The decorating and designing of one’s home should be both fun and exciting. Gone are the days of homeowners having to dream up their own color schemes and floor plans only to have them be a big flop. Now all that home design innovation is just a mouse click or mobile app download away. The following are some great apps for homeowners who are looking for their next interior, exterior or landscaping project inspiration.
Table of Contents
Best Apps For Home
- Amazon’s Alexa: Automation System That Took The World By Storm
If you are researching on smart-home automation systems, then you are definitely familiar with the Amazon Alexa.
Amazon Alexa App
Source: App Store
And if you are familiar with Alexa, then you definitely know about the Alexa app for controlling all the Alexa devices and many other smart home devices as well.
With this app, you can unlock a world of possibilities. Considered to be one of the best home control apps, it will help you to set up your Amazon enabled devices, create shopping lists, listen to music. The Alexa app is not only for Amazon devices, but there are also many other devices compatible with this app, such as Philips Hue Smart Bulbs, Wemo smart plug, Lutron Caseta, Nest learning thermostat, iRobot Roomba 690, and many more.
Setting up the Alexa app on your smartphone is a very simple process due to its easy smart home interface. To wake up Alexa all you have to do is call her name. The voice control feature enables the users to control all the smart devices connected to Alexa through verbal commands.
The Alexa speakers can be carried anywhere. The best home automation app from the house of Amazon and its app are going to be the perfect first choice for your smart home.
One of the best features of Alexa home automation is the alternative control system. Those who are afraid of using the voice control system due to the many mishaps that have happened over time can use the alternative Alexa interface. This serves as a bonus factor behind Alexa’s success.
Expert Thought: Besides being safe, the application also makes the smart home system much more accessible for those who are speech impaired. And this is why it is necessary to keep the accessibility issue in mind when you’re developing the smart home app!
- SmartThings: Samsung’s Answer To Home Automation Challenges
South Korean tech giant Samsung is catching up with this smart home automation trend quickly. Their SmatThings hub lets the user control all the aspects of their IoT-enabled home. And with the SmartThings hub, you also get the SmartThings app.
Samsung smart home
Source: App Store
The SmartThings app can help users to access multiple devices faster than ever. With this, you can control home IoT devices like a refrigerator, washer, and dryer, dishwasher air conditioner, etc.
One of the main key features of this app is the ability to remotely control and check the status of devices, group multiple devices together to control them simultaneously, configure the device settings, get notifications about different devices.
Many smart home devices today are supported by Samsung SmartThings devices. These devices include- Ecobee smart thermostat, Netgear Arlo wire-free Pro security camera, Yale Assure Lock home security system and after 2020, Google nest devices as well. It means that once you have the Samsung SmatThings hub in your home and the Samsung smart home app on your phone, you don’t have to use multiple apps for different devices.
The success of the SmartThings app depends on multi-operability and efficient design of the new and improved application. However, being completely cloud-connected, it does fail to send important notifications in case of an outage. So whether you are looking for a perfect app or thinking about building one, keep the matter of connectivity in mind.
Bonus Read: The matter of UX, Usability & a whole lot of secrets: unravel them right here!
- Google Home: Masters Of Internet Adding New Dimension To Domotics
The Google Home app is from the tech giant itself. If you have chosen to go for the smart home automation system provided by Google themselves, then the google home app is going to be your one-stop.
Google Assistant
Source: App Store
Popular as smart home app android, and on iOS platform as well, the Home app enables you to set up Google Home and Chromecast devices, along with many other connected home devices like lights, cameras, and many more. The third-party devices that are compatible with Google Home apps are nest thermostat, Philips Hue, Samsung SmartThings, Honeywell Home, WeMo, etc.
Not only android smart home app Google Home app lets you control, organize, and manage compatible lights, speakers, it also lets you control them with one or two taps only. The app will provide you with shortcuts for most actions like turning the lights on, checking the weather, getting news highlights, and more actions, all with a simple command. This ease and efficiency of the application get personalized over time. Because of its versatility, the Google Home app is one of the best smart home automation apps in the market right now.
- Apple Home: Different, Yet Successful Implementation Of Smart Home
The Apple home kit is probably one of the most complete Smart-home automation systems in the market, and the ios home automation app makes a perfect companion for it. It is designed to work with both apple smart home devices and as well as other smart home devices as well.
Apple home kit app can be used from anywhere, whether it is iPhone, iPad, MacBook. The app comes with a smart home dashboard that makes handling every aspect of your smart home easier.
Apple Home
Source: App Store
The app enables the users to create ‘scenes’, which lets them perform multiple actions with just one tap on their smartphone. Just like the leaving home scene- while leaving home, all you have to do is tap once on your smartphone to make sure that the curtains are closed throughout the house, lights are turned off and the thermostat is set to be energy efficient. Right now there are more than a hundred brands with devices supported by HomeKit.
The additional success factors to this app are security and efficiency. Adding new devices is possible right from the home screen, which eliminates the need to navigate around the app. Additionally, the Apple home kit app is also the most secure smart home application, ensuring complete safety for most of its users.
Bonus Read: Turn the oblivious UX of your platform into an intuitive one right now with Mental Models!
- Danalock Bluetooth Z-lock: Unlocking The Door To Smart Home Security Success
Danalock is definitely one of the best smart home control panel app you came across when looking for IoT based home security system.
Danalock
Source: App Store
Setting up with the Danalock app is pretty simple since there is a guide provided to the user after they install the app. The app comes with a user-friendly layout and features, such as-
Automatic and manual calibration for your Danalock home security system.
Realtime monitoring of the lock state of the house when the device is within Bluetooth range
Automatic GPS-based unlocking when you get home.
Automatic re-locking once you are inside the house
Receiving push notifications when the door is opened and closed.
Danalock has taken the IoT-enabled home security system to the next level, and the app lets the users leverage the best of this home security system. The ease and efficiency of the user interface and the simplicity of function make the Danalock app one of the best in the market.
- MyQ Garage & Access Control: Combining Perfect Features For User Satisfaction
Opening up a garage door can be a problem for anyone. However, with MyQ Garage & Access Control, you can easily open the garage door with the help of your smartphone.
MyQ Garage smart home app
Source: App Store
Not only can you open close and check the status of the garage door, but it will also help you to do the same with other doors in the house as well. Supporting the MyQ enabled products from Chamberlain, Liftmaster
There are many additional features you get access to when you use this app. These are-
Set up alerts for any activity
Set up schedules to close or open your garage doors and turn your lights on or off.
Grant access to MyQ guest
The MyQ Garage & Access Control app and device is the perfect choice for the automation of the garage and commercial doors, as well as garage lights.
As a smart door lock application, the brilliance of the app lies in the combination of perfect features. With real-time notifications, scheduling, and remote lock, it provides the users with peace of mind and beats most of the market competitors.
Bonus Read: Here’s a peek at our Agile answer to all your unique app development demands!
- Ecobee: A 360-Degree Smart Solution, For Smart Users
The smart-home automation system has advanced further enough that now you can control the temperature setting of your entire home. And smart thermostats like Ecobee is helping the users to achieve the best and comfortable atmosphere for their home.
Ecobee smart home application
Source: App Store
With the ecobee app, you can control the temperature of the house, as well as the light settings anytime anywhere. With the ecobee app, you can perform the following actions-
Easily install the device with the help of videos and diagrams
Set up a comfort schedule and preferences depending on the month, season and weather.
Check whether you have left the lights on even when you are away from the house.
Save significant energy by switching the ecobee thermostat to Away mode and turn wayward lights off.
Adjust the thermostat setting for any house guest, sitter, or even your pet dog.
The ecobee app and thermostat system is going to be the perfect solution to make your home more comfortable. The additional features work perfectly, making Ecobee another example of a smart home app becoming a complete success thanks to its consumer-focused design and development process.
Expert Thought: Despite the popularity, there may be a chance that the majority of the user base will be first-time smart home users. and that’s why your smart home application onboarding process must be as simple and straightforward as possible.
- Honeywell Home: Bringing Unique Features To Smart Home Market
Honeywell Home offers a plethora of smart home devices that range from home security to air cleaner. And the Honeywell home app lets you control all the different devices from one place.
smart home app Honeywell Home
Source: App Store
Honeywell has a range of devices which include thermostats, security cameras, water leakage, and freezing prevention systems. With the app, you can control and modify the settings of the devices, as well as receive live notifications from the home IoT devices to let you know the real-time happenings around your house. As one of the best app to control smart homes, Honeywell Home is going to be a perfect choice for you.
Additionally, one of the most efficient features of the Honeywell home application is the geofencing feature. Through the geofencing system, the users can set up a smart perimeter around the house. Once they cross that perimeter (whether they are going away or coming back home) the automation system would switch to the default settings automatically. The versatility of the application along with unique features like geofencing has made the Honeywell application a complete success.
Bonus Read: Exploring the vast world of big data and AI is now easier, with our exclusive piece here!
- Philips Hue: Lighting Up the Smart Home Future
Smart home technology has touched the lighting system of your house as well. With Philips Hue smart bulbs and apps you can manage all the lights in your house with just your smartphone,
smart home app Philips Hue
Source: App Store
Not only the matter of smart bulbs are unique, but the Hue app comes with even more unique features. Besides being able to control the lights, you can also perform these actions with the app-
Change the color of the lights
Modify the lights based on mood, time of the day, and your activity
Turn pictures into lighting for your room from 30 handpicked scenes by the lighting engineer at Philips.
Turn your favorite picture into the Philips hue scene and light your room up.
Set up lighting schedules around the clock
The app’s location awareness system automatically turns the lights on when you return home
With the voice control function, you don’t even have to use your smartphone. All you have to do is to speak out your command, and the lights will turn on by themselves.
The smart lighting system provided by Philips is one of the best smart home control app and its companion app is something you need to watch out for. Despite being a segmented smart home application, Philips hue succeeds due to its on-point functionality. Its ease of functionality provides the users with added value and makes their lives easier.
- Wemo: Bringing home automation to the fingertips of the users
Wemo is a series of home automation devices that include smart switches and outlets and wifi bridge.
smaty home app like Wemo
Source: App Store
With the Wemo app, you can perform the following actions-
Control all the lights and appliances of your home without lifting a finger.
Turn the lights on automatically when you return home after a long day by syncing the lights and devices to the sun
Protect your home even when your away with the ‘Away Mode’ which will randomly turn the lights on and off in different rooms.
Integrate with ‘If This Then That’ a popular web-based service that gives you access to a large number of features for your Wemo devices.
The Wemo app can be your one-stop solution for the smart house app. The unique features, as well as the smooth functionality, is what makes Wemo one of the best apps to pay attention to in the smart home industry.
Best home automation apps
- myQ Smart Garage: Total Control Over Your Garage
home automation – myQ
How many times have you pulled out of your garage in the morning only to get to your job and think, “Did I put the garage door down?” Your garage is an integral part of your home, and for some, it’s where many expensive items may be stored – including lawn equipment and vehicles.
Our garage door is something that we don’t always think about, but luckily, the technology now exists to manage it for us. Chambain, a garage door manufacturer, recently created a brilliant app that completely automates your garage. Here are some of its most notable features:
Check the status of the smart devices inside your garage and your home. For example, myQ allows you to see if your garage door is open or closed; check the temperature on the smart thermostat(s) in your house; and identify which lightbulbs are on or off.
Get instant notifications when an activity happens on any of your smart devices. For example, get instant alerts when the garage door opens or closes, when a light bulb is turned on or off, or when someone changes the temperature on your thermostat.
Control your garage doors or lights remotely and set automatic schedules so that your garage opens and closes at a predefined time.
This app controls the MyQ Smart Garage Door Openers and other Wi-Fi-enabled garage door openers. In addition, it can be synced to other smart home products including smart lights and smart thermostats from a variety of other smart device brands.
- Nuki Smart Lock: Your Virtual Keyring
Home automation apps for smart homes – smart lock
We’ve seen many changes in the world over the last century, but the lock and key system has rarely changed. Do we really even care for the concept of keys? We have to carry them everywhere, they are easy to get lost or stolen – and if you want to get a copy so someone else to access, you have to go all the way to the hardware store to have one made. Let’s face it – house keys are ancient.
The company, Nuki, understood the importance of making a more efficient key/lock process, so they created a smart app that you can use to unlock the doors in your house remotely – without having to carry a key. With Nuki, your phone becomes the tool that gives you access to your home.
In the world of home automation apps, what makes Nuki special? Here’s a few awesome features of the Nuki Smart Lock app:
Auto Unlock: As soon as you leave home, the app automatically locks all ‘smart lock’ doors in your house. Likewise when you come back, Nuki automatically unlocks them. Never touch your house’s keys again!
Give Access To Your Loved Ones: Create an access code within the app that you can share with anyone that you want to give access to your residence. This way, you can grant them access to your home for a specified amount of time – even if you’re not around to hand them your key.
Get Real-Time Alerts: Any time someone unlocks or locks any Nuki-enabled door, the app will notify you.
Remote Operation: No matter where you are in the world, you can lock or unlock your door with one tap from your smartphone.
The Nuki Smart Lock app controls the Nuki Smart Lock + Smart Bridge, which can be attached on top of your current lock to achieve remote functionality. To check whether the Nuki lock is compatible with your existing lock, take a look at their Installation Checker.
- Philips Hue: Limitless Lighting For Your Home
smart home apps – philips hue
The Phillips Hue app allows you to control the entire range of Philips Hue smart bulbs. Their Smart Bulbs can showcase over 16 million colors and can be dimmed or brightened remotely.
Here are a few cool features of the Philips Hue app:
Control every Philip bulb in your house: Change the color of the light output, set the level of brightness and set specific times that you want the bulbs to turn on or off.
Change the color of bulbs according to ‘moods’: The app has four moods that you can choose from such as Energize, Concentrate, Relax and Read. These “moods” change the bulb colors from either crisp and bright or warm and soft depending on the setting.
Transform your rooms with ‘scenes’: The app has 30 scenery lighting pre-sets designed especially to replicate lighting from famous locations. These settings include Honolulu Sunset and London
Nightlife, among others.
In addition to these features, the Philips Hue app automatically turns on your lights when you reach home, and turns them off when you leave. Not only are these features ultra cool, they also help you minimize electricity usage and reduce your utility bills – providing users of this home automation app with a great ROI.
- Nest: The App That Protects Your Home Completely
best smart home apps – Nest
Nest is known as one of the most innovative companies in the smart device sector. They create a variety of products that are meant to protect and automate your home. Currently, the Nest app focuses on developing devices such as smart cameras, smart doorbells, thermostats, alarm systems, and smoke + CO alarms.
The Nest app offers a variety of effective features that allow you to control and take advantage of their products. With the app, you can:
See who’s at your door through the app and let them in (or lock them out) remotely.
Monitor your home through security cameras to see what is happening inside and outside your home.
Control your thermostats or check the temperature inside your home.
Receive alerts if there is an unusual amount of smoke or carbon dioxide detected.
Receive instant notifications when the Nest alarm goes off.
The best thing about the Nest app is that it serves as a central hub where you can control all of your Nest smart devices – essentially, handling all of your home automation from a single application.
- Sonos Controller: Smart Music for Music Lovers
Smart home automation – sonos
If you are a music fanatic, today’s technology allows you to build the epic smart entertainment system that you only dreamed about in the past. The Sonos Controller app connects wirelessly to Sonos speakers and allows you to control music throughout your home.
Once connected to your speakers, the Sonos Controller app allows you to:
Play music, audiobooks and podcasts from 50+ music streaming services within a single app.
Control each individual speaker in your home and have them play the same (or different) music. Also, the app allows you to adjust the volume settings on each individual speaker.
The Sonos Controller app is the only app that streams music from all major streaming platforms like Apple Music, Google Play, Amazon Prime and more. Music is no longer limited to a single radio in your house – now you can automate your music too, and control output through your entire home in a way that was never before possible.
- Samsung SmartThings: A Central Hub For Home Automation
smart home automation apps – smartthings
We all know Samsung as the innovators of home devices in general – TVs, DVD players and many other home device accessories. Samsung is also a leader in the smart home automation market; bringing new smart technology with advanced solutions through their app, Samsung SmartThings.
This app goes beyond the capability of most home automation apps, not only allowing you to control devices such as cameras, locks and thermostats – but also giving you control over Samsung appliances like TVs, washing machines and air conditioners.
In addition to supporting Samsung devices, the app also supports a host of other smart devices from more than thirty brands – giving you the ability to control everything in your home from water valves to entertainment systems and more.
Furthermore, SmartThings allows you to automate specific processes so they happen at a certain time. For example, SmartThings can automatically:
Dim your lights when you leave home.
Turn your AC off when you walk out the door, or change the temperature on your smart thermostat when you come back home.
Notify you when there is motion in your home or even when a cabinet door is open or closed.
If you plan to make a serious investment into home automation, Samsung SmartThings provides a single hub where the entire automation of your home can be controlled.
Notable Mention: IFTTT
home automation apps – ifttt
IFTTT (If This Then That) was one of the very first ‘automation’ apps to hit the market.
At inception, it was just meant for automating processes between apps. For example, any time you uploaded a photo to Instagram, you could set up IFTTT to automatically tweet that photo as well. IFTTT allowed you to setup simple processes with existing apps – creating new smart functions without needing to know how to create an app.
As new home automation apps and smart devices started to release to the market, IFTTT expanded its capabilities to automate processes not just between two apps – but between apps and smart devices as well. Unlike other home automation apps, IFTTT allows you to create your own unique automations between your apps and smart devices. For example, with IFTTT, you can set up automations to:
Put your Philips Hue bulb on a specified color loop when you message #partytime to @IFTTT on Telegram.
Set your Google Assistant to call your phone every time you use the command, “OK Google, find my phone.”
Blink your Philips Hue bulbs every time someone mentions you in a tweet.
Some automations may not make sense for other people, but that is the beauty of IFTTT – you can create the automations that are important you in particular. There are hundreds of ways that users are currently connecting IFTTT to create their own custom automations.
Is Automation Right for Your Home?
In today’s high innovation environment, there are many companies currently experimenting with new home automation apps and smart home technology. Over the next few years, we can definitely expect to see new automation capabilities with unique and interesting app ideas hit the market that aren’t available or even possible today. Yes, technology and home automation is moving THAT quickly!
Is Automation Right for Your Home
If you’ve got an open mind, a love for technology — or maybe you’ve always wanted to be in the Jetson family — home automation may be right for you. How do you start automating your home? Start slow and purchase a single smart item – maybe start by automating your home lights or your alarm system. As you add on new smart products, look for the right home automation apps that help these devices speak to one another, sync to one another, and work together to perform the tasks that you find important!
Have a home automation app idea that you think could make the lives of homeowners easier? Contact one of our app startup specialists to help you create a strategy to bring it to life!
Conclusion
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