A smart home used to mean picking a side. Buy into Amazon's Alexa and half the gadgets on the shelf wouldn't talk to Apple's Home app; choose Google and you'd find your neighbour's favourite smart plug only worked with Alexa. That is finally changing, thanks to a shared standard called Matter. This guide explains what Matter and Thread actually are, how the big three platforms compare in the UK, the British quirks worth knowing about, and a sensible, low-cost way to get started.

Matter and Thread, in plain English

Matter is a common "language" that smart home devices use to talk to each other. It is run by the Connectivity Standards Alliance and backed by Apple, Google, Amazon and Samsung, among others. A device with the Matter logo should work with any Matter-compatible platform, so you can choose a plug or light without worrying about which assistant you use. It also lets several platforms control the same device at once, so one person can use Alexa while another uses an iPhone.

Matter runs over three kinds of connection: Wi-Fi, Ethernet and Thread. Thread is a low-power wireless network designed specifically for smart home gadgets. Because sensors, buttons and door locks only send tiny amounts of data, Thread lets them run for a long time on small batteries. It is also a mesh: mains-powered Thread devices such as plugs and bulbs relay signals for others, so the network gets stronger as you add more.

Do you need a hub?

Wi-Fi Matter devices usually just need your router and an app. Thread devices also need a "Thread border router" to connect them to the rest of your home network. The good news is that you may already own one: many smart speakers, smart displays, TVs and some newer routers have one built in.

Check before you buy, though. Apple's Home app needs a "home hub", a HomePod, HomePod mini or Apple TV, to add Matter accessories at all, and Thread accessories need a Thread-capable one such as a HomePod mini or the Wi-Fi + Ethernet Apple TV 4K. The same hub gives you remote control and automations when you're out.

Alexa, Google Home or Apple Home?

Amazon Alexa is the most common choice in British homes; Amazon says more than half of UK households have an Alexa-enabled device. Its new AI assistant, Alexa+, arrived in the UK in early access in March 2026. Amazon says it will cost £19.99 a month after early access, or nothing for Prime members.

Google Home is replacing Google Assistant on its speakers and displays with Gemini for Home, which is in early access in the UK. Basic features, including smart home control, timers and lists, are free; extras such as Gemini Live need a Google Home Premium subscription.

Apple Home suits households that already use iPhones and want strong privacy defaults, but you'll need one of those Apple home hubs.

Our advice: start with whichever assistant your household already talks to. Matter means that choice no longer locks you in.

The British bits

Plugs and sockets. Smart plugs sold for the UK use our three-pin Type G socket, so buy from UK listings rather than importing. Check the plug's maximum load before using it with power-hungry appliances such as heaters.

Heating. For most UK homes the smart thermostat is the gadget that pays for itself. Three names dominate. Hive, sold by British Gas, works with Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple HomeKit and offers professional installation. Tado's X range runs on Matter over Thread and works with Apple Home, Google Home and Alexa; its second-generation Smart Thermostat X starter kits launched in September 2026 at £159.99 (wired) and £169.99 (wireless). Google's Nest is now a poor bet for new buyers: in April 2025 Google said it would not launch any new Nest thermostats in Europe, and it switched off app support for its oldest models in October 2025.

Energy tariffs. Smart tariffs reward you for using electricity when it is cheap. Octopus Energy's Agile tariff, for example, changes price every half hour, publishes the next day's rates in the afternoon and caps prices at 100p/kWh. You'll need a smart meter, and smart plugs, schedules and automations make it far easier to shift washing machines, dehumidifiers or car charging into the cheap slots.

Privacy and security

Since 29 April 2024, UK law has set minimum security rules for connected devices under the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure (PSTI) regime. Manufacturers can no longer ship products with universal default or easily guessed passwords such as "admin". They must publish a way to report security flaws, and say for how long (with an end date) the product will receive security updates.

That last point is worth checking before you buy: a cheap device that stops getting updates next year is no bargain. Which? has warned that online marketplaces are still full of insecure products, so favour established brands that publish their support periods. Then do the basics yourself: use a strong Wi-Fi password, turn on two-factor sign-in for your smart home accounts, and review your assistant's privacy settings. Amazon, for example, lets you review and manage your Alexa interactions from its privacy dashboard.

A sensible starter setup

You don't need to wire up the whole house in a weekend. A good first step looks like this:

  • One controller you already own, such as an Echo, Google Nest speaker or HomePod, ideally one with a Thread border router built in.
  • Two or three Matter smart plugs for lamps, a fan or a dehumidifier. They are cheap, take seconds to set up and teach you how schedules and routines work.
  • A smart thermostat if you control your own heating. This is where the real savings are.
  • Later: Thread sensors for doors and windows, smart bulbs, or a Matter-compatible robot vacuum (see our pick of the best robot vacuums).

Start with one routine that genuinely helps, such as lamps on at dusk or the dehumidifier running in the cheap overnight hours, and build from there. A smart home is most useful when it quietly does the dull jobs, not when it has the most gadgets.