Software · head to head
Amazon Alexa vs Homey
The short version
- Only Amazon Alexa has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Amazon Alexa amazon Alexa is a free consumer app (per Apple App Store listing under AMZN Mobile LLC) with no subscription required for core voice assistant functionality; premium content and some skills route through separate Amazon subscriptions such as Prime and Amazon Music; Homey homey Cloud without a subscription connects at most 5 devices
- They diverge on capability: Amazon Alexa covers Voice Control, Homey covers Multi-protocol support.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Amazon Alexa and Homey actually diverge.
| Attribute | Amazon Alexa | Homey |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Pricing model | free | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Echo devices, Fire TV, Android, IOS | IOS, Android, Web |
| Founded | 1994 | 2014 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Amazon Alexa
- Voice Control
- Skills Library
- Routines
- Multi-Room Audio
- 100,000+ skills
- Ring
- Blink
- Fire TV
Only in Homey
- Multi-protocol support
- Advanced flows
- Voice control
- Energy insights
- Timeline
- Zones
- Google Assistant
- Amazon Alexa
Both cover
- Android support
- IOS support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Amazon Alexa
- Voice-controlled homenot Homey
- Smart shoppingnot Homey
- Entertainmentnot Homey
- Home securitynot Homey
Homey
- Bringing Zigbee, Z-Wave, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices from different brands into one appnot Amazon Alexa
- Building home automations visually with Flownot Amazon Alexa
- Charting device and sensor history through Insightsnot Amazon Alexa
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Amazon Alexa
- Amazon Alexa is a free consumer app (per Apple App Store listing under AMZN Mobile LLC) with no subscription required for core voice assistant functionality; premium content and some skills route through separate Amazon subscriptions such as Prime and Amazon Music
Homey
- Homey Cloud without a subscription connects at most 5 devices
- Unlimited devices require the Homey Premium subscription at $2.99 per month
- Advanced Flow, Insights, and Logic and Variables are locked behind Homey Premium
- The free month of Premium is only offered to new subscribers signing up through iOS or Android
Pricing, plan by plan
Amazon Alexa
Free- FreeFree
- Voice control
- Skills
- Smart home control
- Alexa Guard Plus$4.99/month
- Emergency response
- Hands-free calling
- Enhanced alerts
Homey
On request- Homey Pro$399/month
- Local processing
- 1000+ apps
- Advanced flows
- Homey Bridge$69/month
- Cloud processing
- 500+ apps
- Basic flows
Which should you pick?
Choose Amazon Alexa if
- You need voice control.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Echo devices, Fire TV, Android, IOS.
- You also want skills library.
Choose Homey if
- You need multi-protocol support.
- You work on IOS, Android, Web.
- You also want advanced flows.
Questions people ask
- Is Amazon Alexa or Homey better?
- Neither clearly leads. Amazon Alexa starts at Free and Homey at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Amazon Alexa or Homey?
- Amazon Alexa has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Amazon Alexa and On request for Homey.
- Does Amazon Alexa or Homey run on more platforms?
- Amazon Alexa runs on Echo devices, Fire TV, Android, IOS. Homey runs on IOS, Android, Web.
- Can I use Amazon Alexa for free?
- Yes. Amazon Alexa has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Homey starts at On request.
- What is Amazon Alexa best used for?
- Amazon Alexa is most often used for voice-controlled home, smart shopping, entertainment, home security. Of those, voice-controlled home and smart shopping are not what Homey is typically brought in for.
- What can Amazon Alexa do that Homey cannot?
- Amazon Alexa covers Voice Control, Skills Library, Routines, Multi-Room Audio. Homey covers Multi-protocol support, Advanced flows, Voice control, Energy insights. Both handle Android support, IOS support.
Related pages
More on Amazon Alexa
Keep looking
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