The 10 best smart home devices that work without a subscription

Almost every smart home product is sold twice: once as hardware and again as a monthly plan. This list is built around the ones that are not. We compare on the things that decide whether a house keeps working when the internet does not: which protocols a hub speaks, whether automations run on the device or in somebody's data centre, and where the video is actually stored. Where a product has a mediocre rating or an awkward history, we say so on the page, so you are not finding it out afterwards.

We send you to Amazon and open your local store. A specific product may not be available in every country — if not, Amazon shows you a similar option.

1
Aqara Smart Home Hub M3
Local automations, three protocols and an infrared blaster in one box.
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2
SONOFF Zigbee 3.0 USB Dongle Plus-E
Thirty dollars turns a Raspberry Pi into a hub that answers to nobody.
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3
eufyCam C35 4-Camera Kit
Four cameras, local recording, no monthly fee, and a history worth knowing.
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4
Aeotec Smart Home Hub
The only hub here that still speaks Z-Wave.
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5
Reolink PoE Video Doorbell 2K
One cable for power and data, footage stored on your own hardware.
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6
SwitchBot Hub 2
A hub that is also a thermometer and an infrared remote.
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7
Tapo Matter Smart Plug Mini
The cheapest sensible way to find out if you want any of this.
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8
Aqara Door and Window Sensor
Eighteen dollars for the sensor that turns a hub into automation.
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9
Linkind Matter Smart Bulb
A Matter bulb that needs no bridge and no brand loyalty.
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10
Aqara Smart Hub M100
Thirty dollars of Matter and Thread, with a 3.8-star caveat we explain.
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