Do You Need a Smart Home Hub? Matter, Zigbee and Thread

"Do I need a hub?" is one of the most common smart home questions, and the honest answer is: it depends on the devices you buy. A few Wi-Fi plugs work fine on their own. Battery sensors, locks and big lighting setups usually need something in the middle. And with Matter and Thread, the "hub" is often a speaker or streaming box you already own.

This guide explains what a hub actually does, when you can skip it, and which type makes sense.

What a smart home hub does

A hub is a box that sits on your home network and talks to devices on your behalf. Depending on the model, it does one or more of these jobs:

• Radio bridge. Many low-power devices don't use Wi-Fi. Zigbee, Z-Wave and Thread use their own radios, and the hub translates between those radios and your network.
• Controller. It keeps the list of devices, their state and who is allowed to control them. In Matter, this role is called a Matter controller.
• Automation engine. It runs rules such as "turn on the hall light when motion is detected after sunset". Good hubs run these locally, so they keep working if the internet goes down.
• Gateway to apps and voice. It connects devices to an app, a voice assistant or another platform.

For the difference between the standards themselves, see our Matter vs Thread vs Zigbee vs Z-Wave comparison.

When you don't need a hub

You can usually skip a dedicated hub if:

• All your devices use Wi-Fi. Most smart plugs, many bulbs, robot vacuums, cameras and appliances connect straight to your router and are controlled by an app in the cloud.
• You only have a handful of devices and are happy with the maker's app or a voice assistant.
• You use Matter over Wi-Fi. These devices need a Matter controller, but a phone plus a compatible speaker, display or streaming box usually covers that.

The downside of hub-free Wi-Fi setups is that devices often depend on the maker's cloud, can crowd your Wi-Fi and are less battery-friendly. Our guide on whether a smart home works without internet explains what keeps working during an outage.

When you do need one

You need a hub, bridge or border router when:

• You buy Zigbee devices. Zigbee bulbs, sensors and switches always need a Zigbee hub or bridge.
• You buy Z-Wave devices. Same story: Z-Wave needs a Z-Wave controller.
• You buy Matter over Thread devices. These need a Thread border router to connect the Thread mesh to your Wi-Fi network.
• You want reliable local automations, such as motion lighting that responds instantly and keeps working offline.
• You have many devices. Dozens of Wi-Fi gadgets can strain a router; low-power meshes scale better.

Types of hubs in 2026

Speakers, displays and streaming boxes

This is where most people already have a hub without realising it. Many recent Echo, Nest and HomePod models, and the Apple TV 4K, act as a Matter controller and Thread border router. Amazon's latest Echo Dot even builds in Zigbee, Matter and Thread radios, as covered in our report on the new Echo Dot and Echo Show 16. Check the exact model: older or cheaper versions may lack Thread or Zigbee.

Brand bridges

A bridge like the Philips Hue Bridge connects that brand's Zigbee devices and, if it supports Matter, exposes them to other apps. It's a good choice when most of your lights come from one brand.

Platform hubs and Home Assistant

SmartThings hubs and Home Assistant aim to tie everything together. Home Assistant in particular can run Zigbee, Z-Wave, Thread and Matter side by side with powerful local automations, at the cost of more setup and tinkering.

Matter changes the question

Before Matter, choosing a hub meant choosing an ecosystem. Matter's multi-admin feature lets one device be controlled by Apple Home, Google Home, Alexa, SmartThings and Home Assistant at the same time, so your hub choice is less of a lock-in. Two cautions:

• Thread networks can split. Border routers from different brands don't always join the same Thread network, which can leave you with two separate meshes. Keeping border routers from one ecosystem helps.
• Matter support for some device types lags. Cameras, appliances and advanced features may still need the maker's app.

Our Matter starter kit suggests which devices to buy first.

Checklist before you buy

1. List what you own. Note the radio each device uses (Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Z-Wave, Thread) and whether it supports Matter.
2. Check your speakers and TV boxes. Search the model name with "Thread border router" or "Matter controller".
3. Pick one main app. Apple Home, Google Home, Alexa, SmartThings or Home Assistant.
4. Decide how much local control matters. If you want automations that work offline, favour hubs that run them locally.
5. Plan placement. A hub works best in a central spot with a wired or strong Wi-Fi connection.