Aqara Home vs Bosch Smart Home
Aqara Home
aqara.comBosch Smart Home
bosch-smarthome.comSide by side
| Figure | Aqara Home | Bosch Smart Home |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | €4.17/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 2 |
| Spec score · Smart Home Apps | 8.7 (#5) | 8.5 (#8) |
| Spec score · Home Automation | 8.7 (#5) | 8.4 (#8) |
| Spec score · Home automation platforms | 8.5 (#7) | 8.1 (#14) |
| Automation | Aqara Home supports automation and scenes; Aqara’s HomeKit Mode documentation says that mode does not support automation or scene settings. | The system can be controlled through voice assistants, automations, scenarios, preconfigured services and the app remotely. |
| Camera integration | Yes | Yes |
| Company history | Aqara’s brand story lists 2009 as the year Shenzhen Lumi was founded. | Bosch Smart Home GmbH was established in 2016 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Robert Bosch GmbH. |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Integrations | Aqara lists Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Samsung SmartThings, IFTTT, Home Assistant, and Homey among supported ecosystems; compatibility varies by product and some functions may require a hub. | Listed integrations include Matter, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit, BMW, Philips Hue, Osram LEDVANCE Smart+ and Home Connect. |
| Local control | Aqara says users who control devices only within their home network do not need an internet connection, and personal data is not transferred to Aqara to enable those smart home functions. | Yes |
| Matter | Advanced Matter Bridging can expose certain Aqara features to third-party Matter platforms and integrate third-party devices into Aqara Home, with a compatible Aqara hub required. | The Smart Home Controller II is ready for the Matter wireless standard, and Bosch [+M] products can integrate directly into Matter systems. |
| Matter support | Yes | Yes |
| Purpose | Aqara Home manages and controls Aqara smart devices and supports home automation. | Bosch Smart Home provides intelligent, connected and automated solutions intended to make everyday life easier and safer. |
| Support | Aqara's US store lists FAQ, contact, user manuals, installation videos, and lifetime customer support. | Bosch provides product help, application help, compatibility help, downloads, system requirements, software-update information and a contact form with initial AI-based assessment. |
| Voice assistant support | Yes | Yes |
| Zigbee support | Yes | Yes |
Plans
In their own words
Aqara Home
Aqara Home is an Android and iOS app for adding Aqara devices and viewing or controlling them. It supports remote control, device grouping, schedules, real-time notifications, automations, and scenes. Automations can use device triggers and conditions to determine actions; scenes can gather multiple automations or serve as an automation result. The app also offers device upgrades, sub-device setup, and additional settings for documented HomeKit devices. Aqara lists compatibility with Matter, Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, SmartThings, Clova, Alice, IFTTT, and Home Connect Plus, although compatibility varies by product. A hub may be required for some ecosystems or functions; Advanced Matter Bridging requires a compatible Aqara hub. After devices are added in Aqara Home, OAuth 2.0 or interface authorization can provide device viewing and control permissions. The app is free. Aqara says communications between Apple devices and Aqara devices are end-to-end encrypted when using Apple Home. Users should check Aqara’s product activation region policy for regional details.
Bosch Smart Home
Bosch Smart Home connects compatible home devices through the Smart Home Controller II and Bosch Smart Home app. The controller links Bosch and partner devices and is required for the system; Bosch states that exactly one controller is needed. Users can control devices remotely through the app, voice assistants, automations, scenarios, and preconfigured services. Listed integrations include Matter, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit, BMW, Philips Hue, Osram LEDVANCE Smart+, and Home Connect. Home Connect supports Bosch, Siemens, and Gaggenau washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, and coffee machines. The controller supports local control, Matter, Zigbee, camera integration, and energy monitoring. Bosch says personal data is stored locally on the controller rather than external servers, while remote-access data is encrypted in transit to a phone or tablet. The app requires Android 8.0 or later or iOS 15.5 or later; beta operating systems are unsupported. A free plan is available, with Home+ priced at €4.99 a month and no free trial.