A smart garage controller is a practical addition to any modern smart home, offering the convenience of remote access to your garage door. With the ability to open, close, and monitor the garage door from anywhere, these devices significantly improve delivery management, bolster family safety, and streamline your daily vehicle routines.
This guide will explore some of the top Homey-compatible smart garage controllers on the market. We will focus on essential features like brand compatibility, ease of installation, and additional benefits that can elevate your connected home experience. Whether you're aiming to simplify your life or enhance security, a smart garage controller could be a perfect fit.
Key Considerations for Garage Controllers
When buying a garage controller, consider these essential factors to ensure you choose the best fit for your home’s security and convenience needs.
Compatibility with Your Garage Door System
Firstly, check if the controller is compatible with your garage door opener or motor model. Some manufacturers design controllers for specific brands or types of garage doors. Therefore, verify compatibility before buying to avoid installation issues.
Security Features
Security is vital for a garage door, as it’s often an entry point to your home. Therefore, consider models with end-to-end encryption, two-factor authentication, and notifications for door activity to enhance security and peace of mind.
Ease of Installation
Some smart garage controllers are wireless and completely plug-and-play, while others may require more complex wiring. Ensure the setup process matches your technical comfort level, or consider hiring a professional if installation is more involved.
Additional Functionalities
Consider the added benefit of extra features like geofencing, scheduling, or automatic closing after a specified time. These features provide convenience and enhanced control over your garage door, especially for busy households.
Price
Prices range for smart garage controllers from budget-friendly options to premium models. Higher-priced controllers often come with extra features, so it’s worth considering which functionalities are essential for your setup before deciding.
| Brand | Model | Protocol | Installation | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 ismartgate | PRO Garage Opener |  Wi-Fi | Wired | €179.00 |
 Meross | MSG200 Garage Opener | Wi-Fi | Wired | €64.53 |
 OpenGarage | Universal Door Opener | Wi-Fi | Wired | €89.00 |
 Remootio | 3 Garage Controller | Wi-Fi | Wired | €119.00 |
 Somfy | Tahoma Switch | Wi-Fi | Wireless | €199.00 |
 Yale Home | Smart Garage Opener | Wi-Fi | Wired | €149.00 |
ismartgate PRO Garage Opener
- 3 doors per device
- Includes tilt sensor
- Optional camera
- Involved installation
The ismartgate PRO is a wired smart opener remotely controlling up to three garage doors or gates. It supports various garage motor brands, including Chamberlain, Craftsman, and LiftMaster, making it compatible with many existing models.
The ismartgate PRO offers several advanced features. It automatically opens or closes your garage door as you approach or leave, providing hands-free convenience. The PRO kit includes a contact and tilt sensor that easily tracks door status. Users can add an optional camera to provide a live video feed of entry points for enhanced security. These additional sensors and cameras are sold separately and must be installed for each door or gate.
User management is simplified and easy with ismartgate PRO. The platform allows you to create multiple profiles with customized permissions restricting access by time, location, and specific door. The device also includes an audio player to play customized sounds or music upon arrival or departure. Additionally, there are two powerful LED lights to provide extra entryway lightning when parking.
Using Wi-Fi, the ismartgate PRO connects seamlessly to your home network. It integrates with Homey Pro, enabling users to control and monitor each door independently. The integration also provides battery and temperature monitoring for each contact sensor, enhancing your home security.
Meross MSG200 Garage Opener
- Affordable
- Wide compatibility
- External antenna for better reception
- Limited features
The Meross MSG200 is another smart garage door opener that enables remote control of up to three garage doors. Its wired connection to your existing garage motors ensures reliable communication between the MSG200 and your garage door system.
This device is compatible with over 200 brands and 1,600 models, including modern and older garage openers from the 1990s. Its high-sensitivity sensor accurately monitors your garage door’s status, allowing you to check if it is open or closed.
The MSG200 provides real-time notifications, such as door open/close status, overtime alerts if the door remains open for an extended period, and overnight reminders to ensure the garage door is closed. However, its feature set stops here, as it is incapable of advanced features like geofencing or multi-user customization.
The Meross MSG200 integrates with Homey Pro over Wi-Fi, enabling users to remotely control and monitor their garage doors. The device has an external antenna, which enhances Wi-Fi signal reception and ensures it’s always online.
OpenGarage Universal Door Opener
- Affordable
- Open-source
- Ultrasonic distance sensor
- Sensor placement can be tricky
OpenGarage is an open-source, WiFi-enabled device developed by OpenSprinkler for remote monitoring and control of garage doors and gates. The hardware design, software code, and API documentation are publicly available, allowing users to customize it to their needs.
OpenGarage is compatible with various garage door openers, including Chamberlain, Ryobi, and Hörmann models. However, users need an additional adapter for some motor models with a YELLOW learn button (indicating Security+ 2.0 technology) to ensure compatibility.
The device includes a built-in ultrasonic distance sensor to monitor vehicle presence and distance in the garage. This functionality effectively enables OpenGarage to serve as a parking sensor, helping you position your car at an optimal distance. Users can also connect temperature and humidity sensors to create a comprehensive garage monitoring system with data logging capabilities.
The OpenGarage Universal Gate Controller integrates well with Homey Pro. It allows users to monitor gate status, vehicle presence, and distance to the vehicle in their garage. However, it’s worth noting that adequate positioning of the device and sensor can be challenging and requires trial and error.
Remootio 3 Garage Controller
- Flexible installation
- User management
- Two accessory terminals
- Limited API access
The Remootio 3 is a Bluetooth and Wi-Fi-enabled device designed for smart control of garage doors and gates. It operates through wired connections to the garage or gate motor. It features two output relays, making it compatible with systems that require separate triggers for opening and closing.
Remootio 3 is compatible with various gate and garage door openers, including Chamberlain and LiftMaster models. Installation is flexible, with power options including a standard 5V USB charger, 5-32V DC, and 12-24V AC, allowing it to connect directly to the control board of most gate openers.
The device also provides two accessory input terminals that let users attach additional sensors or switches as triggers. With up to 20 virtual keys, users can easily share access and monitor the status of the door or gate, receiving notifications and alerts for any activity.
Remootio 3 connects to Homey over Wi-Fi, enabling users to control the gate, operate relay outputs, and monitor accessory inputs via the Homey app. It’s noteworthy that Remootio limits its API to 300 requests over 20 days, effectively allowing approximately six open-close actions per day.
Somfy Tahoma Switch
- No wiring
- Easy to use
- Long-range connectivity
- Limited compatibility
Unlike other garage controllers on our list, the Somfy TaHoma Switch is primarily a smart home hub that connects and controls several Somfy devices, including garage doors and gate openers. It supports Somfy models such as DEXXO, ROLLIXO, and EVOLVIA, as well as select third-party models like those from BFT and Simu.
The TaHoma Switch communicates wirelessly with compatible devices via Somfy’s io-homecontrol and RTS protocols, eliminating the need for direct wiring to the garage motor. Additionally, it can connect with Zigbee devices, enabling the integration of sensors and wireless switches for enhanced control of your garage doors. Somfy’s proprietary RF-based protocols provide a range of up to 200 meters in open spaces, making it possible to manage multiple gates or garage doors on large properties with a single TaHoma Switch.
When integrated with Homey, each paired garage door can be opened, closed, set to an exact position, and monitored for real-time status. While the Somfy TaHoma Switch operates wirelessly and requires minimal setup, its compatibility list for garage controllers is relatively limited and primarily focused on Somfy models.
Yale Home Smart Garage Opener
- Custom PIN Access
- Geofencing feature
- Includes contact sensor
- Pricy
The Yale Home Smart Opener is a two-piece smart controller for garage and gate doors. It includes a Smart Opener and a Door Position Sensor with a magnet, which provides seamless access and security.
The device connects to your home network over Wi-Fi. However, you must wire the Smart Opener to the gate or garage motor. It supports various garage models, including brands like Chamberlain, LiftMaster, and Craftsman. The geofencing feature automatically opens the door as you approach, eliminating the need for a traditional remote.
Once integrated into Homey, users can grant access to family members, friends, or service providers by assigning unique PIN codes that users can delete when no longer needed. The Homey app allows users to monitor the door status and control it remotely or automatically via Flows. Notably, this smart opener is more expensive than similar devices and controls only one garage or gate door.
