Home Assistant Connect ZBT-1 vs Homey Bridge
These hubs anchor different ecosystems: the Home Assistant Connect ZBT-1 runs Home Assistant, the Homey Bridge runs Homey. The Homey Bridge pairs more of this database directly — 7,714 devices against 5,405 for the Home Assistant Connect ZBT-1 — because of its radio coverage. Radio hardware differs: only the Homey Bridge has Z-Wave. The Home Assistant Connect ZBT-1 runs automations locally without a cloud dependency; the other relies on cloud processing. Only the Homey Bridge puts core features behind a subscription.
| Home Assistant Connect ZBT-1 | Homey Bridge | |
|---|---|---|
| Price (MSRP) | — | $69 |
| Ecosystem | Home Assistant | Homey |
| Matter controller | No | No |
| Thread border router | No | No |
| Zigbee radio | built-in | built-in |
| Z-Wave radio | none | built-in |
| Bridges its devices into Matter | No | No |
| Local (no-cloud) control | Yes | No |
| Subscription required for core features | No | Yes |
| Ethernet port | No | No |
| Wi-Fi | No | Yes |
| Release year | 2023 | 2022 |
What each hub actually pairs
- Devices that work with the Home Assistant Connect ZBT-1 — 5,405 direct, 0 via bridge/add-on
- Devices that work with the Homey Bridge — 7,714 direct, 0 via bridge/add-on
Frequently asked questions
Which pairs more devices, the Home Assistant Connect ZBT-1 or the Homey Bridge?
The Homey Bridge: 7,714 devices in this database pair directly, versus 5,405 for the Home Assistant Connect ZBT-1.
Can I run the Home Assistant Connect ZBT-1 and Homey Bridge together?
Usually yes. Matter's multi-admin lets the same Matter device join several controllers at once, and Thread border routers from different vendors share one mesh. Zigbee and Z-Wave devices, though, pair to exactly one hub at a time.