⚡ Quick Answer
Home Assistant is the better platform in 2025 for anyone who cares about reliability, privacy, or long-term control — it runs locally, never goes down when Samsung's servers have issues, and won't remove features in a future update. SmartThings remains a reasonable choice for casual users who want a free, Samsung-integrated experience and don't mind cloud dependency. For serious smart home enthusiasts, Home Assistant wins definitively.
Table of Contents
What Are These Two Platforms?
Home Assistant is an open-source, self-hosted home automation platform. You run it on your own hardware (from a $99 Home Assistant Green to a full mini PC), and it communicates with devices on your local network. It's free, has no cloud dependency by default, and is maintained by a global community of over 10,000 contributors.
SmartThings is Samsung's smart home platform, launched in 2014 and now tightly integrated with Samsung's appliance and TV ecosystem. It runs on Samsung's cloud servers, accessed via the SmartThings app (iOS/Android). The SmartThings Hub (v2/v3/Aeotec) acts as a local controller for Zigbee and Z-Wave devices, but automations and the app itself require an active internet connection for full function.
Local vs Cloud: The Fundamental Difference
Home Assistant is definitively superior when it comes to local control. Out of the box, HA communicates directly with your devices. Your automations run on your hardware. If your internet goes out, your lights still turn on automatically. There's no dependency on any external server for basic operation.
SmartThings has improved its local processing in recent years. Certain automations on the Aeotec SmartThings Hub will run locally for supported Zigbee and Z-Wave devices. However, the SmartThings app still requires cloud access to function — you cannot control your devices from the app if Samsung's servers are unreachable. Third-party device integrations almost universally run in the cloud.
Which Platform Supports More Devices?
Home Assistant supports dramatically more devices, with over 3,000 official integrations. This includes virtually every major smart home brand and protocol: Zigbee (via Zigbee2MQTT), Z-Wave (via Z-Wave JS), Wi-Fi devices from Shelly, Sonoff, Tapo, Govee, Tuya, Philips Hue, IKEA, and dozens of major services like Spotify, Google, Ring, Nest, and Ecobee.
SmartThings officially supports hundreds of device types natively, with stronger integration into Samsung's own ecosystem: Samsung TVs, Family Hub refrigerators, Samsung washing machines, and Galaxy phones all connect seamlessly. For Zigbee and Z-Wave, SmartThings has solid built-in support through the hub. Where it falls short is WiFi-based budget devices and newer platforms — the loss of the Groovy IDE eliminated many community integrations that haven't been rebuilt in the new Edge driver system.
Which Platform Is More Reliable?
Home Assistant is more reliable because it doesn't depend on external infrastructure. A well-configured HA instance on solid hardware runs for months without issues. Automations execute in milliseconds. The only failure points are your local hardware and network — both of which you control.
SmartThings has had a documented history of cloud outages. Samsung's status page shows multiple incidents per year, ranging from hours-long outages affecting automation execution to days of degraded app performance. In 2023, a SmartThings cloud outage left users unable to control their devices for over 6 hours. For a system controlling locks, thermostats, and security cameras, this is unacceptable.
Additionally, Samsung has repeatedly changed SmartThings' architecture in ways that broke existing setups — the Groovy deprecation in 2022 was particularly disruptive, requiring users to rebuild years of custom automations using the new Edge driver system.
Which Has More Powerful Automations?
Home Assistant automations are vastly more capable than SmartThings Routines. Home Assistant supports complex YAML-based automations with multiple triggers, conditions, and actions. You can trigger automations based on device state, time patterns, template expressions, GPS location, webhooks, or calendar events. Templates allow mathematical calculations, string manipulation, and dynamic decision-making.
SmartThings Routines (the replacement for the old Groovy SmartApps) cover basic if/then scenarios well but lack the depth for complex multi-condition automations. For advanced logic, users must resort to third-party apps or workarounds that add complexity without matching HA's native capabilities.
Home Assistant also integrates natively with Node-RED, allowing visual programming of arbitrarily complex automation flows. This combination makes HA the most powerful automation platform available for home use, period.
What Does Each Platform Cost?
Home Assistant: Software is free. Hardware costs $99 (Home Assistant Green) to ~$200 (mini PC). Optional cloud subscription via Nabu Casa: $6.50/month ($65/year). No ongoing fees required for local operation.
SmartThings: The app is free, and Samsung has not (yet) introduced subscription fees for SmartThings. However, you need a hub for Zigbee/Z-Wave support — the Aeotec SmartThings Hub costs ~$130. Samsung Galaxy devices often include SmartThings integration out-of-the-box, reducing the barrier for Samsung customers.
Long-term, Home Assistant is cheaper because it doesn't require proprietary hub hardware for each protocol, and community integrations are free. SmartThings' lack of a subscription is notable, but its ecosystem devices (SmartThings-branded sensors, buttons, etc.) are often premium-priced.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Home Assistant | SmartThings |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Local-first, self-hosted | Cloud-dependent |
| Works without internet | Yes (fully) | Partial (hub automations only) |
| Integrations | 3,000+ | 500+ (native) |
| Zigbee/Z-Wave | Yes (via USB dongle) | Yes (built-in hub) |
| Matter support | Yes (full) | Yes |
| Automation power | Unlimited (YAML + Node-RED) | Basic-to-moderate Routines |
| Privacy | On-premises only | Samsung cloud |
| Reliability (outages) | Self-controlled | Multiple cloud outages/year |
| Samsung device integration | Good (via integrations) | Native/deep |
| Subscription cost | $0–$6.50/month | $0/month |
| Learning curve | Moderate-high | Low |
| Feature longevity | Open-source (permanent) | Samsung can change/remove |
🏆 Our Verdict
Home Assistant is the better platform for serious smart home users in 2025. It runs locally, it's reliable, it supports more devices, its automations are more powerful, and your investment is future-proof because the code is open-source and community-maintained.
SmartThings makes sense if you're already deep in the Samsung ecosystem (Galaxy phone, Samsung TV, SmartThings sensors), want zero upfront hardware cost, and have simple automation needs. Just accept the cloud dependency and the history of breaking changes.
The migration path is clear: Many SmartThings users migrate to Home Assistant and never look back. HA supports all the same Zigbee/Z-Wave devices, has better automations, and — once set up — is significantly more reliable day-to-day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use my existing SmartThings Zigbee devices with Home Assistant?
Yes — any Zigbee device that works with SmartThings will also work with Home Assistant via Zigbee2MQTT or ZHA (Zigbee Home Automation). You'll need a Zigbee USB coordinator like the SONOFF Zigbee 3.0 Dongle Plus (~$20), but all your existing devices re-pair without issue.
Does SmartThings still support Z-Wave in 2025?
Yes, through the Aeotec SmartThings Hub which includes a Z-Wave radio. Home Assistant also supports Z-Wave via the Z-Wave JS integration with a compatible USB stick like the Zooz ZST39 (~$30).
Is SmartThings going away?
Samsung has not announced plans to shut down SmartThings, but it has repeatedly restructured the platform in ways that broke existing user configurations. There's no guarantee of long-term stability. Home Assistant's open-source nature means it will exist as long as the community maintains it.
Can Home Assistant control Samsung TVs and appliances?
Yes — Home Assistant has integrations for Samsung SmartThings (exposing SmartThings devices to HA), Samsung TVs via the SamsungTV integration, and Samsung SmartThings-connected appliances. You can control your Samsung washing machine from HA automations.
How hard is it to migrate from SmartThings to Home Assistant?
The hardware migration is straightforward — re-pair your Zigbee/Z-Wave devices to HA's coordinator. The automation migration takes more effort since you'll need to recreate your routines in HA's format. Budget a weekend for a thorough migration of a medium-sized setup.
Does Home Assistant integrate with Samsung SmartThings?
Yes — there's an official SmartThings integration in Home Assistant that exposes your SmartThings devices as HA entities. This allows you to use both platforms in a hybrid setup while you migrate.
Which platform is better for beginners?
SmartThings is easier for complete beginners — the app is polished and setup is guided. However, many beginners who start with SmartThings eventually outgrow it and migrate to Home Assistant when they want more capability. Starting with HA's Home Assistant Green has a slightly steeper curve but avoids this transition later.
SmartWired participates in the Amazon Associates Programme. We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.