys Assistant does better than Samsung SmartThings

  • Open source under Apache-2.0
  • Local by default, on hardware you own
  • French company with a registered RCS number
  • One-click integrations for common brands

Where Gladys Assistant is a step down from Samsung SmartThings

  • Smaller ecosystem than SmartThings or Home Assistant
  • You maintain the server, and remote access costs €6.99 per month

Standout against Samsung SmartThings. Gladys Assistant pairs one-click integrations with a Docker install, which suits people who find Home Assistant too heavy.

gladysassistant.com Visit Gladys Assistant
#7

tado

A heating and cooling specialist, not a whole-home replacement

Munich, GermanyDevices sold in the tado shop; subscription pricing not verified#7 in Smart Home Platforms and Hubs

Best for: Room-by-room radiator and air conditioner control, installed without a technician.

tado, from tado GmbH in Munich and active since 2011, replaces only the heating and cooling part of a SmartThings setup. It sells a smart thermostat, radiator thermostats, AC control, a Heat Pump Optimizer, an energy tariff and smart EV charging, with Siri control. It covers heating, not lights, locks or cameras.

For the rest of the house, tado needs a hub such as Homey or Home Assistant next to it. The pages read did not state data location, subscription or device prices, and tado's homepage savings claim rests on its own internal data, so this page leaves it out. Where tado is stronger than SmartThings is depth: per-room schedules and heating-brand compatibility are what the product is built for.

What tado does better than Samsung SmartThings

  • Built specifically for heating and cooling
  • DIY installation with per-room thermostats
  • Works with many European heating brands
  • German company with a public register entry

Where tado is a step down from Samsung SmartThings

  • Heating only, so lights, locks and cameras need another system
  • Closed source and data location not stated on the pages read

Standout against Samsung SmartThings. tado is the one specialist in the list built only for heating and cooling, including a Heat Pump Optimizer.

tado.com Visit tado
#8

Eve

Matter and Thread accessories that need no account and no cloud

Munich, GermanyPer accessory, see evehome.com#8 in Smart Home Platforms and Hubs

Best for: Households that want sensors, plugs and valves without an account, driven by an existing Matter controller.

Eve, from Eve Systems GmbH in Munich, sells accessories rather than a platform: smart plugs with power metering, a radiator valve, thermostats, temperature sensors and a blinds motor. They work over Matter and Thread, and the vendor states that no account and no cloud are needed. For someone leaving SmartThings for privacy reasons, that is a different answer from replacing the hub.

Eve has no hub or automation engine of its own, so you need a Matter controller such as Home Assistant or Homey, or an Apple home hub. The range is narrower than a full ecosystem and, with no cloud, there is no remote access service from Eve.

What Eve does better than Samsung SmartThings

  • No account and no cloud needed, according to Eve
  • Matter and Thread standards, so the controller can change later
  • Energy and heating accessories with local data

Where Eve is a step down from Samsung SmartThings

  • No hub or automation platform of its own
  • Narrow product range compared with SmartThings' compatible-device list

Standout against Samsung SmartThings. Eve is the only entry that states no account, no cloud and a Matter-over-Thread design for every accessory.

evehome.com Visit Eve
#9

Jeedom

French open-source framework with a paid plugin market

Rillieux-la-Pape, FranceCore free; some plugins paid (for example Mobile EUR 4, JeeZigbee EUR 6)#9 in Smart Home Platforms and Hubs

Best for: French-speaking users who want a plugin-based system that works without a cloud.

Jeedom is an open-source home automation framework with a GPL-licensed core, published by Domadoo SAS in Rillieux-la-Pape, France. It needs no cloud to work, runs on your own hardware, and extends through a plugin market that includes Z-Wave JS, JeeZigbee and MQTT Manager. There is also a Jeedom Box gateway. Against SmartThings, it removes the account and the vendor cloud from the loop.

Much of Jeedom's site and community is in French, and its English pages are thinner than those of Home Assistant. Plugins can cost money, for example Mobile at €4 and JeeZigbee at €6, and they vary by author. The box and service pricing was not verified, so budget by checking the market page before you commit.

What Jeedom does better than Samsung SmartThings

  • Works without a cloud, on your own hardware
  • Open GPL core with a plugin market
  • No manufacturer account required

Where Jeedom is a step down from Samsung SmartThings

  • Documentation largely in French
  • Paid plugins add up, and the community is smaller than the leaders'

Standout against Samsung SmartThings. Jeedom is the open-source system here with a commercial plugin market, where individual plugins carry a price in euros.

jeedom.com Visit Jeedom
#10

Gira

Wired KNX building control, a different class from a hub-and-app kit

Radevormwald, GermanyPricing on request via the trade#10 in Smart Home Platforms and Hubs

Best for: New builds and renovations that put control into wall switches and plan the system with an installer.

Gira, from Gira, Giersiepen GmbH & Co. KG in Radevormwald, builds smart home control into the wall: Gira One, a Gira KNX system, Gira KNX RF Multi for retrofit and the Gira G1 control unit. It handles lighting, blinds and heating through KNX pushbutton sensors. That is a permanent installation, so it competes with SmartThings only at the top of the market.

Gira is not a hub you set up on a weekend. Prices were not published on the pages read, wired KNX normally means planning before or during renovation, and there is no open-source layer. If the reason for leaving SmartThings was reliance on a cloud account, Gira answers it with wall switches that work as switches first, though data location was not stated on the pages read.

What Gira does better than Samsung SmartThings

  • Control is built into wall switches, not dependent on a phone app
  • KNX is an open building standard installers know
  • Retrofit variant exists for existing homes

Where Gira is a step down from Samsung SmartThings

  • Prices not published, installer planning needed
  • Not a DIY system and no open-source layer

Standout against Samsung SmartThings. Gira is the only entry here built around wall switches and the KNX standard, planned with an installer.

gira.com Visit Gira

What actually breaks when you switch

The first break is the routines. SmartThings routines live in the Samsung account and no European platform in this list reads them, so every scene, schedule and condition is rebuilt in Home Assistant automations, Homey Flows, openHAB rules or the Gladys and Jeedom scenario editors. Plan to do this room by room and leave SmartThings running in parallel until each room works, because a half-migrated home is the usual source of complaints.

The second is the devices. Zigbee, Thread and Matter devices can be reset and paired to a new controller, but each one is re-added and renamed, and the old entity names in dashboards and voice assistants change with them.

Wi-Fi devices and Samsung appliances depend on the integration being available for the exact model. The third is the money: hardware such as Homey Pro (€449), Home Assistant Green (listed at €179) or a Bosch controller replaces a hub that came free inside a TV, and some remote access plans carry a monthly fee.

Is SmartThings a US company, and does the CLOUD Act apply to it?

The SmartThings privacy notice names Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., together with its affiliates and subsidiaries, as the party that handles the information. Samsung Electronics is a South Korean company, so the CLOUD Act argument that applies to American providers is not the reason to leave. The notice does not say which Samsung entity contracts with a given customer, so this page makes no claim about that.

What the notice does show is that data can move inside the Samsung group and to business partners and service providers, and that law enforcement requests are among the cases in which information may be disclosed.

For a buyer in the EU, the practical questions are therefore which features send data to the cloud, which Samsung entity contracts with you, and whether you want that dependency at all. A local system such as Home Assistant or Jeedom removes the question for the automations you run at home.

Can I keep my Samsung TV and fridge if I move to a European hub?

You can keep the appliances, but how much of each one you can control depends on the model and on the integration in the new hub. A television or refrigerator that is a full participant in SmartThings uses the Samsung account and Samsung's cloud for features such as Family Hub, Pet Care and Cooking, and those app features do not move. The basic functions such as switching, status and energy readings are the part most likely to carry over.

Samsung states that its TVs can act as a Matter, Thread and Zigbee hub, so a household may keep SmartThings only as the appliance layer and still run lights and heating on Home Assistant or Homey. That mixed setup is common and is a lower-risk first step than a full replacement. Check each appliance in the integration list of the platform you pick before you disable anything.

Which one to pick

For most households leaving SmartThings, the decision is between Home Assistant and Homey. Home Assistant gives the widest device support and a local-first design under a Swiss foundation, at the cost of setup effort. Homey gives an app-led experience from a Dutch company, with a free cloud tier to test and a local Homey Pro to move to. Choose Home Assistant if you enjoy tuning a system, and Homey if you want it to work from an app.

The others solve narrower problems. Shelly and Eve replace devices and leave the brain to a controller, tado replaces only the heating, and Bosch Smart Home and Gira are closed manufacturer systems, with Gira planned together with an installer. openHAB, Gladys Assistant and Jeedom suit people who want open source and will configure it themselves.

If you only own a Samsung TV hub and a few lights, the cheapest first step is often to keep SmartThings for the appliances and move lights and heating to a local hub.

Frequently Asked Questions

It depends on how much you want to configure. Home Assistant from the Swiss Open Home Foundation is the broadest, with more than 1500 integrations and local control. Homey from the Dutch company Athom is the nearest to the SmartThings app experience, with a free cloud tier and a local Homey Pro. openHAB, Gladys Assistant and Jeedom are open-source options, and Shelly, tado and Eve supply devices.

Samsung's privacy notice says voice commands are relayed through SmartThings servers to process them, and sign-in uses a Samsung account. This page did not verify which routines can run locally, so it makes no claim about offline operation. The European alternatives that state local operation are Home Assistant, openHAB, Gladys Assistant and Jeedom on your own hardware, and Eve accessories, which the vendor says need no cloud.

Home Assistant has an Apache-2.0 licensed core, openHAB uses EPL-2.0 for its core, Gladys Assistant is Apache-2.0 and Jeedom is GPL-licensed with a paid plugin market. Homey, Bosch Smart Home, tado, Eve and Gira are closed systems. Open source matters mainly for how long the software stays usable if the company changes direction.

Yes. Samsung says TVs from the Q60 range upward, released after 2022, include a built-in hub for Matter, Thread and Zigbee, but a separate controller can take over the devices. Homey Pro (€449), the Bosch Smart Home Controller II and a Home Assistant Green (listed at €179) all work as standalone hubs, though Home Assistant needs extra adapters for Zigbee, Thread or Z-Wave.

The software can be free: Home Assistant, openHAB and the local version of Gladys Assistant cost nothing. Hardware is the main cost, from €149 for the Homey Self-Hosted Server to €449 for Homey Pro. Remote access is sold separately in some cases, for example Gladys Plus at €6.99 per month or Bosch Home+ at €4.99 per month. SmartThings routines cannot be imported, so budget time as well.

About the author

Every comparison page on European Purpose is researched and drafted with AI assistance, with the compliance and pricing claims checked against the vendor's own documentation, and is published under the editorial responsibility of its founder.

Sebastiaan Smits

Sebastiaan Smits

Founder · Amsterdam, Netherlands

Founder of European Purpose. Researches and writes the reviews and checks where each company is actually established.

Read our editorial process for how we source, verify and update these pages, and how paid visibility works.

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