🎥 Watch the full video review of the Homey Pro Mini on YouTube
Welcome back to Mark’s Tech Blogs! Today I’m reviewing the Homey Pro Mini – a compact smart home hub that promises big automation potential. I’ve been waiting a while for this to arrive in the UK after it initially launched in the US in early 2025. It finally landed at the end of September, and while Homey kindly sent one over for review, this post isn’t sponsored – they won’t see it until it’s live.
What Is Homey?
Homey is a platform designed to connect all of your smart home devices together. It can bridge ecosystems so that, for example, your Hue motion sensor can trigger your SwitchBot curtains. Compared to other smart home systems like Home Assistant or Hubitat, Homey is designed to be much simpler to set up and manage.
Before adding Homey Pro Mini into my setup, most of my devices were Apple Home compatible. For the few that weren’t, I used Homebridge on a Raspberry Pi. My automations ran through Apple Home with HomePod Minis acting as hubs, which worked but led to some complicated Siri Shortcuts. That’s where I hoped Homey Pro Mini could make things easier.
Price and Comparison
The Homey Pro costs £399 plus £29 for an Ethernet adapter, while the Homey Pro Mini costs £199 and has Ethernet built in. Both avoid subscriptions, apart from optional automatic backups at £10 a year.
Here are the key differences between the two models:
- Wi-Fi: The Mini lacks Wi-Fi but includes Ethernet (which you’ll likely use anyway for reliability).
- RAM: 1GB on the Mini vs 2GB on the Pro. Both share a 1.5GHz quad-core processor and 8GB of internal storage.
- Connectivity: The Mini omits Z-Wave Plus, 433MHz, infrared, and Bluetooth support.
That last point means if you want to use Bluetooth-only devices like SwitchBot without their hub, you’ll need a Homey Bridge (£69). Even then, it’s still cheaper than the Pro model. For most users, the Homey Pro Mini makes the most sense.
Design & Build
The Homey Pro Mini is a sleek, small black box with rounded edges, a light on the front, and a logo on top. It features wall-mounting holes, USB-C and Ethernet ports, and comes with a USB-C cable, Ethernet cable, and power brick. The modern design is reminiscent of an Apple TV – minimal and stylish.
Specs Overview
- Matter 1.3 and Zigbee 3.0 support
- Acts as a Thread border router
- Ethernet connectivity and 20W USB-C power
- 1.5GHz quad-core processor, 1GB RAM, 8GB flash memory
Everything is processed locally unless your device requires an internet connection, which means faster and more reliable automations. It even supports local API keys, port forwarding, local and cloud backups, and has optional SSH access for advanced users.
Homey Pro Mini can act as a bridge to Apple Home, allowing you to expose compatible devices directly into Apple Home without duplicates. This integration works surprisingly well, even though it’s officially marked as experimental.
Compatibility
Homey supports a wide range of devices via apps—some official, some community-built. Popular supported brands include Hue, Aqara, Ikea, Tado, and Shelly. Before investing, it’s best to check compatibility for each of your devices.
Some key notes:
- Aqara cameras and certain locks aren’t natively supported but can work via Matter.
- There’s no official support for Tuya or Smart Life because Tuya revoked access. Community apps exist but require a Tuya developer account.
- The web interface is essential for advanced flows, while the mobile and desktop apps are excellent for everyday use.
Setup Process
Setup is straightforward. Plug it in, open the Homey app, and follow the guided steps to create your account and connect your Homey Pro Mini. You can organise your house by floors and rooms, making it easy to add devices later. It also supports multiple users for geofencing and presence-based automations.
Adding devices was mostly smooth. Matter devices like my shades, Aqara U200 lock, and Tado thermostats connected easily. Some Tuya and Meross devices required community apps or developer keys. Hue and SwitchBot worked perfectly. Only a few older Zigbee or Apple-only devices couldn’t be added.
Everyday Use
The app and web interface are clean and intuitive. Devices can be organised by rooms or zones, and quick actions let you toggle lights or view detailed logs. You can even customise what information (like motion or battery life) shows in the overview.
Flows and Automations
Flows are where Homey Pro Mini truly shines. Automations use “When”, “And”, and “Then” logic—simple yet powerful. For example, you can trigger heating at 5PM if someone is home and the weather is cold. Flows can be grouped into folders and easily enabled, disabled, or manually run.
Advanced Flows, available via the web interface, allow for more complex automations. You can build entire heating schedules that check time, presence, and weather before setting devices to a specific temperature. These advanced flows eliminate the need for complex Siri Shortcuts or custom code.
Performance and Reliability
Flows and geofencing work well and are reliable. However, Matter device stability can be hit-or-miss—some devices like blinds or locks occasionally disconnect and require re-pairing. This seems to be a known issue among users.
Another concern is manufacturer support. Tuya unexpectedly pulled integration access from Homey, highlighting the risk of relying on third-party platforms for connectivity.
Verdict – Should You Buy the Homey Pro Mini?
If you’re starting your smart home from scratch, the Homey Pro Mini is a fantastic choice. It’s powerful, simple to use, and supports geolocation and automation without subscriptions. Pair it with Apple Home for voice control via HomePod Minis and you’ll have a seamless setup.
However, for those with existing smart homes—especially Apple Home setups—the Homey Pro Mini may complicate things. Matter reliability issues mean it’s not yet the all-in-one hub I hoped for. If everything worked flawlessly, it would easily replace my Homebridge and Apple automations, but for now, I’ll keep Apple Home as my main platform.
Still, Homey Pro Mini remains an excellent option for new users or anyone wanting to simplify their automations in a single app. Its interface is cleaner and easier than Home Assistant, and it offers impressive value for its price.
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments—have you tried Homey Pro Mini? What’s your experience been like?
Check out the Homey Pro Mini
