Software · head to head
Homey vs Zigbee Alliance
Zigbee Alliance
Software
Low-power wireless standard for IoT and smart home
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Zigbee Alliance has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Homey homey Cloud without a subscription connects at most 5 devices; Zigbee Alliance the Internet Archive's capture of the Connectivity Standards Alliance's Zigbee page on 4 January 2024 confirmed Zigbee is a protocol standard rather than a purchased product, with the Alliance's revenue coming from member dues and per-device certification fees rather than a software price list.
- They diverge on capability: Homey covers Multi-protocol support, Zigbee Alliance covers Low Power.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Homey and Zigbee Alliance actually diverge.
| Attribute | Homey | Zigbee Alliance |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | On request | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | open-source |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | IOS, Android, Web | Zigbee devices, Mesh networks, Smart home hubs, IoT platforms |
| Founded | 2014 | 2002 |
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 Homey
- Multi-protocol support
- Advanced flows
- Voice control
- Energy insights
- Timeline
- Zones
- Google Assistant
- Amazon Alexa
Only in Zigbee Alliance
- Low Power
- Mesh Networking
- Self-Healing
- Scalable
- Smart home devices
- Hubs
- Controllers
- Integration platforms
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Homey
- Bringing Zigbee, Z-Wave, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices from different brands into one appnot Zigbee Alliance
- Building home automations visually with Flownot Zigbee Alliance
- Charting device and sensor history through Insightsnot Zigbee Alliance
Zigbee Alliance
- Smart lightingnot Homey
- Sensor networksnot Homey
- Home automationnot Homey
- Industrial monitoringnot Homey
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
Zigbee Alliance
- The Internet Archive's capture of the Connectivity Standards Alliance's Zigbee page on 4 January 2024 confirmed Zigbee is a protocol standard rather than a purchased product, with the Alliance's revenue coming from member dues and per-device certification fees rather than a software price list.
Pricing, plan by plan
Homey
On request- Homey Pro$399/month
- Local processing
- 1000+ apps
- Advanced flows
- Homey Bridge$69/month
- Cloud processing
- 500+ apps
- Basic flows
Zigbee Alliance
Free- Open SpecificationFree
- Low power mesh
- Self-healing
- Interoperable
Which should you pick?
Choose Homey if
- You need multi-protocol support.
- You work on IOS, Android, Web.
- You also want advanced flows.
Choose Zigbee Alliance if
- You need low power.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Zigbee devices, Mesh networks, Smart home hubs, IoT platforms.
- You also want mesh networking.
Questions people ask
- Is Homey or Zigbee Alliance better?
- Neither clearly leads. Homey starts at On request and Zigbee Alliance at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Homey or Zigbee Alliance?
- Zigbee Alliance has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Homey and Free for Zigbee Alliance.
- Does Homey or Zigbee Alliance run on more platforms?
- Homey runs on IOS, Android, Web. Zigbee Alliance runs on Zigbee devices, Mesh networks, Smart home hubs, IoT platforms.
- Can I use Zigbee Alliance for free?
- Yes. Zigbee Alliance has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Homey starts at On request.
- What is Homey best used for?
- Homey is most often used for bringing zigbee, z-wave, wi-fi and bluetooth devices from different brands into one app, building home automations visually with flow, charting device and sensor history through insights. Of those, bringing zigbee, z-wave, wi-fi and bluetooth devices from different brands into one app and building home automations visually with flow are not what Zigbee Alliance is typically brought in for.
- What can Homey do that Zigbee Alliance cannot?
- Homey covers Multi-protocol support, Advanced flows, Voice control, Energy insights. Zigbee Alliance covers Low Power, Mesh Networking, Self-Healing, Scalable.