Want to make your home smart but don’t know where to start? Which platform is right for you? Zigbee, WiFi, Matter – what does it all mean?

That’s exactly why I built the Smart Home Advisor – an interactive tool right here on the website that gives you an overview and personalized recommendations in just a few minutes.

What can the Smart Home Advisor do?

🖥️  Platform Comparison

Home Assistant, Apple HomeKit, Alexa, Google Home, Homey, openHAB, ioBroker, Tuya, IFTTT – the selection is huge. The advisor compares them all at a glance: price, device count, flexibility, whether they run locally or need the cloud.

📡 Protocol Comparison

Zigbee, Z-Wave, Matter, Thread, WiFi, ESPHome, Bluetooth, LAN/PoE and KNX – each protocol has its strengths. Interactive score bars and a radar chart show you where each technology shines.

🧙 Personal Advisor

Answer 6 simple questions and get a cost estimate, protocol recommendation and a shopping list.

My Stack – and why

  I use Home Assistant as my hub and choose the connection technology based on the situation:

• LAN/PoE whenever possible – wherever a network connection is nearby
• Zigbee as my preferred wireless protocol – for sensors, switches and battery devices. Zigbee doesn’t strain my WiFi network
• WiFi only when no other option – e.g. cameras where no LAN access is available
• ESPHome for everything you can’t buy ready-made – custom sensors, displays, controllers – or for devices that either are closed-system or do not have a smart home integration at all and I want to retrofit it
• 433/868 MHz for some proprietary devices (blinds, garage door, awning), controlled via DIY ESPHome devices with RF transmitters

  This combination delivers maximum reliability, flexibility and minimal cost – completely cloud-free.

Try it out!

  The Smart Home Advisor is completely free and requires no registration:

→ To the Smart Home Advisor

Have questions or feedback? Feel free to send me an email – I help personally and for free. Smart home is my hobby and I enjoy every question!