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Hubitat Elevation vs TP-Link Kasa

Hubitat Elevation logo

Hubitat Elevation

Smart Home

Local home automation hub for advanced users

From
$189.95/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
TP-Link Kasa logo

TP-Link Kasa

Smart Home

Affordable smart home devices with easy setup

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only TP-Link Kasa has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Hubitat Elevation limited app ecosystem compared to Amazon Alexa or Google Home platforms; TP-Link Kasa plus plan only covers one camera per subscription
  • They diverge on capability: Hubitat Elevation covers Local Processing, TP-Link Kasa covers Affordable.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hubitat Elevation and TP-Link Kasa actually diverge.

Attributes where Hubitat Elevation and TP-Link Kasa differ
AttributeHubitat ElevationTP-Link Kasa
Starting price$189.95/one-timeFree
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsLocal hub (Model C-8), Local hub (Model C-7), Mobile app (iOS and Android)IOS, Android, Web
Founded20161996

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Smart Home).

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 Hubitat Elevation

  • Local Processing
  • Rule Machine
  • Z-Wave Plus
  • Zigbee 3.0
  • Dashboard
  • Voice assistants
  • Custom apps
  • MQTT

Only in TP-Link Kasa

  • Affordable
  • No Hub Required
  • Energy Monitoring
  • Scheduling
  • Alexa
  • Google Home
  • SmartThings
  • IFTTT

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Hubitat Elevation

  • Advanced automationnot TP-Link Kasa
  • Local controlnot TP-Link Kasa
  • Complex rulesnot TP-Link Kasa
  • Multi-protocol integrationnot TP-Link Kasa

TP-Link Kasa

  • Home security camera recording and playbacknot Hubitat Elevation
  • Smart home automation monitoringnot Hubitat Elevation
  • Pet and baby monitoringnot Hubitat Elevation
  • Outdoor property surveillancenot Hubitat Elevation

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Hubitat Elevation

  • Limited app ecosystem compared to Amazon Alexa or Google Home platforms
  • Requires purchase of hub hardware; no free tier

TP-Link Kasa

  • Plus plan only covers one camera per subscription
  • No free trial mentioned for paid tiers
  • Premium plan requires annual commitment discount to reach $100/year pricing
  • Video retention limited to 30 days even on paid plans

Pricing, plan by plan

Hubitat Elevation

$189.95/one-time
  • Hub Hardware$189.95/one-time
    • Z-Wave Plus 800 and Zigbee 3.0
    • Matter 1.5 support
    • Local automation engine
  • Cloud Backup (optional)$30/year
    • Cloud backup of automations
    • Automatic backups
  • Remote Admin (optional)$36/year
    • Remote access via cloud
    • Mobile app remote control

TP-Link Kasa

Free
  • Free TierFree
    • Live streaming
    • Push-to-talk
    • Activity zones
  • Plus$3/month
    • 30 days of video history
    • Manual clip recording
    • Video sharing
  • Premium$10/month
    • Covers up to 10 cameras
    • All Plus features
    • Snapshots with alerts

Which should you pick?

Choose Hubitat Elevation if

  • You need local processing.
  • You work on Local hub (Model C-8), Local hub (Model C-7), Mobile app (iOS and Android).
  • You also want rule machine.
Hubitat Elevation review

Choose TP-Link Kasa if

  • You need affordable.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on IOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want no hub required.
TP-Link Kasa review

Questions people ask

Is Hubitat Elevation or TP-Link Kasa better?
Neither clearly leads. Hubitat Elevation starts at $189.95/one-time and TP-Link Kasa at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Hubitat Elevation or TP-Link Kasa?
TP-Link Kasa has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $189.95/one-time for Hubitat Elevation and Free for TP-Link Kasa.
Does Hubitat Elevation or TP-Link Kasa run on more platforms?
Hubitat Elevation runs on Local hub (Model C-8), Local hub (Model C-7), Mobile app (iOS and Android). TP-Link Kasa runs on IOS, Android, Web.
Can I use TP-Link Kasa for free?
Yes. TP-Link Kasa has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Hubitat Elevation starts at $189.95/one-time.
What is Hubitat Elevation best used for?
Hubitat Elevation is most often used for advanced automation, local control, complex rules, multi-protocol integration. Of those, advanced automation and local control are not what TP-Link Kasa is typically brought in for.
What can Hubitat Elevation do that TP-Link Kasa cannot?
Hubitat Elevation covers Local Processing, Rule Machine, Z-Wave Plus, Zigbee 3.0. TP-Link Kasa covers Affordable, No Hub Required, Energy Monitoring, Scheduling.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Hubitat Elevation: Does Hubitat require a cloud connection or subscription?

No. All automations and device control run locally without cloud dependency. Hubitat does not require subscriptions for core features; optional cloud backup ($30/year) and remote admin ($36/year) are available.

Source
TP-Link Kasa: Does Kasa Care offer a free plan?

Yes, Kasa's free tier includes live streaming, push-to-talk, activity zones, and activity notifications at no cost.

Source
Hubitat Elevation: How many devices can Hubitat control?

The Hubitat Elevation Model C-8 supports 1,000+ devices across 100+ brands through Zigbee, Z-Wave 800 Long Range, Matter 1.5, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi protocols.

Source
TP-Link Kasa: What's the difference between Kasa Plus and Premium?

Plus costs $3/month and provides 30 days of video history per camera. Premium costs $10/month and covers up to 10 cameras with all Plus features. Premium is billed at $100/year vs Plus at $30/year per camera.

Source
Hubitat Elevation: Does Hubitat work with Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Apple HomeKit?

Yes. Hubitat integrates with Alexa and Google Home for voice control, and also supports Apple HomeKit via direct integration for HomeKit devices.

Source
TP-Link Kasa: Can Premium cover all my cameras?

Yes, Kasa Premium covers up to 10 cameras under one $10/month subscription, making it more economical than Plus for multiple devices.

Source
Hubitat Elevation: What is the difference between the C-7 and C-8 models?

The C-8 ($189.95) features Z-Wave Plus 800, Zigbee 3.0, and expanded memory for handling complex automation. The C-7 is an older model with fewer protocol options and lower performance.

Source
Hubitat Elevation: Can I access my hub remotely?

Yes. Local area network (LAN) access is always available. Remote access via the Hubitat mobile app and cloud services requires an optional subscription ($36/year for remote admin).

Source
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