Homey Pro Review: Great Potential for Smart Homes, But Check Device Support First

Following the U.S. launch of the $69 Homey Bridge earlier this year, the more robust $399 Homey Pro is now officially available to American consumers. Reviewers who previously tested the lower-cost Bridge model reported generally positive impressions of its simplicity, but the higher-end Pro model eliminates most of the subscription fees and device limitations that characterize its cloud-reliant sibling. Additionally, the Pro introduces optional ethernet connectivity for an additional $29 and incorporates the promise of future Matter support, including Matter over Thread.

Depending on the specific composition of devices in your smart home, the Homey Pro demonstrates significant potential as a central hardware hub, though it may not suit every user’s unique ecosystem. The device represents a substantial hardware upgrade over the original 2019 Homey Pro, boasting a central processing unit that is reportedly 3.5 times faster. Furthermore, the Pro doubles both the storage and memory capacities found in the Bridge, offering 8 GB of storage and 2 GB of RAM. These hardware enhancements serve a vital purpose: unlike the Homey Bridge, which relies heavily on cloud infrastructure, the Homey Pro prioritizes local control for smart home operations whenever possible.

This emphasis on local execution offers substantial advantages from a privacy standpoint. It also ensures that the Homey Pro remains fully operational during an internet outage, allowing users to control their connected devices and execute automated routines locally, provided those processes do not inherently depend on cloud connectivity. From a feature standpoint, both the Bridge and the Pro accomplish fundamentally similar tasks, enabling users to add devices, manage their environments, and configure sophisticated automations. They also share largely overlapping radio hardware. Specifically, the U.S. model includes Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, infrared, Zigbee, and Z-Wave.

However, the more expensive Pro model differentiates itself by incorporating a dedicated Thread radio and an 833MHz radio designed for older legacy devices. Crucially, it also bypasses the restrictive five-connected-device limitation that frustrates users of the standard Homey Bridge. While the lower-cost Bridge requires a monthly subscription fee of $2.99 to expand beyond that initial device threshold, the Pro model features no such hardware-locking fees. The only optional subscription available for the Pro is a modest monthly fee of $0.99 for cloud-based backups, should users desire that extra layer of data security.

Setting up the Homey Pro proves to be a straightforward and intuitive process. After powering the hub with the included USB-C cable and charger, users download the Homey application onto a mobile device and complete a series of initial configuration prompts. A particularly well-received feature of the setup process involves the app inquiring about the physical layout of the home, specifically asking for the number of floors and identifying which rooms are situated on each level. This thoughtful design choice serves as a notable time-saver compared to the configuration workflows utilized by many competing smart home platforms and services.

Once the Homey Pro successfully connects to a local wireless network—supporting both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi bands—the process of adding devices begins. While Homey officially advertises compatibility with more than 50,000 distinct devices, real-world testing often reveals a more nuanced picture. For instance, testers have been able to successfully integrate hardware such as Lutron Caseta switches, Philips Hue smart bulbs, and Sonos wireless speakers without issue. However, the platform can fall short when encountering other popular ecosystem components, such as specific smart locks, thermostats, lighting strips, kitchen appliances, cameras, video doorbells, and various smart plugs.

Many smart plugs on the market utilize the Matter standard over Thread, which explains why certain plugs fail to integrate given that full Matter-over-Thread support was slated to arrive later in the year. Conversely, if a Matter device operates strictly over standard Wi-Fi, integration is typically achievable. Beyond Matter, broader compatibility challenges often arise because a brand may be listed as supported within the Homey application, yet the exact device model owned by the user is absent from the software’s database.

For example, while non-traditionally shaped Nanoleaf lighting fixtures—such as triangles, hexagons, and light lines—appear in the app, standard Nanoleaf bulbs and regular smart lights may not show up. This limitation can extend even to older product lines like the Nanoleaf Essentials series, alongside other third-party hardware such as specific garage door openers. Similarly, attempting to connect Wi-Fi smart locks can lead to error messages or prompts stating that no devices were found during the credential sign-in process, while other appliances might trigger direct integration errors.

Brands that are partially supported can present similar hurdles. While Ecobee is listed as a compatible brand, the accompanying software integrations may only recognize older iterations, leaving newer premium thermostats and room sensors unsupported. Users who have largely migrated away from legacy protocols like Zigbee and Z-Wave in favor of modern Wi-Fi and Thread ecosystems are more likely to encounter these specific integration gaps, whereas those retaining traditional Zigbee or Z-Wave peripherals may experience smoother integration results.

These integration challenges underscore the importance of performing compatibility checks before making a purchasing decision. Because comprehensive product integration lists can sometimes be difficult to navigate on official websites, the most reliable approach for prospective buyers is to download the free Homey mobile application and manually search for their specific device inventories before investing in either the Bridge or the Pro. For devices that are successfully supported, the hardware responds with near-instantaneous control latency.

For advanced users and developers, the Homey Pro offers the ability to create custom integrations. Through the hub’s web interface, users can generate an API key and access basic coding examples utilizing JavaScript and Node.js, suggesting that the underlying architecture of the Homey Pro functions similarly to a Node.js server. While this capability is intentionally tailored for hobbyists and developers rather than mainstream consumers, it provides a powerful avenue for expanding device compatibility independently.

Beyond device integration, the overall user experience provided by the Homey mobile application remains a strong point. The interface features a modern aesthetic that outshines many competing smart home applications, exposing both foundational controls and advanced configuration options. Organizing devices into designated rooms and floors is handled efficiently, though users occasionally find it necessary to adjust room assignments within individual device settings post-integration rather than during the initial setup phase.

The platform also includes a robust energy management feature that estimates smart home power consumption in near real-time alongside historical tracking. Because this feature relies on users manually inputting the rated wattage for each connected device during configuration, it requires a small amount of upfront effort. However, this functionality provides valuable insight into household energy consumption, adjusting estimated power draws dynamically based on variable outputs, such as when lights are dimmed to lower percentages. Users who access the web interface can also view local meteorological data, including ambient temperatures, barometric pressures, and humidity levels.

When it comes to building automations and routines, Homey utilizes a system called Flows. These programmatic rules offer a high degree of flexibility, bearing closer resemblance to the advanced automation engines found in platforms like Home Assistant rather than the simplified routines offered by mainstream consumer ecosystems like Amazon, Apple, or Google. Flows utilize a structured "When… and… then…" logic model akin to advanced IFTTT implementations, supporting complex conditional "else" statements and allowing individual Flows to trigger others. While basic Flows can be constructed effortlessly within the mobile app, the web interface unlocks an advanced mode for designing highly intricate automation logic.

Ultimately, the Homey Pro presents a compelling vision for a local, privacy-centric smart home hub equipped with a comprehensive array of built-in radio frequencies. The modern user interface, thoughtful room management, detailed energy tracking, and powerful automation engine combine to create a polished user experience. Yet, for many consumers, the determining factor remains device compatibility. A high price tag can be difficult to justify if a hub cannot communicate with a significant portion of an existing smart home ecosystem. While software updates and community-driven integrations will likely expand device support over time, buyers must weigh current ecosystem limitations against the hub’s advanced local capabilities before committing to the platform.