Homey Pro mini

The smaller hub keeps the useful software

Homey Pro mini is the more economical way to buy Homey's automation platform. At the checked $249 US price, it includes Advanced Flow, dashboards, insights, remote access and official or community apps. The savings come from smaller hardware, rather than a mandatory upgrade subscription for the core software.

That is appealing for a home with a manageable number of brands and a few routines that have outgrown simpler apps. Matter, Thread and Zigbee are built in. Wi-Fi devices can still communicate through the local network even though the mini itself connects by Ethernet.

If your current app already runs everything you want, another automation platform adds work as well as features. Choose Homey because you want to build and maintain your rules there.

Ethernet and phone choice can change the value

The mini needs a network cable. The power supply, USB cable and Ethernet cable are included, and mounting holes let it sit on a wall. That is convenient beside a suitably located switch or router; it is awkward when the only wired socket is far from the devices.

There is also an important distinction for iPhone users buying it for Thread accessories. Mini commissions Matter devices through the mobile app. Homey's current guidance says its Thread network cannot be added to iOS, so that iPhone path needs an existing third-party Thread network, such as one supplied by a HomePod.

Android can use Homey's network under the documented network-selection conditions. The full Pro also has its own Bluetooth commissioning route. An iPhone-only beginner should account for this difference before treating the mini as a self-contained Thread purchase. An existing suitable Apple border router can make the limitation much less consequential.

Count brands and apps, not just devices

The 1 GB of RAM is the mini's main long-term constraint. Homey estimates room for roughly 20–25 apps, depending on their memory use. That does not mean a limit of 25 devices: one app commonly serves several devices from a brand.

A house with many products from a few brands may therefore suit the mini better than a smaller but more varied collection requiring many apps. Leave room for the integrations you intend to add, without assuming the manufacturer's estimate guarantees a particular workload.

The older Pro (Early 2023) has 2 GB; the current $449 Pro (2026) has 4 GB. The full-size models also bring more radios and Wi-Fi placement. Their premium is easiest to justify when those capabilities address a real limit.

The Bridge bundle saves money, with another box to place

The optional $69 Homey Bridge adds Z-Wave, Bluetooth LE, infrared and regional 433 MHz capability. Mini plus Bridge totals $318, which is $131 below the current $449 Pro before tax. In the US, Canada and South Korea, 433 MHz transmission is disabled.

Bridge does not add memory or remove the mini's Ethernet requirement. It adds another powered device, while the full Pro puts more capabilities into one enclosure. Buy the extra box for particular accessories you already own, rather than paying for every possible radio in advance.

Free local USB backups are included; automatic cloud backups cost an optional $10 per year. The separate Matter Bridge software app can share supported device types into other ecosystems, but some advanced controls remain in Homey. That software feature does not require buying the similarly named radio Bridge simply to enable it.

Choose the mini when its app capacity, network cable and phone workflow fit the home. It offers the more useful saving when you can keep the hardware simple.