Matter is the biggest thing to happen to smart homes since Zigbee. One protocol that works across Apple, Google, Amazon, and Home Assistant. No more guessing which app controls which device. This guide covers everything: what Matter actually is, how to set it up with Home Assistant, which devices are worth buying, and whether you should switch from Zigbee or Z-Wave.
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Matter is an open, royalty-free smart home standard backed by Apple, Google, Amazon, Samsung, and over 550 other companies through the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA). The goal: any Matter device works with any Matter controller. Buy a smart plug from any brand, and it works with Home Assistant, Apple Home, Google Home, and Alexa. No more checking compatibility lists.
Every Matter device communicates locally on your network. No cloud server required for basic operation. Your lights turn on even when your internet is down. This is what Home Assistant users have wanted from every protocol.
One device can be controlled by multiple ecosystems simultaneously. Add a bulb to Home Assistant AND Apple Home at the same time. No choosing one app over another. Each controller manages the device independently.
Matter runs over standard IP networks: Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or Thread. No proprietary radio hardware needed for Wi-Fi devices. Your existing router handles the communication. Thread devices need a Thread Border Router, but the protocol itself is open.
The bottom line: Matter solves the "which hub do I need?" problem. Instead of buying Zigbee hubs, Z-Wave sticks, and brand-specific bridges, you get one standard that works everywhere. It is not perfect yet, but the direction is clear.
This confuses almost everyone. Here is the simple version:
Matter defines what devices can do: "turn on", "set brightness to 80%", "report temperature". It is the application protocol, the commands and data structures. Think of it as the language everyone agrees to speak.
Thread is a low-power mesh networking protocol, similar to Zigbee but built on IPv6. It is one of the transport layers Matter can use. Matter devices can also use Wi-Fi or Ethernet. Thread is optional, not required.
| Transport | Power Use | Mesh | Range | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thread | Very low | Yes (self-healing) | ~30m per hop | Sensors, locks, bulbs, switches |
| Wi-Fi | Higher | No | Router dependent | Plugs, cameras, heavy-bandwidth devices |
| Ethernet | N/A (wired) | No | Unlimited | Hubs, bridges, always-on controllers |
Why Thread matters: Thread gives Matter the same low-power mesh networking that makes Zigbee great for battery-powered sensors and switches. Without Thread, Matter would be limited to always-powered Wi-Fi devices. Thread is what makes Matter a true Zigbee competitor.
Getting Matter working in Home Assistant is straightforward. Here is what you need and the steps to get there.
Required
For Thread Devices
Enable the Matter Integration
Go to Settings > Devices & Services > Add Integration > search "Matter". Home Assistant will install the Matter Server add-on automatically if you are on HA OS.
Set Up Thread (If Needed)
If using Thread devices, plug in your SkyConnect/ZBT-1 dongle. Home Assistant will detect it and offer to set up the Thread network. The Open Thread Border Router (OTBR) add-on installs automatically.
Commission Your Device
Put your Matter device in pairing mode. In Home Assistant, go to Settings > Devices & Services > Add Integration > Matter > Commission Device. Scan the QR code on the device or its box. Home Assistant pairs it locally.
Start Automating
Your device shows up like any other Home Assistant entity. Create automations, add it to dashboards, include it in scenes. Matter devices work with every Home Assistant feature, including voice control with Assist.
Docker users: Matter support in Home Assistant Container requires extra setup. You need to run the Matter Server container separately and ensure your network supports mDNS discovery. Check our Docker guide for details on container networking.
The Home Assistant Connect ZBT-1 (formerly known as SkyConnect) is a USB dongle made by Nabu Casa specifically for Home Assistant. It packs both a Zigbee and Thread radio into one tiny stick.
If you are starting fresh with Home Assistant and want both Zigbee and Thread support, the ZBT-1 is the easiest way to get there. At around $30, it is cheaper than buying separate Zigbee and Thread dongles.
If you already have a Zigbee coordinator (like a Sonoff ZBDongle-P or HUSBZB-1), you can add a second ZBT-1 dedicated to Thread, or use an Apple TV/HomePod Mini as your Thread Border Router instead.
The ZBT-1 can run in two modes:
Multiprotocol (Not Recommended)
Runs Zigbee and Thread on the same radio by time-sharing. Sounds great in theory, but Nabu Casa themselves recommend against it. Performance suffers, and the firmware is considered experimental. You may see dropped Zigbee messages or Thread connectivity issues.
Dedicated Mode (Recommended)
Use one dongle for Zigbee and another for Thread. Or use the ZBT-1 for one protocol and a different device (Apple TV, HomePod Mini, Nest Hub) as your Thread Border Router. This gives stable, reliable performance for both protocols.
The Matter device ecosystem has grown rapidly. Here are the standout products in each category that work well with Home Assistant.
| Device | Transport | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philips Hue (via Hue Bridge) | Wi-Fi (bridge) | $15-60 | Hue Bridge acts as Matter bridge. Exposes all Hue lights as Matter devices. Best color quality. |
| Nanoleaf Essentials | Thread | $15-20 | Native Thread bulbs. No hub required. Good value for Matter-first setups. |
| IKEA DIRIGERA + Tradfri | Wi-Fi (bridge) | $8-15 | Budget option. DIRIGERA hub exposes Tradfri devices via Matter. Limited color options. |
| Device | Transport | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eve Energy | Thread | $40 | Thread smart plug with energy monitoring. The gold standard for Matter plugs. |
| TP-Link Tapo P125M | Wi-Fi | $15 | Budget Wi-Fi Matter plug. No energy monitoring but reliable and cheap. |
| Meross MSS315 (Matter) | Wi-Fi | $16 | Wi-Fi plug with energy monitoring over Matter. Good balance of price and features. |
| Device | Transport | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eve Door & Window | Thread | $40 | Contact sensor over Thread. Battery-powered, compact. Works great for security automations. |
| Eve Motion | Thread | $40 | PIR motion sensor with Thread. IPX3 rated for outdoor use. Good range. |
| Yale Assure Lock 2 (Matter) | Thread/Wi-Fi | $230+ | Premium lock with Matter module option. See our smart lock guide for details. |
| Aqara Door & Window Sensor P2 | Thread | $18 | Budget Thread contact sensor. Tiny form factor, long battery life. |
Matter devices integrate into Home Assistant like any other device. Here are some practical automations to get you started.
Use Thread motion sensors to turn on lights when you enter a room and off when you leave. Thread sensors respond faster than Wi-Fi because the mesh network is always on.
automation:
- alias: "Living Room Lights On Motion"
trigger:
- platform: state
entity_id: binary_sensor.eve_motion_living_room
to: "on"
action:
- service: light.turn_on
target:
entity_id: light.nanoleaf_living_room
data:
brightness_pct: 80
color_temp_kelvin: 3000Use a Matter smart plug with energy monitoring to alert you when an appliance draws more power than expected. Great for catching a dryer that runs too long or a freezer that is failing.
automation:
- alias: "Dryer Running Too Long"
trigger:
- platform: numeric_state
entity_id: sensor.eve_energy_dryer_power
above: 100
for: "02:00:00"
action:
- service: notify.mobile_app
data:
title: "Dryer Alert"
message: "Dryer has been running for 2+ hours. Check on it."Thread contact sensors report state changes instantly. Get a notification if a door or window stays open for too long.
automation:
- alias: "Front Door Open Too Long"
trigger:
- platform: state
entity_id: binary_sensor.eve_door_front
to: "on"
for: "00:05:00"
action:
- service: notify.mobile_app
data:
title: "Door Alert"
message: "Front door has been open for 5 minutes."When you leave the house, turn off all Matter lights and non-essential plugs. Matter's multi-admin means this works even if your partner controls some devices through Apple Home.
automation:
- alias: "Away Mode"
trigger:
- platform: state
entity_id: person.you
to: "not_home"
for: "00:10:00"
action:
- service: light.turn_off
target:
entity_id: all
- service: switch.turn_off
target:
entity_id:
- switch.eve_energy_tv
- switch.eve_energy_gaming_pcThe beauty of Home Assistant: mix Matter devices with Zigbee, Z-Wave, and anything else in a single automation. Your lock can be Z-Wave, your lights Thread, and your thermostat Wi-Fi. They all work together.
automation:
- alias: "Goodnight Routine"
trigger:
- platform: event
event_type: mobile_app_notification_action
event_data:
action: GOODNIGHT
action:
- service: light.turn_off
target:
entity_id: all
- service: lock.lock
target:
entity_id: lock.front_door_zwave
- service: climate.set_temperature
target:
entity_id: climate.thermostat_matter
data:
temperature: 18Want more automation ideas? Check our 30 Home Assistant automations guide or browse ready-made blueprints.
If you already have a working Zigbee or Z-Wave setup, here is the honest comparison.
| Feature | Matter (Thread) | Zigbee | Z-Wave |
|---|---|---|---|
| Device selection | Growing fast | Massive (thousands) | Large (hundreds) |
| Local control | Yes (built-in) | Yes (with HA) | Yes (with HA) |
| Multi-ecosystem | Yes (Apple, Google, Amazon) | No (one controller) | No (one controller) |
| Mesh networking | Yes (Thread) | Yes | Yes |
| Price range | $15-60+ | $5-40 | $25-60+ |
| Battery sensor options | Limited but growing | Excellent | Good |
| Future-proof | Very high | High (huge installed base) | Moderate (niche) |
Start with Matter if...
Stick with Zigbee if...
Our take: Do not rip out a working Zigbee setup to switch to Matter. Instead, buy Matter for your next devices. Home Assistant handles both protocols beautifully. Over the next few years, Matter will catch up in device variety and price. For now, the best strategy is "Matter for new, keep what works."
Run our free smart home scan to see which of your devices already support Matter, which can be bridged, and what you might want to upgrade.
Yes. Home Assistant has had native Matter support since version 2022.12. It works as a Matter controller, meaning you can add Matter devices directly and control them locally without any cloud connection.
Not necessarily. SkyConnect (now ZBT-1) adds Zigbee and Thread radio to your setup. You need a Thread Border Router for Thread-based Matter devices, and SkyConnect can serve as one. But Wi-Fi Matter devices do not need SkyConnect at all.
Matter is the application layer (the commands and device types). Thread is a networking protocol (how devices send data to each other). Matter can run over Thread, Wi-Fi, or Ethernet. Think of Thread as the road and Matter as the language.
Absolutely. Home Assistant supports both protocols simultaneously. Your existing Zigbee devices keep working. Matter devices and Zigbee devices can coexist in the same automations, scenes, and dashboards.
Yes, with some caveats. Most major brands ship Matter devices. Home Assistant handles them well. The device selection is still smaller than Zigbee, and some advanced features are still catching up. For new setups, Matter is a solid choice. For existing setups, there is no rush to switch.