Is Homey or Shelly better?

Neither clearly leads. Homey starts at On request and Shelly at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.

Which is cheaper, Homey or Shelly?

Shelly has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Homey and Free for Shelly.

Does Homey or Shelly run on more platforms?

Homey runs on IOS, Android, Web. Shelly runs on Web, Mobile app, Cloud, Local network.

Can I use Shelly for free?

Yes. Shelly 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 Shelly is typically brought in for.

What can Homey do that Shelly cannot?

Homey covers Multi-protocol support, Advanced flows, Voice control, Energy insights. Shelly covers Local Control, Open API, MQTT Support, Energy Monitoring. Both handle IOS support, Android support, Web support.

Smart Home · head to head

Homey vs Shelly

Homey

Smart Home

Connect all your smart home devices in one app

From: On request
Rated: -

Full review Website

Shelly

Smart Home

Powerful WiFi smart home devices with local control

From: Free
Rated: -

Full review Website

The short version

Only Shelly 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; Shelly premium features limited to cloud-based functionality; local control requires separate setup
They diverge on capability: Homey covers Multi-protocol support, Shelly covers Local Control.
Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Homey and Shelly actually diverge.

Attributes where Homey and Shelly differ
Attribute	Homey	Shelly
Starting price	On request	Free
Pricing model	subscription	Unknown
Free tier	No	Yes
Platforms	IOS, Android, Web	Web, Mobile app, Cloud, Local network
Founded	2014	2016

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 Homey

Multi-protocol support
Advanced flows
Voice control
Energy insights
Timeline
Zones
Google Assistant
Amazon Alexa

Only in Shelly

Local Control
Open API
MQTT Support
Energy Monitoring
Home Assistant
Alexa
Google Home
SmartThings

Both cover

IOS support
Android support
Web support

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 Shelly
Building home automations visually with Flownot Shelly
Charting device and sensor history through Insightsnot Shelly

Shelly

Smart home automation and controlnot Homey
Energy monitoring and managementnot Homey
WiFi/Bluetooth/Matter device integrationnot 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

Shelly

Premium features limited to cloud-based functionality; local control requires separate setup
Device-specific capabilities vary; not all features available across entire product range

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

Shelly

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Shelly review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Homey if

You need multi-protocol support.
You work on IOS, Android, Web.
You also want advanced flows.

Homey review

Choose Shelly if

You need local control.
You want to start without paying.
You work on Web, Mobile app, Cloud, Local network.
You also want open api.

Shelly review

Questions people ask

Is Homey or Shelly better?: Neither clearly leads. Homey starts at On request and Shelly at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Homey or Shelly?: Shelly has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Homey and Free for Shelly.
Does Homey or Shelly run on more platforms?: Homey runs on IOS, Android, Web. Shelly runs on Web, Mobile app, Cloud, Local network.
Can I use Shelly for free?: Yes. Shelly 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 Shelly is typically brought in for.
What can Homey do that Shelly cannot?: Homey covers Multi-protocol support, Advanced flows, Voice control, Energy insights. Shelly covers Local Control, Open API, MQTT Support, Energy Monitoring. Both handle IOS support, Android support, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Homey: Is there a monthly subscription for Homey Pro or just a one-time payment?

Homey Pro costs 449 euros as a one-time purchase with no recurring monthly fees. The only optional recurring cost is 10 euros per year for cloud backups.

Source

Shelly: Does Shelly offer a free tier or paid premium service?

Shelly offers a free service with an option to upgrade. The site mentions Go Premium in the Shelly app, which provides more automation and control capabilities. A Shelly Cloud Premium Voucher is available for purchase.

Source

Homey: What are the limits for Homey Cloud's free tier?

The free tier of Homey Cloud supports up to 5 connected devices. To add more devices, you need to upgrade to the paid subscription at 2.99 euros per month.

Source

Shelly: What is the difference between free Shelly and Shelly Cloud Premium?

The free version provides basic functionality, while Premium unlocks more automation options and additional control features. Specific pricing for Premium is not disclosed on the homepage.

Source

Homey: What's the cost difference between Homey Cloud and Homey Pro over a year?

Homey Cloud costs 35.88 euros per year (2.99 euros per month). Homey Pro costs 449 euros upfront with no monthly fees, but includes all features and is a one-time purchase.

Source

Shelly: Can I purchase Shelly Cloud Premium directly?

Yes. Shelly Cloud Premium Vouchers are available for purchase through the Shelly shop. Pricing details are available on the product shop page.

Source

Homey: How long will Homey Pro receive software updates?

Homey Pro will receive software updates until at least June 2031, ensuring continued improvements and security patches.

Source

Homey vs Shelly

Homey

Shelly

The short version

Where they differ

What each one covers

Only in Homey

Only in Shelly

Both cover

What people use each for

Homey

Shelly

Where each one falls short

Homey

Shelly

Pricing, plan by plan

Homey

Shelly

Which should you pick?

Choose Homey if

Choose Shelly if

Questions people ask

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Related pages

More on Homey

More on Shelly

Keep looking

Other head to heads