How to control smart devices from different brands in one place
Published November 2, 2026 · By Port OS Team
You have three realistic ways to control devices from different brands in one place. Use a vendor aggregator app, such as SmartThings or Google Home. Run a self-hosted platform, such as Home Assistant. Or link your provider accounts to a hosted service, such as Port OS. Each one gives you a common place to look at your devices. None of them gives every device the same controls.
Port OS publishes this article, so we have a commercial interest. The comparison uses the vendor pages linked below, checked on November 2, 2026. We did not run a device benchmark. Where another option fits better, we say so.
Compare the three approaches
| Decision | Vendor aggregator app | Self-hosted platform | Hosted service (Port OS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Example | SmartThings, Google Home | Home Assistant | Port OS |
| Setup | Add devices in the vendor app | Install the software, then add each integration | Link each provider account, then confirm the devices found |
| Hardware or hosting | The vendor's app and cloud, plus any hub your devices need | Your own hardware. Home Assistant lists Raspberry Pi, computer, container and virtual machine options | Hosted by Port OS. You keep each provider's own account, bridge or cloud service |
| Device coverage | SmartThings says it works with hundreds of devices and brands. Google says Google Home connects thousands of devices | Home Assistant publishes a large integration list | A small alpha catalog. See Add a Device |
| AI and API access | Varies. SmartThings has a developer API. Google Home has an MCP server | Official MCP server integration | Browser console, REST API and MCP server |
| Maintenance | The vendor maintains the app. You maintain your account and devices | You update and back up your own installation | Port OS maintains the service. You maintain provider links |
When another option is the better fit
- Choose SmartThings or Google Home if most of your devices already live in one of them and you only need a phone app.
- Choose Home Assistant if you want to run your own server and need an integration that Port OS does not offer. Home Assistant says its software runs on your own hardware, so you carry the upkeep. It also offers an optional cloud subscription for remote access.
- Choose Port OS if your devices are in its catalog, you want a hosted connection, and you want the same devices in a browser console, an API and an MCP server for AI assistants. For a deeper comparison, read Port OS vs Home Assistant MCP and smart home MCP servers compared.
What about Matter?
Matter is an open standard that lets a device work with several smart home systems. Google's developer documentation describes it as a single protocol for Matter-certified ecosystems, and it also says Matter is not yet supported for all device types. Home Assistant's Matter page says a Matter device can join more than one controller, for example Google Home, Apple Home and Home Assistant.
Check each device for Matter support before you count on it. Port OS does not document Matter support, so this article makes no Matter claim about Port OS.
Step 1: Inventory your devices
Write a short list before you choose a tool. For each device, record the brand, model, the app or account that controls it, and whether it needs a bridge or hub. A home with Philips Hue, Sonos, a robot vacuum and Samsung or Google devices usually has four or five accounts.
Step 2: Check the actions each device supports
A brand name is not a list of controls. Before you rely on a connection, link one account and look at what it returns for one device. In Port OS, the provider-linking guide says to enumerate the devices you authorized, then inspect their actual capabilities. It also says that a catalog entry does not mean every device implements every action.
Port OS lists these providers in the public alpha catalog. Read each page for its limits.
| Provider | Status | What to check first |
|---|---|---|
| Philips Hue | Public alpha | Your Hue account, bridge, and the lights and scenes returned |
| Sonos | Public alpha | Account authorization and the controls your players expose |
| Roborock | Public alpha for supported vacuums | Model support and the controls your vacuum exposes |
| SmartThings | Guide available | You register your own SmartThings app and enter its credentials. The guide covers power control |
| Google Nest | Guide available | Thermostats, temperature and camera live view. Motion and doorbell notifications are not available yet |
| Spotify | Guide available | Search, playlists and Spotify Connect devices. New Spotify apps start in development mode with an allowlist |
| Android TV | Guide available | Google TV or Android TV with Google Play Services. Fire TV is not supported |
| Shelly | Waitlist | Not ready to use |
Google Nest support is not the same as support for every device in a Google Home household. Repeat the check for each device that matters to you. The smart home MCP page explains the common path.
Step 3: Link accounts and find duplicates
Link one provider at a time. After each link, open the device list and confirm what appeared. OAuth connections use the provider's authorization page; other integrations can request account details or verification in the Port OS website form. Follow the selected integration's guide and keep credentials out of chat.
One physical device can appear through more than one connection. For example, a Hue light may be exposed through Hue and an aggregator such as SmartThings. Two entries for one lamp can lead to conflicting commands or a double count in a room.
Pick one connection for each physical device. Then use the device name and availability controls described in the device names and availability guide. The guide says to rename, enable, disable or delete only where the published operation and the provider support it. It also says not to disable or delete a device just because it is confusing. Decide what you want first, then change one entry and check the result.
Step 4: Organize rooms and groups
A room is a group of devices. Mixed brands can share a group, so "Living room" can hold a Hue lamp, a Sonos speaker and a vacuum dock.
The groups and membership guide covers reading nested membership, keeping endpoint IDs unique and using current version tags. Provider groups, such as native Sonos groups, behave differently. Read how to sync provider groups before you change one. It says an add cannot silently remove a member from an exclusive native group, and that you can plan a change first with a validate-only request.
Step 5: Test one device and review access
Test with one named light, speaker or vacuum. Ask for its state, make one supported change, then read the state again. A request that was accepted is not proof that the device changed. Our browser control guide shows the same test from the web console.
Then review what you granted. In Port OS, reading groups and changing them use different permissions. The device names guide says a control scope alone is not enough to rename or disable an endpoint. Grant only what a task needs. Connect an assistant through Link to AI only after the device list looks right.
Disconnect when you change your mind
Remove access in two places. First, delete the provider link in the service. Second, revoke the permission at the provider, for example in your SmartThings or Google account. The SmartThings guide says a changed or old connection must be deleted and linked again, and it asks you to revoke an old token you no longer need. Deleting a link does not change devices in the vendor's own app.
Frequently asked questions
Can one app control every brand?
No claim of universal compatibility is honest. Every approach depends on what each vendor and device exposes. Test your own models.
Is Port OS free?
We do not publish pricing here. Port OS is in alpha, so contact the team for current pricing or compatibility commitments.
What if my provider is not in the catalog?
Use another option for that device, or keep it in its own vendor app. Compatibility cannot be created by rewording a request to an assistant.