SmartThings Compatible Devices: What Works and What to Buy

Look for one of two marks on the box: “Works with Samsung SmartThings” or the Matter logo. Those are the two badges Samsung’s own SmartThings page tells buyers to look for. What changes from one device to the next is the hub. Anything that uses Zigbee, Z-Wave or Thread needs a SmartThings hub with that radio inside, and a Matter device needs a hub to act as its controller. Some Wi-Fi devices can be added straight to the app with no hub.

If you are starting from nothing, the cheapest sensible route is the Aeotec Smart Home Hub 2 at about $120 with IKEA’s Matter bulbs, plugs and motion sensors, which cost $12 to $15 each. Everything below comes from the makers’ own pages and stores and from SmartThings’ own list of supported devices, so none of it is a judgement of how a device behaves once installed.

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What SmartThings needs

The app. Samsung offers SmartThings on the Galaxy Store, Google Play and Apple’s App Store, so it runs on Android phones and iPhones. It needs a Samsung account and Wi-Fi. Samsung puts the limit at 300 devices per location.

A hub, for most devices. The hub on Samsung’s US store is the Aeotec Smart Home Hub 2 at $119.99. SmartThings says it supports Zigbee, Thread and Matter, with a Thread border router built in. Z-Wave is not on that list. The original Aeotec Smart Home Hub has it: Aeotec gives up to 100 Z-Wave and 100 Zigbee devices, plus Matter and Thread. Aeotec Smart Home Hub 2 on Amazon

Or a Samsung device you already own. Samsung lists these as having a SmartThings hub built in: its TVs released after 2022 from the Q60 series up, including The Frame, The Serif and The Sero; Smart Monitors from the M50 up released after 2022; the HW-Q990 and HW-LS60 soundbars released after 2022; and Family Hub refrigerators sold in the US after 2017. For its TVs Samsung names Matter, Thread and Zigbee as the standards the built-in hub supports. It adds that 2022 and earlier models need a separate SmartThings Dongle to reach Thread and Zigbee devices.

Our guide to smart home hubs compares the Aeotec hub with the ones from Amazon, Google and Apple.

The devices compared

Prices are US prices from the maker’s own store, rounded, or from Samsung’s SmartThings store where we say so below. “Not printed” means the maker’s page gives no price.

Lights

• Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance A19, about $55. Hue’s spec names Samsung SmartThings among the systems the bulb works with, and says a Hue Bridge is required for it. The Bridge is $79.99 from Hue and from Samsung’s SmartThings store. Samsung also sells a kit of two 75W colour bulbs and a Bridge for $153.99. Bought separately on the same store they come to $189.98, so the kit saves about $36. Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance A19 on Amazon
• IKEA KAJPLATS colour bulb, about $13. An 1,100-lumen E26 bulb that uses Matter over Thread. IKEA says it needs a Thread border router and works with systems from Amazon, Apple, Google, Homey and Samsung, and SmartThings’ list has IKEA under lighting. The Aeotec hubs have that Thread router. One Hue bulb costs about as much as four of these. It is sold on IKEA’s own site.
• TP-Link Tapo L535E. A 1,055-lumen colour bulb that is Matter certified and joins Wi-Fi directly. TP-Link says it needs no hub for the Tapo app and a hub from your chosen platform for Matter. Tapo is on SmartThings’ list for lighting. TP-Link’s page prints no price. TP-Link Tapo L535E on Amazon

Plugs

• TP-Link Tapo P110M. A Matter-certified plug with energy monitoring on 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, rated at 15 amps. TP-Link’s spec sheet lists Samsung SmartThings by name beside Apple Home, Alexa and Google Assistant. It prints no price. TP-Link Tapo P110M on Amazon
• Eve Energy, about $44. Matter over Thread. Eve says it needs a hub that supports both, and names the two Aeotec hubs and Samsung’s TVs among them. It also says its energy features are available on SmartThings. Samsung’s SmartThings store sells a two-pack for $76.95, about $11 less than two bought singly from Eve. Eve Energy on Amazon
• IKEA GRILLPLATS, about $15. A Matter over Thread plug that comes with a remote control. IKEA sells it directly.

For outlets that replace the socket in the wall, see our guide to smart wall outlets.

Sensors

• Aeotec Motion Sensor and Multipurpose Sensor. These are the Zigbee sensors Aeotec makes for SmartThings. The Motion Sensor also reports temperature. The Multipurpose Sensor goes on a door or window and reports opening, vibration and temperature. Aeotec’s site prints no prices, and these details are from the Internet Archive’s copies of its sensor pages. Aeotec Motion Sensor on Amazon
• Eve Motion, about $55. Matter over Thread. Samsung’s SmartThings store has a three-pack for $131.95, which works out at about $44 each. Eve’s door and window sensor is $43.95. Eve Motion on Amazon
• IKEA MYGGSPRAY, about $12. A motion sensor on Matter over Thread, for indoors or outdoors. SmartThings’ list includes IKEA for motion, open and closed, and water leak sensors. It is on IKEA’s site.

Locks

• Aqara Smart Lock U400, about $300. Matter over Thread. Aqara names Samsung SmartThings among the systems it works with, and says the lock supports Samsung Wallet’s digital home key when it is connected through SmartThings. It needs a hub with Thread. The price is for the Deluxe Kit on Samsung’s SmartThings store, and Aqara’s own page prints none. Aqara Smart Lock U400 on Amazon
• Yale Assure Lock 2 Key-Free Keypad with Z-Wave Plus, about $210. Yale says it works with Samsung SmartThings and needs a compatible Z-Wave hub. Neither the Aeotec Smart Home Hub 2 nor Samsung’s TVs list Z-Wave, so this lock points to the original Aeotec hub. Yale Assure Lock 2 with Z-Wave on Amazon

Yale also sells a Smart Lock with Matter for about $190. It uses Thread, but Yale pitches it at Google Home and leaves it out of its own “Works with Samsung SmartThings” collection, so we have not listed it.

Thermostats

• ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced, about $200. A Wi-Fi thermostat whose spec lists Samsung SmartThings. ecobee had it marked down to about $165. The Premium, about $260, lists SmartThings too. The cheaper Essential does not: its spec names only Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit and Alexa. ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced on Amazon
• Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen), about $280. Google says it is Matter certified and can be run from the Matter app of your choice. It is $279.99 on Google’s store, which had it marked down to $239.99, and the same $279.99 on Samsung’s SmartThings store. Google Nest Learning Thermostat on Amazon

Cameras and doorbells

SmartThings’ list has Ring, Arlo, Aqara, Google Nest and Tapo under cameras. Samsung’s own SmartThings store stocks two Ring models, so those are the ones we can point to with confidence.

• Ring Spotlight Cam Plus Battery, about $150. A battery camera on Wi-Fi. It is $149.99 on Samsung’s SmartThings store, where the listing says it integrates with SmartThings. Ring’s own site gives the same regular price and had it at $79.99 in a sale. Ring Spotlight Cam Plus Battery on Amazon
• Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus, about $150. Also $149.99 on Samsung’s store. Ring’s own site has moved on to a newer model, the Battery Doorbell 2K Plus. Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus on Amazon

Old SmartThings-branded devices

Samsung no longer makes its own SmartThings hubs and sensors. In 2020 SmartThings said it was moving on from that hardware and that Aeotec would make and sell the hub and sensors in its place.

• Samsung SmartThings Hub, the 2015 and 2018 models. Not on Samsung’s US SmartThings store, which sells the Aeotec hub. They still work. Samsung counts SmartThings Hubs v2 and v3 among its hubs, and SmartThings’ support pages say the 2018 hub is a Matter controller while the 2015 hub handles Matter over Wi-Fi and has no Thread radio. We read those support pages in the Internet Archive’s copy.
• Samsung-branded SmartThings sensors. We found none on Samsung’s store either. The Aeotec Motion Sensor, Multipurpose Sensor and Water Leak Sensor took their place.
• SmartThings Station. The 2023 hub with a wireless charging pad. Samsung still counts Stations as hubs, but we did not find one for sale on its US SmartThings store.

The 2021 version of this page listed five devices. Arlo and Nest are still on SmartThings’ list for cameras and doorbells. The Nest Learning Thermostat is now in its fourth generation. The Yale Assure Lock SL with Z-Wave Plus is still in Yale’s SmartThings collection at about $250. Rachio is not on the list today: its irrigation category has one brand, ThirdReality.

Which to pick

• The cheapest start: an Aeotec Smart Home Hub 2 with IKEA’s Matter bulbs, plugs and sensors.
• Lighting you can keep adding to: Philips Hue, bought as the starter kit. Samsung’s listing says the Bridge takes up to 50 lights.
• A plug that measures energy: the Tapo P110M on Wi-Fi, or the Eve Energy if your hub has Thread.
• A lock for a Hub 2 or a Samsung TV: the Aqara U400, because it uses Thread. Buy a Z-Wave Yale only if you have the older Aeotec hub.
• A thermostat: the ecobee Enhanced, which names SmartThings in its own spec and lists at $80 less than the Nest. Skip the Essential, which does not list SmartThings.

Outside the US, check the list in the app first. SmartThings marks Hue, IKEA, Tapo, Eve, Aqara, Ring and Nest as supported in the UK, India and Nigeria. It marks ecobee for 43 countries, and those three are not among them. The full list is on SmartThings’ supported devices page.

Quick answers

Does SmartThings need a hub?

Not for everything. SmartThings says many devices can be added straight to the app, but Zigbee, Z-Wave and Thread devices need a hub, and so do Matter devices. A recent Samsung TV, Smart Monitor or Family Hub fridge can be that hub.

Which locks work with SmartThings?

SmartThings lists Aqara, Yale, Schlage and Kwikset among its door lock brands. The Aqara U400 uses Thread. Yale’s SmartThings locks use Z-Wave, which the Aeotec Smart Home Hub 2 does not have.

Which thermostats work with SmartThings?

The ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced and Premium list SmartThings, and the Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) is Matter certified. SmartThings’ list also includes Honeywell Home and Sensi.

Which cameras work with SmartThings?

SmartThings lists Ring, Arlo, Aqara, Google Nest and Tapo. Samsung sells the Ring Spotlight Cam Plus Battery in its own SmartThings store.

Do Matter devices work with SmartThings?

Yes. SmartThings has supported Matter since October 2022. You need a SmartThings hub to act as the Matter controller, and one with a Thread border router for Matter devices that use Thread.

Prices move, so confirm on the maker’s store before you pay.