5 Best Smart Home Alexa Alternatives

Creating a smart home for yourself is an exciting way to make your life easier and more convenient.

Waving your hand or giving a quick verbal instruction to turn on the lights or lock the doors isn’t just a futuristic notion but a genuine possibility.

But with so many smart devices and hubs on the market, how do you know which one is the best for your needs?

The best smart home alternative to Alexa is the Google Home Assistant. Google’s Nest Hub and related smart home products are a good match feature-for-feature to the Amazon Echo system. Hubitat Elevation, Home Assistant Blue, Aeotec Smart Hub, and Apple HomePod are also excellent Alexa alternatives.

Smart homes are much more than voice assistants like Alexa.

They’re a way to tailor your devices to your lifestyle and make your house into the perfect home. This guide will discuss what to look for in an Alexa alternative and give details on five of the best options for your smart hub needs. 

What Features Do You Need in a Smart Home Hub?

When it comes to smart homes and home automation, there are hundreds of ways to customize them to your needs and integrate different products. 

The best smart home assistant for you depends on what features you want and what level of technical know-how you have. 

To decide which smart home hub will fit into your home best, there are a few key features you should look at. 

Across the Board Device Compatibility

The most crucial factor to consider when choosing an Alexa alternative to run your smart home is product compatibility.

Your smart home hub is no good if it can’t communicate with all the smart devices you have in your home.

Most smart home hubs are widely compatible with other products as it’s in their best interest to work with a wide variety of brands to retain users. 

Though there are devices that are designed to work best with certain hubs, they’ll typically remain functional across multiple platforms. 

If you have a favorite smart device, like a particular doorbell camera or thermostat, the best home hub for you needs to be compatible with that product. 

Keep in mind that some branded products, such as smart bulbs, may only work with their own branded smart hubs, so be sure to check the box for details. 

Voice Control

You should decide next how important voice control is to you.

You might not want your smart home to listen in to your house, or you might want the convenience of hands-free control from anywhere in your home.

With voice control, you can easily turn on the lights in the kitchen from the bedroom without needing to pick up your phone or even wake up fully.

This is an especially prominent feature if you or someone in your household has limited mobility.

Power Capabilities

Think about how the smart hub connects and whether it has battery backup or always needs a power source. 

Some hubs run on a local connection like Zigbee or Z-wave, while others require a wifi connection. 

The connection type is important to consider for situations like a power outage or internet failure. 

User Experience

How your smart home hub connects to the devices in your house and how you control it is a big factor when looking to make such a big purchase. 

Whether the hub has a separate app for you to download, or you have to control everything from the hub itself, it should be a system that is easy for you to use.

For most people, a simple and intuitive user interface that lets you create custom automation and settings is the best bet. 

There are options that let you make very complex commands and automations, but these generally have a steep learning curve or require some coding or programming knowledge.

You know your own tech literacy level best, so keep that in mind when you’re comparing hub controls. 

Connectivity Options 

Connectivity is a big factor in the way you experience your smart home.

Wireless hubs let you link multiple devices across different rooms in your house, but that wireless connection means your hub has to be wifi enabled or have another connection method. 

Internet-connected devices are common, but too many of them on your hub can slow down your internet speeds and make the experience of using your smart home annoying. 

You don’t want your smart home to make your life harder or more inconvenient. Local connections that use radio frequencies, like Bluetooth, Zigbee, and Z-wave, solve this problem. 

While a local connection limits what you can do when you’re away from home, most hubs have wifi plus a local connection so that you can have the best experience at home and away. 

The Best Overall Smart Home Hub: Google Nest Hub

In a one-to-one comparison, the Google Nest Hub and product family is the closest match to all of the features of Amazon’s Alexa and related products.

The Google family of smart home products is one of the earliest smart home product lines, so it’s worked out a lot of the kinks. 

The Nest hub is a combination speaker, smart hub, and control display that connects easily with other Google products and a long list of smart devices from other brands. 

For just about anything you want your smart home to do, Google Nest Hub can make it happen for you. 

Pros

The Google Nest Hub ranks as the best overall because of the simplicity to power ratio.

Because all the functionality is built-in, you can get a lot of customization and automation without needing a lot of accessories. 

Google Voice Assistant is built into the hub, and you can use the hub to play music or videos without any additional hardware. 

For simple, smart home tasks, the Nest Hub is a quick plug-and-play option.

It’s easy to use, but it also has the potential to connect multiple other devices for a more sophisticated setup. 

It’s compatible with hundreds of other devices, including smart doorbells, security cameras, and lights. 

Cons

The biggest drawback for the Google Nest Hub is that it primarily uses wifi to connect to the rest of your smart devices. 

It’s Bluetooth enabled, and Google is working on making it Thread eligible but hasn’t made it Thread available yet.

Running your smart home via wifi is easy to set up; however, the strength of your internet connection limits you. Adding a dozen smart devices to your wifi can slow it down significantly, which takes away from the convenience of having a smart home in the first place. 

Additionally, if your internet goes out, you’ll be limited to Bluetooth connectivity. 

Bluetooth has a limited range, and you may not be able to use your smart home features with just a Bluetooth connection.

Overall, Google Nest Hub is a great choice for someone who is new to home automation or who just wants a few simple features.  

The Hub With the Most Connectivity Options: Hubitat Elevation

The Hubitat Elevation is a hub that focuses on data privacy without sacrificing compatibility options. 

It isn’t a speaker, and it doesn’t have a built-in display like the Google Nest Hub, but it’s powerful, and you can connect it to practically any speaker or display that you can find. 

This unassuming black and green box has a whole lot of power without you needing to sacrifice control.

With dozens of software and hardware products that easily connect to Hubitat, it’s an excellent choice for the novice and the expert alike. 

Pros

Hubitat works with so many different devices because it has Bluetooth, Zigbee, Z-wave built-in, and internet connectivity.

While it does use the internet so you can control it remotely, it keeps all of your data locally and doesn’t share it. 

Because it has so many connectivity options, you can choose which products and services best fit your needs, whether or not they all come from the same brand or product family. 

You can pick your favorite virtual assistant and your favorite smart lights and control them both through Hubitat, no matter how different they are.

Hubitat also has its own app that lets you set up rules and automation scenes. You can download it for any type of smartphone or tablet or access it via the web without needing a smart device. 

Hubitat Elevation is perfect for the home with eclectic tastes and specific needs. 

Cons

While Hubitat is easy to use and flexible, there are some drawbacks. 

You do need to plug Hubitat into your internet with an ethernet cord, not just wifi, so it’s a little cumbersome in that regard. 

Additionally, because Hubitat is just a hub, you can’t use it by itself. It doesn’t operate as a smart device in and of itself; it merely controls and aggregates other smart devices. 

Hubitat isn’t the best choice for your first smart home purchase, but it’s a solid contender for wrangling the devices you already have. 

The Best Smart Home Hub for Automation: Home Assistant Blue

For the tech-savvy and smart home experts, the Home Assistant Blue is a dream come true. 

Home Assistant started as open-source software that you could use on a smart hub you built yourself.

However, they’ve recently created the Home Assistant Blue, which pairs that software with hardware the company trusts and believes in. 

You can run Home Assistant with other computers like a Raspberry Pi, but the Home Assistant Blue simplifies the setup process and gives you all the components you need to start. 

Pros

Like the Hubitat, Home Assistant Blue has a wealth of connectivity options and operates locally. 

Unlike Hubitat, Home Assistant Blue only relies on the cloud as a last resort and won’t use the internet unless there are no other options.

Running locally keeps all of your data safe and secure, giving you complete control over who sees it and how it’s used. 

The other major pro for the Home Assistant Blue is the enormous breadth of options for complicated automation. Home Assistant Blue works with over 1000 devices with various connectivity requirements and brings them all into harmony. 

You can also create unlimited combinations of commands and automatic responses with Home Assistant Blue.

Using these tools does have a steep learning curve or a tech-savvy background, but Home Assistant Blue gives you absolute control over your smart house once you get the hang of it. 

Cons

The biggest drawback of the Home Assistant Blue is the difficulty of learning it. It’s not a simple plug-and-play system, and you’ll have to devote a lot of time to the initial setup. 

Also, like Hubitat, it’s just a hub and not a display or all-in-one virtual assistant. 

However, it does link up with multiple virtual assistant products, so you can use Alexa or Google Assistant with your Home Assistant Blue system. 

This option is best for experts and smart home enthusiasts who are willing to dedicate a lot of time in the beginning stages to get sleek, customized results. 

The Easiest Smart Home Hub To Set Up: Apple HomePod

The simplest smart hub system to set up is the Apple HomePod, Apple’s answer to the Amazon Alexa products and the Google Assistant products. 

Like the other major tech companies, Apple’s version is a speaker with a built-in microphone so you can easily access their virtual assistant, Siri.

The minimalist design blends nicely with your decor without being intrusive, and while it’s a competitor with the other hubs, in true Apple fashion, it works differently than other smart home hubs. 

It’s a smart home accessory for audio lovers and Apple friends, but that’s about it.  

Pros

The Apple HomePod has state-of-the-art high-fidelity audio quality. That’s its biggest draw and its greater purpose. 

The speaker is integrated nicely with Siri, so you can give commands and trigger automation even when music is playing; Siri will still hear you. 

The other strength of the HomePod is how easy it is to use if you’re already an Apple user.

You can use Airplay to connect the HomePod to your iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, or other products automatically and they will all detect each other and work seamlessly together. 

Apple is also a leader in data privacy and security, so while Apple may collect some data from your use, they’ll always ask permission, and they won’t sell it to other companies. 

It does operate via the internet or Bluetooth, but security is a priority for Apple, so just because it’s on wifi doesn’t mean it’s easy to hack. 

Cons

You have to have an Apple phone or tablet to operate the HomePod. It integrates beautifully with other Apple products but won’t connect with most products outside of the Apple family. 

It only has internet and Bluetooth connectivity, so you won’t be able to control much with it.

It’s also primarily a speaker; the focus on the design is to give you unmatched sound quality, but that means that’s the thing it does best. 

You can link other devices to it via the Apple HomeKit app and use the HomePod as a way to communicate with Siri.

However, without other Apple smart home products, the HomePod is essentially an expensive voice-activated speaker. 

As a hub, it leaves much to be desired. However, as a virtual assistant in a smart home that’s full of Apple products, the HomePod is a quick and easy way to bring Siri to the front and center and take advantage of the convenience of a voice assistant. 

The Smart Home Hub With the Most Device Compatibility: Aeotec Smart Hub

For a while, the Samsung SmartThings hub was a leader in smart home hubs. However, Samsung has discontinued its hub, leaving a gap in the market. 

Aeotec Smart Hub fills that gap, making a smart hub that has the same compatibility as SmartThings, and uses the same platform. 

Aeotec’s smart hub has plenty of connectivity options and is compatible with over 5000 different smart devices from a number of big-name and up-and-coming brands. 

The SmartThings platform and app are also intuitive to use and offer incredible customization options. 

Pros

While Aeotec’s smart hub doesn’t have Bluetooth connectivity, that doesn’t stop it from being compatible with more devices than any other hub on this list.

This hub connects with the widest range of brands and products without sacrificing a user-friendly interface. 

Aeotec also gives you the most options for a virtual voice assistant. The hub is compatible with Alexa, Google Assistant, and the Samsung virtual assistant, Bixby. 

Variety and flexibility are the defining features of this hub. 

The SmartThings app that Aeotec runs is also a benefit. It lets you control things with the same ease no matter how near or far you are from home. 

It’s internet-based, so you may lose some function during an internet outage, but the range of automation and options that the app gives you is worth the risk of the occasional hiccup. 

Cons

The biggest drawback to Aeotec’s smart hub is the uncertainty about SmartThings’ future. 

While the device is still currently supported, the fact that Samsung discontinued its proprietary hub means there could be future changes and shake-ups coming. 

The certainty of long-lasting device support that you get from other brands isn’t the same here.

It’s also a largely internet-based system, so as with the Google Nest Hub, you’ll need a powerful wifi router to avoid slowing down your home internet when you use your smart devices. 

Aeotec’s smart hub lets you connect and build a large network, so you have to make sure that the network is supported with equally robust internet access. 

Smart Hub Price Comparisons

An important factor that I haven’t discussed yet is price. 

The good news is that the products discussed in this guide are all very similarly priced between $100 and $200, with the exception of the HomePod, which retails closer to $300. 

However, all of these brands frequently offer sales, deals, and payment plans to make their products more accessible.

Without cost as a primary factor, it can be tricky to compare each hub and decide which one works best for you. The table below breaks down which connectivity and control features each hub does and doesn’t have. 

Features	Built-In Voice Assistant	Built-in Speaker	Separate App Control	Bluetooth	Zigbee	Z-Wave	Battery Back-Up
Google Nest Hub	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No
Hubitat Elevation	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Home AssistantBlue	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Apple  HomePod	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Aeotec Smart Hub	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No

While several of these hubs don’t have voice assistant capabilities right out of the box, all of them are compatible with devices that do have voice control. 

So, for example, you could use a Home Assistant Blue and still have access to Alexa as long as you connect an Alexa-enabled device to your hub. 

One drawback for all of these devices is the lack of a battery backup. 

Aeotec Smart Hubs, the successor to Samsung’s popular SmartThings hubs, is the only brand that used to have a battery backup, so the lack of one in the newest model is curious. 

A backup power source is important, as it means you could keep elements of your smart home running in the event of a power outage. 

If you have essential home functions connected to your smart hub, such as the locks on your front door or your thermostat, you should consider a backup generator in case of a power outage. 

I recommend the Flashfish Solar Generator from Amazon.com for this. It has a high enough wattage output to power a smart hub, and you have the option to recharge it via solar power if you purchase a solar panel accessory.

That way, you’re prepared to keep your house functional for extended periods without worry. 

What To Look for in a Smart Home Hub

Finding a good replacement for an Alexa system in your home starts with knowing what Alexa does. Amazon’s virtual assistant and the related smart home hub devices perform a wide variety of home automation and convenience tasks.

According to the Amazon.com specifications, Alexa can help you with everything from controlling your lights to adding to your shopping list or telling you the weather. 

You can easily control your Alexa device using voice commands or through the app.

However, the Alexa assistant isn’t limited to Amazon-branded smart products. Other smart home hubs are Alexa-compatible or have a comparable virtual assistant feature.

Smart Hub vs. Virtual Assistant

The difference between a smart hub and a virtual assistant is simple, but it’s a distinction that isn’t obvious to new users. 

A virtual assistant is an AI (artificial intelligence) assistant like Siri, Alexa, or Google Voice Assistant that will help you with tasks. Most virtual assistants have voice-control technology so that you can speak commands or ask questions. 

A smart hub is a device that communicates with one or more smart gadgets in your home to coordinate and operate them. 

For example, you could set up a command in your smart hub so that every time you unlock your front door, the lights in your kitchen turn on.

The lights and the lock on your door aren’t talking to each other; they both get instructions from the smart hub.

Many smart hubs feature a voice assistant, like Alexa, and the combination of a voice assistant and a smart hub means that you can trigger events with a verbal command rather than having to use your phone. 

For example, you could set up a morning routine where when you say “Start Good Morning,” your hub will tell your lights to turn on and your coffee maker to start brewing. 

There are dozens of smart hubs and a handful of virtual assistants on the market, and together they can do just about anything you can imagine. 

However, some are easier to use than others, and each one has strengths and limitations. Knowing which is the best for you starts with knowing what features you want. 

Is a Smart Home Right for You?

Smart homes are an excellent addition when you have plenty of smart devices in your home. 

From doorbells to smart bulbs, being able to control everything from one main hub can save you a lot of time and effort. 

Some popular smart devices include:

• Thermostats
• Door locks
• Refrigerators
• Coffee makers
• Lights

However, if you typically only use your Alexa device to ask for the time and weather, and if you have no plans to incorporate additional smart devices into your home, a smart hub may be a waste of money in your case. 

If you don’t have and don’t plan on adding smart devices to your home, a simple voice assistant, like an Amazon Echo or Google Home Mini, should be more than enough.

Smart home alexa alternatives: Final Thoughts

Choosing the command center for your smart home can feel overwhelming.

There are tons of options, and each one seems to do something the others can’t. However, knowing your priorities and how you want to use your smart devices will lead you to the right product for you.

Google Nest Hub is the best choice for someone new to smart homes and home automation, but if you’re a pro looking for an upgrade, there are plenty of hubs you can use to get even more specific about your smart home needs.