Smart home hubs are one of those things nobody explains properly.
You start shopping for smart bulbs and suddenly people are telling you that you need a “hub.” Or a “bridge.” Or a “controller.” Sometimes all three. And the prices range from $35 to $400 with no obvious reason why.
Here’s the thing. You might not need a hub at all. And if you do need one, you probably already own it.
This guide breaks down what a hub actually does. When you need one. When you don’t. And which one to buy if it turns out you do.
Let’s start with the basics.
What does a smart home hub actually do
A hub is just a translator.
Smart devices speak different languages. Some speak Wi-Fi. Some speak Zigbee or Z-Wave or Thread. Your phone only speaks Wi-Fi. So if you want your phone to control a Zigbee bulb you need something in the middle that can speak both.
That something is the hub.
The hub sits on your home network. It listens to your phone over Wi-Fi. Then it talks to your devices over whatever protocol they use. Zigbee. Z-Wave. Thread. Sometimes all three at once.
That’s it. That’s the whole job.
If you want to understand what these protocols are and which ones matter, our guide to smart home protocols covers all of them in plain English.
Some hubs do more than just translate. They run automations. They store device states locally. They keep working when your internet drops. We’ll get to all that.
Do you actually need a hub
Honest answer. Most beginners don’t.
If you only have 2 or 3 smart devices and they all use Wi-Fi you don’t need a hub. Your router is doing the work. Smart plugs from TP-Link or Meross. A Wi-Fi smart bulb. A doorbell. These just connect to your existing Wi-Fi.
You also don’t need a hub if your devices all work with the same ecosystem already. Got an Echo speaker and some Alexa-compatible plugs? The Echo IS your hub. Same for HomePod mini in Apple Home. Same for Nest Hub in Google Home.
You DO need a hub if any of these apply.
- You want to use Zigbee or Z-Wave devices (these always need a hub)
- You want to use Thread devices that aren’t already bridged through something
- You want to mix devices from different ecosystems (some on Apple, some on Google, some on Alexa) and have them all work together
- You want local automations that run even when your internet is down
- You have more than maybe 10 smart devices and want a single app to control everything
So a quick decision. If you’re starting with just a couple of Wi-Fi devices skip the hub. Save the money. Come back to this article in 6 months when your setup has grown.
The main types of hubs
There are basically four kinds. Each one solves a different problem.
Smart speakers that are also hubs
Most people don’t realize this. A lot of smart speakers already have a hub built in.
Apple HomePod mini. Acts as a Thread border router and a Matter controller. If you have one of these you can use Thread devices and Matter devices right away with no extra hardware.
Apple TV 4K (2022 or newer). Same deal. Thread border router plus Matter controller. Plus you already use it for streaming.
Amazon Echo Hub. Released in 2024. This one is built specifically as a hub. It has a touchscreen and supports Zigbee, Thread, and Matter. Around $180.
Amazon Echo (4th gen and newer). The bigger Echo speakers have a Zigbee radio inside. So you can pair Zigbee devices directly to them.
Google Nest Hub (2nd gen). Works as a Thread border router and Matter controller for the Google ecosystem. Has a screen too.
So if you already own one of these you’re already halfway done. You just need to know what protocols it supports.
Dedicated smart home hubs
These are devices designed to be hubs. Nothing else. Their whole job is being the brain of your smart home.
SmartThings Station. Around $60. Supports Matter, Thread, and Zigbee. Works with Samsung’s SmartThings app which has the best device compatibility of any major ecosystem. If you want a hub that just works with the most stuff buy this.
Aqara Hub M3. Around $130. Supports Matter, Thread, Zigbee, and even has an infrared blaster for old TVs and AC units. Aqara makes a ton of cheap sensors and locks so the M3 is great if you’re going to fill your house with Aqara stuff.
Hubitat Elevation. Around $150. Different from the others. It runs everything locally with no cloud needed. Power users and security-conscious people love it. Bit of a learning curve.
Routers that double as hubs
Some newer Wi-Fi routers have hub features built in. This is the laziest option but it works.
eero (recent models). Amazon owns eero. The newer mesh routers include a Thread border router. So if you have eero you can use Thread devices without buying a separate hub.
Google Nest Wifi Pro. Same idea. Thread border router built into your mesh router.
These aren’t full hubs. They don’t usually do Zigbee or Z-Wave. But for Thread and Matter they handle the basics.
DIY hubs for tinkerers
If you like fiddling with stuff this category is for you.
Home Assistant. Open source. Free software. Runs on a small computer like a Raspberry Pi or their official Home Assistant Green box (around $99). It supports basically every protocol that exists. Plus thousands of integrations.
The catch is its complicated. You need to be comfortable with some basic tinkering. Setup takes hours not minutes. But once it’s running it does things no commercial hub can do.
Not for everyone. But the people who use it swear by it.
What to actually look for in a hub in 2026
Five things matter. Score your potential hub against these.
Matter support. This is the big one. Matter is the new universal standard. Buy a hub without Matter support and you’re already behind. Every hub I mentioned above supports Matter. So this should be easy.
Thread border router built in. Thread is the wireless layer most new Matter devices use. Having a Thread border router built into your hub means battery powered Matter devices just work. Without one you’ll need a separate Thread router.
Zigbee and Z-Wave support. Only matters if you want to use Zigbee or Z-Wave devices. Which you might if you want cheap sensors (Zigbee) or rock-solid security gear (Z-Wave). If you only care about Matter you can skip these.
Local control. Some hubs do everything in the cloud. Which means if your internet drops your lights stop working. The better hubs do most of their work locally. Hubitat is the king here. SmartThings does a lot locally too. Apple Home is mostly local.
Works with your phone and assistant. Match your hub to your ecosystem. iPhone? Look at Apple Home compatible hubs. Android? Google Home or SmartThings. Echo speakers everywhere? Get an Amazon hub.
Honestly the biggest mistake people make is buying a hub that doesn’t match their phone. Then nothing works properly and they blame the hub. Match the hub to your phone first. Everything else second.
My picks for 2026
OK so based on all of the above. Here’s what I’d actually buy in different situations.
If you have an iPhone
Get an Apple TV 4K or HomePod mini if you don’t have one already. They double as hubs. Plus they do other stuff you’d buy them for anyway. Streaming. Music.
For more devices add the Aqara Hub M3 alongside. It bridges Zigbee stuff into Apple Home which the Apple devices can’t do on their own.
If you have an Android phone
SmartThings Station is the easy pick. $60. Works with the most devices of any platform. The SmartThings app is solid.
If you go deep into smart home stuff later you can upgrade to the SmartThings Hub V3 or add an Aqara M3.
If you’re all-in on Amazon Echo
Amazon Echo Hub if you want a dedicated touchscreen hub. Or just use a 4th-gen-or-newer Echo you already own. It already has Zigbee.
If you want everything to just work
SmartThings Station or Aqara Hub M3. Both support more protocols than most. Both work with Apple, Google, and Alexa at the same time through Matter.
If you like tinkering
Home Assistant Green. $99. The most powerful smart home brain you can buy. Steeper learning curve but unmatched flexibility.
Common questions
Do I need a hub if I only have a smart speaker?
No. Your smart speaker is the hub. An Echo is your Alexa hub. A HomePod is your Apple hub. A Nest Mini is your Google hub. They handle Wi-Fi devices directly. The newer ones handle Thread and Matter too.
Can I use multiple hubs at the same time?
Yes. Most people end up doing this. You might have an Apple TV 4K as your Apple hub. An Echo as your Alexa hub. And a SmartThings Station for the Zigbee stuff. They all coexist. Matter devices can even be linked to up to five different hubs at once.
What happens to my hub if the company shuts down?
Honest answer. It depends on the hub. Cloud-dependent hubs become bricks. Locally-controlled hubs (Hubitat, Home Assistant) keep working. This is why local control matters. Insteon went out of business in 2022 and thousands of their customers woke up to dead smart homes overnight. Don’t be those people.
Is my router a hub?
Most routers aren’t. They’re just routers. But newer mesh routers from eero, Nest, and a few others have Thread border routers built in which is half of what a hub does. Check your router’s spec sheet.
Why are some hubs $50 and others $400?
The expensive ones usually support more protocols, do more locally, or include extras like touchscreens. For most people the $50 to $130 range is the sweet spot. Above that you’re paying for features most beginners don’t need.
The bottom line
Most people start by buying a hub they don’t actually need.
If you only have a few Wi-Fi devices and an Echo or HomePod you’re already done. The speaker is your hub.
If you want to grow your smart home beyond the basics and use Zigbee or Z-Wave devices then get a SmartThings Station or Aqara M3. $60 to $130. Both handle most situations beginners run into.
If you have an iPhone and just want Matter and Thread stuff your Apple TV 4K or HomePod mini already covers it.
And if you want to know which protocols you’ll actually use first our guide to smart home protocols explains it all in plain English.
Start small. Add the hub when you actually need it. Don’t let anyone talk you into buying a $300 hub for two smart bulbs.
That’s it. You now know more about smart home hubs than most people who own one.