What October 2026 looked like
The headline numbers of the month, each one backed by the tables further down.
- 14smart home products launched in October 2026, led by cameras with 7.
- $195.49was the median price of the products released in October 2026.
- $99.99is the median price across the catalog, up 11.1% since September 2026.
- +5.3%the median catalog price rose over the month, measured across 1017 products.
- 31.7%of the products we track support Matter, up 1.5 points since September 2026. Among October 2026 launches it was 30.8%.
- -73%change in launches against the month before.
What came out in October 2026
Everything in this part is measured over the products released during the month.
Products released in October 2026
See all 14 products as a table
Which categories moved in October 2026
Where this month's releases landed.
Which brands were most active in October 2026
The manufacturers behind this month's releases, and where they are based.
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8Deepest price cuts
| Brand | Median change | Products |
|---|---|---|
| Aqara | -53.4% | 1 |
| Narwal | -51.9% | 2 |
| Aiper | -46.2% | 1 |
| Shark | -45.5% | 1 |
| Ecovacs | -40.8% | 2 |
| Eufy | -33.8% | 1 |
Where they are based
China6 products
USA5 products
Hong Kong3 productsWhich products changed price in October 2026
Across every product in the catalog.
Median price by category
| Category | Start of month | End of month | Change | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LED Bulbs | $39.49 | $24.99 | -36.7% | 19 |
| Ceiling Lights | $104.98 | $89.98 | -14.3% | 8 |
| Temperature & Humidity Sensors | $21.49 | $19.99 | -7% | 34 |
| Air Quality Monitors | $136.91 | $127.97 | -6.5% | 25 |
| Water Timers | $50.75 | $48.25 | -4.9% | 10 |
| Buttons | $24.95 | $23.99 | -3.8% | 23 |
| Garage Door Openers | $67.49 | $66.49 | -1.5% | 10 |
| Wall Switches | $34.99 | $34.59 | -1.1% | 32 |
| Alarm Systems | $208.99 | $206.99 | -1% | 7 |
| Robot Vacuums | $649.99 | $644.99 | -0.8% | 154 |
| Dongles | $65 | $65 | 0% | 35 |
| IR Remote Controls | $44.99 | $44.99 | 0% | 13 |
Show the remaining 27 rows
| Category | Start of month | End of month | Change | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lamps | $139.99 | $139.99 | 0% | 6 |
| Motion Sensors | $28.99 | $28.99 | 0% | 28 |
| Presence Sensors | $39.99 | $39.99 | 0% | 12 |
| Radiator Valves | $52.49 | $52.49 | 0% | 2 |
| Robotic Pool Cleaners | $699 | $699 | 0% | 23 |
| Vibration Sensors | $19.99 | $19.99 | 0% | 3 |
| Voice Assistants | $149.99 | $149.99 | 0% | 17 |
| Wall Outlets | $28.49 | $28.49 | 0% | 4 |
| Water Leak Sensors | $24.99 | $24.99 | 0% | 31 |
| Water Shutoff Valves | $284.60 | $284.60 | 0% | 11 |
| Window Coverings | $158.99 | $158.99 | 0% | 11 |
| Plugs | $22 | $22.26 | +1.2% | 31 |
| Thermostats | $118.92 | $121.25 | +2% | 20 |
| Doorbells | $104.99 | $108.34 | +3.2% | 42 |
| Door & Window Sensors | $28.99 | $29.99 | +3.4% | 30 |
| Door Locks | $169.99 | $175.99 | +3.5% | 47 |
| Light Strips | $69.99 | $72.99 | +4.3% | 19 |
| Outdoor Lights | $130.79 | $138.61 | +6% | 5 |
| Hubs | $84.50 | $89.97 | +6.5% | 24 |
| Relays | $20.95 | $22.45 | +7.2% | 32 |
| Cameras | $79 | $84.99 | +7.6% | 127 |
| Robot Lawn Mowers | $1,799.99 | $1,937.40 | +7.6% | 37 |
| Energy Monitors | $107.99 | $117.49 | +8.8% | 16 |
| Smoke & CO Detectors | $49.99 | $54.99 | +10% | 14 |
| Air Purifiers | $264.98 | $294.99 | +11.3% | 38 |
| Displays | $179.99 | $249.99 | +38.9% | 13 |
| Sirens | $44.99 | $62.49 | +38.9% | 4 |
Biggest price drops
Biggest price increases
| Product | Brand | From | To | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arlo Essential HD (2nd Gen) | Arlo | $14.99 | $46.28 | +208.7% |
| iRobot Roomba 205 | iRobot | $149.99 | $449.99 | +200% |
| Arlo Essential Wireless Video Doorbell | Arlo | $56 | $129.99 | +132.1% |
| Eve Motion | Eve | $35.57 | $79.49 | +123.5% |
| MOVA Z60 Ultra Roller SA | MOVA | $499 | $999 | +100.2% |
| Ring Floodlight Cam 2K | Ring | $99.99 | $199.99 | +100% |
| Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Plus | Ring | $89.99 | $179.99 | +100% |
| Ring Indoor Cam Plus | Ring | $29.99 | $59.99 | +100% |
| Ring Indoor Cam | Ring | $24.99 | $49.99 | +100% |
| Ring Outdoor Cam (2nd Gen) | Ring | $49.99 | $99.99 | +100% |
Prices are what a shopper would pay (the discounted price when a discount is active), read daily for every category alike.
The state of the smart home
Everything in this part is measured over the whole catalog, as it stood on the report date, against the September 2026 report.
What the catalog covers
Every catalog figure in this report is measured against this catalog, and this is how it is made up.
Each rectangle is a category, and its size is its share of the catalog. Green means the category gained share since the September 2026 report, red means it lost it. Hover a small one to see which it is.
| Category | Products | Share of catalog |
|---|---|---|
| Robot Vacuums | 178 | 13.9% |
| Cameras | 146 | 11.4% |
| Door Locks | 57 | 4.5% |
| Wall Switches | 51 | 4% |
| Relays | 50 | 3.9% |
| Doorbells | 47 | 3.7% |
| Plugs | 46 | 3.6% |
| Robot Lawn Mowers | 43 | 3.4% |
| Air Purifiers | 41 | 3.2% |
| Dongles | 36 | 2.8% |
| Temperature & Humidity Sensors | 36 | 2.8% |
| Water Leak Sensors | 34 | 2.7% |
Show the remaining 28 categories
| Category | Products | Share of catalog |
|---|---|---|
| Air Quality Monitors | 32 | 2.5% |
| Door & Window Sensors | 32 | 2.5% |
| Hubs | 32 | 2.5% |
| Buttons | 31 | 2.4% |
| LED Bulbs | 28 | 2.2% |
| Motion Sensors | 28 | 2.2% |
| Smoke & CO Detectors | 27 | 2.1% |
| Energy Monitors | 25 | 2% |
| Robotic Pool Cleaners | 24 | 1.9% |
| Thermostats | 23 | 1.8% |
| Light Strips | 22 | 1.7% |
| Voice Assistants | 20 | 1.6% |
| Ceiling Lights | 19 | 1.5% |
| Alarm Systems | 18 | 1.4% |
| Displays | 16 | 1.3% |
| IR Remote Controls | 16 | 1.3% |
| Presence Sensors | 16 | 1.3% |
| Window Coverings | 15 | 1.2% |
| Radiator Valves | 14 | 1.1% |
| Garage Door Openers | 13 | 1% |
| Water Shutoff Valves | 13 | 1% |
| Lamps | 12 | 0.9% |
| Outdoor Lights | 12 | 0.9% |
| Wall Outlets | 11 | 0.9% |
| Water Timers | 11 | 0.9% |
| Sirens | 8 | 0.6% |
| Gas Detectors | 7 | 0.5% |
| Vibration Sensors | 5 | 0.4% |
The catalog by launch year
| Launch year | Products | Share of catalog |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (in progress) | 324 | 25.4% |
| 2025 | 274 | 21.5% |
| 2024 | 196 | 15.4% |
| 2023 | 134 | 10.5% |
| 2022 | 86 | 6.7% |
| 2021 | 105 | 8.2% |
| 2020 | 58 | 4.5% |
| 2019 | 44 | 3.4% |
Show every launch year
| Launch year | Products | Share of catalog |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 25 | 2% |
| 2017 | 9 | 0.7% |
| 2016 | 9 | 0.7% |
| 2015 | 6 | 0.5% |
| 2014 | 3 | 0.2% |
| 2013 | 2 | 0.2% |
| 2011 | 1 | 0.1% |
What the smart home costs in October 2026
Every product we track that lists a price, as of the report date, against the September 2026 report.
Where every category sits, and where it moved
How the catalog is priced
| Price band | October 2026 | Share | September 2026 share | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50 | 290 | 33% | 37.2% | -4.2 pp |
| $50 to $100 | 166 | 18.9% | 16.5% | +2.4 pp |
| $100 to $250 | 194 | 22% | 20.7% | +1.3 pp |
| $250 and up | 230 | 26.1% | 25.7% | +0.4 pp |
Prices are what a shopper would pay on the report date, taking the discounted price whenever a discount is running.
Ecosystem compatibility
Which smart home platforms a product can be controlled from, as declared by the manufacturer. Measured across every product we track as of October 2026, with the movement since September 2026.
| Ecosystems | Products | Catalog, October 2026 | vs September 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Assistant | 1,112 | 87.1% | -0.6 pp |
| Amazon Alexa | 1,021 | 80% | +0.5 pp |
| Google Home | 935 | 73.3% | 0 pp |
| SmartThings | 646 | 50.6% | +0.6 pp |
| Apple HomeKit | 532 | 41.7% | +0.5 pp |
| Matter | 405 | 31.7% | +1.5 pp |
Percentage points (pp) compare two shares directly.
Ecosystem compatibility, one by one
Where each one stands, and the categories leading and lagging on it.
Home Assistant- Strongest
- Relays 100%
- Weakest
- Robotic Pool Cleaners 4.2%
Amazon Alexa- Strongest
- Plugs 100%
- Weakest
- Water Leak Sensors 2.9%
Google Home- Strongest
- Ceiling Lights 100%
- Weakest
- Robotic Pool Cleaners 4.2%
SmartThings- Strongest
- Ceiling Lights 100%
- Weakest
- Voice Assistants 0%
Apple HomeKit- Strongest
- Ceiling Lights 100%
- Weakest
- Sirens 0%
Matter- Strongest
- Lamps 100%
- Weakest
- Gas Detectors 0%
Ecosystem compatibility by category
The whole picture in one grid: every category against every option, and how much of that category supports it. Darker means a bigger share of the products in that row.
| Category | Home Assistant | Amazon Alexa | Google Home | SmartThings | Apple HomeKit | Matter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ceiling Lights | 94.7% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 94.7% |
| Lamps | 100% | 91.7% | 91.7% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| LED Bulbs | 96.4% | 100% | 96.4% | 92.9% | 85.7% | 75% |
| Hubs | 96.9% | 100% | 96.9% | 84.4% | 75% | 68.8% |
| Plugs | 97.8% | 100% | 89.1% | 93.5% | 76.1% | 63% |
| Light Strips | 86.4% | 95.5% | 95.5% | 81.8% | 81.8% | 77.3% |
| Window Coverings | 80% | 100% | 100% | 80% | 86.7% | 66.7% |
| Radiator Valves | 100% | 100% | 92.9% | 78.6% | 71.4% | 64.3% |
| Relays | 100% | 98% | 90% | 88% | 62% | 62% |
| Wall Switches | 98% | 98% | 90.2% | 80.4% | 64.7% | 54.9% |
| Thermostats | 91.3% | 100% | 95.7% | 95.7% | 65.2% | 34.8% |
| Presence Sensors | 100% | 93.8% | 87.5% | 75% | 68.8% | 56.3% |
| Outdoor Lights | 83.3% | 91.7% | 83.3% | 66.7% | 66.7% | 66.7% |
| Door Locks | 78.9% | 96.5% | 96.5% | 64.9% | 64.9% | 56.1% |
| Wall Outlets | 100% | 100% | 100% | 54.5% | 45.5% | 36.4% |
| Temperature & Humidity Sensors | 88.9% | 86.1% | 69.4% | 80.6% | 58.3% | 52.8% |
| Robot Vacuums | 86% | 99.4% | 97.2% | 42.1% | 42.1% | 42.1% |
| Door & Window Sensors | 87.5% | 87.5% | 59.4% | 68.8% | 43.8% | 34.4% |
| Motion Sensors | 85.7% | 82.1% | 46.4% | 67.9% | 46.4% | 42.9% |
| IR Remote Controls | 87.5% | 87.5% | 87.5% | 37.5% | 31.3% | 18.8% |
| Displays | 93.8% | 81.3% | 43.8% | 25% | 25% | n/a |
| Cameras | 89% | 90.4% | 79.5% | 35.6% | 24.7% | 3.4% |
| Buttons | 100% | 48.4% | 29% | 61.3% | 45.2% | 32.3% |
| Energy Monitors | 100% | 56% | 56% | 56% | 24% | 24% |
| Water Shutoff Valves | 92.3% | 76.9% | 69.2% | 23.1% | 15.4% | 15.4% |
| Water Timers | 100% | 9.1% | 72.7% | 54.5% | 36.4% | 18.2% |
| Doorbells | 80.9% | 97.9% | 63.8% | 27.7% | 17% | 0% |
| Alarm Systems | 94.4% | 88.9% | 61.1% | 16.7% | 11.1% | 0% |
| Air Quality Monitors | 93.8% | 59.4% | 53.1% | 18.8% | 25% | 15.6% |
| Garage Door Openers | 53.8% | 61.5% | 61.5% | 53.8% | 23.1% | 7.7% |
| Water Leak Sensors | 82.4% | 2.9% | 41.2% | 50% | 38.2% | 20.6% |
| Robot Lawn Mowers | 86% | 83.7% | 65.1% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Voice Assistants | 100% | 55% | 25% | 0% | 10% | n/a |
| Air Purifiers | 48.8% | 70.7% | 65.9% | 12.2% | 12.2% | 12.2% |
| Smoke & CO Detectors | 74.1% | 14.8% | 48.1% | 33.3% | 14.8% | 14.8% |
| Sirens | 75% | 50% | 12.5% | 37.5% | 0% | 0% |
| Robotic Pool Cleaners | 4.2% | 4.2% | 4.2% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Connectivity protocols
Which radios a product ships with. A product can carry more than one, so these shares do not add up to 100%. Measured across every product we track as of October 2026, with the movement since September 2026.
| Protocols | Products | Catalog, October 2026 | vs September 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi | 863 | 67.6% | -0.6 pp |
| Bluetooth | 474 | 37.1% | +2 pp |
| Zigbee | 219 | 17.2% | +0.2 pp |
| 5 GHz Wi-Fi | 139 | 10.9% | -0.8 pp |
| Ethernet | 85 | 6.7% | +0.2 pp |
| Thread | 77 | 6% | +0.9 pp |
| Z-Wave | 41 | 3.2% | +0.8 pp |
| 6 GHz Wi-Fi | 4 | 0.3% | -0.3 pp |
Percentage points (pp) compare two shares directly.
Connectivity protocols, one by one
Where each one stands, and the categories leading and lagging on it.
2.4 GHz Wi-Fi- Strongest
- Doorbells 100%
- Weakest
- Vibration Sensors 0%
Bluetooth- Strongest
- Voice Assistants 100%
- Weakest
- Gas Detectors 0%
Zigbee- Strongest
- Vibration Sensors 100%
- Weakest
- Garage Door Openers 0%
5 GHz Wi-Fi- Strongest
- Voice Assistants 90%
- Weakest
- Vibration Sensors 0%
Ethernet- Strongest
- Hubs 68.8%
- Weakest
- Air Purifiers 0%
Thread- Strongest
- Door Locks 40.4%
- Weakest
- Gas Detectors 0%
Z-Wave- Strongest
- Alarm Systems 38.9%
- Weakest
- Vibration Sensors 0%
6 GHz Wi-Fi- Strongest
- Displays 25%
- Weakest
- Voice Assistants 10%
Adoption by product launch year
The same measurement, split by the year each product was released. It shows what manufacturers were shipping each year, not what the installed base looks like.
| Launch year | Matter | Zigbee | Thread | Z-Wave |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 24% | 40% | 0% | 0% |
| 2019 | 15.8% | 18.4% | 0% | 7.9% |
| 2020 | 27.8% | 33.3% | 1.9% | 11.1% |
| 2021 | 26.5% | 28.4% | 2% | 12.7% |
| 2022 | 15.2% | 21.5% | 3.8% | 0% |
| 2023 | 30.1% | 17.9% | 8.9% | 3.3% |
| 2024 | 35% | 11.9% | 9.6% | 1.7% |
| 2025 | 41.2% | 14.4% | 7.2% | 0.4% |
| 2026 (in progress) | 43.5% | 17.4% | 8.1% | 1.6% |
Connectivity protocols by category
The whole picture in one grid: every category against every option, and how much of that category supports it. Darker means a bigger share of the products in that row.
| Category | 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi | Bluetooth | Zigbee | 5 GHz Wi-Fi | Ethernet | Thread | Z-Wave | 6 GHz Wi-Fi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Displays | 100% | 93.8% | n/a | 81.3% | 6.3% | n/a | n/a | 25% |
| Voice Assistants | 100% | 100% | n/a | 90% | 5% | n/a | n/a | 10% |
| Lamps | 66.7% | 91.7% | 25% | 0% | n/a | 8.3% | n/a | n/a |
| Ceiling Lights | 63.2% | 68.4% | 26.3% | 0% | n/a | 31.6% | n/a | n/a |
| Alarm Systems | 77.8% | 38.9% | 22.2% | 22.2% | 61.1% | 0% | 38.9% | n/a |
| Light Strips | 72.7% | 90.9% | 22.7% | 0% | n/a | 0% | n/a | n/a |
| Thermostats | 91.3% | 47.8% | 8.7% | 43.5% | n/a | 8.7% | 0% | n/a |
| Outdoor Lights | 58.3% | 83.3% | 25% | 0% | n/a | 0% | n/a | n/a |
| Door Locks | 71.9% | 73.7% | 5.3% | 1.8% | n/a | 40.4% | 0% | n/a |
| LED Bulbs | 28.6% | 67.9% | 67.9% | 0% | n/a | 14.3% | 0% | n/a |
| Window Coverings | 40% | 33.3% | 40% | n/a | n/a | 26.7% | 6.7% | n/a |
| Relays | 52% | 50% | 68% | 0% | n/a | 0% | 0% | n/a |
| Plugs | 63% | 56.5% | 21.7% | 0% | n/a | 10.9% | 6.5% | n/a |
| Radiator Valves | 14.3% | 50% | 57.1% | 0% | n/a | 35.7% | 0% | n/a |
| Presence Sensors | 43.8% | 43.8% | 56.3% | 0% | n/a | 12.5% | 0% | n/a |
| Robot Vacuums | 99.4% | 39.3% | 0% | 9.6% | n/a | 0% | 0% | n/a |
| Energy Monitors | 72% | 40% | 32% | 0% | 24% | 0% | 4% | n/a |
| IR Remote Controls | 87.5% | n/a | 6.3% | 6.3% | 6.3% | 6.3% | n/a | n/a |
| Air Quality Monitors | 59.4% | 65.6% | 6.3% | 6.3% | 3.1% | 3.1% | 0% | n/a |
| Buttons | 0% | 32.3% | 45.2% | n/a | n/a | 6.5% | 16.1% | n/a |
| Water Shutoff Valves | 53.8% | 30.8% | 7.7% | n/a | n/a | 0% | 7.7% | n/a |
| Garage Door Openers | 92.3% | 38.5% | 0% | 0% | 7.7% | 0% | 0% | n/a |
| Water Timers | 9.1% | 63.6% | 36.4% | 0% | n/a | 9.1% | 0% | n/a |
| Wall Switches | 39.2% | 15.7% | 39.2% | 2% | n/a | 7.8% | 11.8% | n/a |
| Temperature & Humidity Sensors | 11.1% | 44.4% | 41.7% | 0% | n/a | 8.3% | 5.6% | n/a |
| Wall Outlets | 72.7% | 9.1% | 18.2% | 0% | n/a | 9.1% | 0% | n/a |
| Door & Window Sensors | 15.6% | 25% | 28.1% | 0% | n/a | 9.4% | 21.9% | n/a |
| Motion Sensors | 10.7% | 25% | 35.7% | 0% | n/a | 14.3% | 14.3% | n/a |
| Sirens | 25% | 12.5% | 37.5% | 0% | n/a | 0% | 25% | n/a |
| Smoke & CO Detectors | 63% | 11.1% | 7.4% | 0% | n/a | 11.1% | 3.7% | n/a |
| Water Leak Sensors | 35.3% | 23.5% | 26.5% | 0% | n/a | 2.9% | 5.9% | n/a |
| Air Purifiers | 82.9% | 24.4% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | n/a |
How these numbers are built
How every figure in this report is built.
Where the data comes from
Every figure is computed from our own product catalog, each product documented feature by feature against the spec sheet its category defines. The numbers are resolved once, when the report is published, and never recomputed: an edition is a snapshot of the month it covers, so a figure cited here reads the same a year later.
What the catalog figures measure
The state of the catalog (platform and protocol adoption, prices) is measured across every product we track as of the report date, not only the new ones. That is the number that describes the market and the one worth citing.
What the launch figures cover
Launches are the products in our catalog whose release date falls in October 2026. A single month is a small, early signal of where the market is heading, never a measurement of it.
What each share is a share of
Every share in a chapter divides by the same number: the products in the categories whose spec sheet asks at least one of that chapter's questions. That is what makes the figures comparable with each other. Categories that ask none of them stay out entirely, because counting a product as lacking a feature its category never had would deflate every share with products that were never candidates.
How support is counted
A product counts as supporting a feature only when we have verified that support against the manufacturer's own documentation. Everything else counts as not supported, including the products whose spec sheet leaves the question open.
How prices are measured
Prices all come from a single store, so the medians of two categories are comparable, and they are what a shopper would pay on the report date, discounts included: a report is dated, and on its date that is the price. Products not sold there are left out of the price figures.
How the movement is read
Month-over-month changes compare against the figures published in the previous report, not against a recomputation of that month. Each edition is fixed, so the two never disagree about the same period.
How the price index moves
The index is the median price across the products we track, comparing the first and the last day of the month. Prices are read daily for every category alike, and a product whose price held steady carries its previous one forward.
What this data is not
This is a curated catalog, not a census of everything on the market. It covers the products worth comparing in each category, which skews toward what is actually sold and reviewed. Read every figure as a share of what we track, not as a share of the whole market. Prices are read in a single marketplace so that categories stay comparable; other regions may differ.
Cite this report
These figures are free to reuse. Copy whichever format fits, or take the raw data.
Plain text
Smart Home Compared, "The State of the Smart Home, October 2026", October 2026. https://smarthomecompared.com/reports/october-2026HTML (keeps the link)
<a href="https://smarthomecompared.com/reports/october-2026">The State of the Smart Home, October 2026</a>, Smart Home ComparedAcademic
Smart Home Compared. (2026). The State of the Smart Home, October 2026. Retrieved from https://smarthomecompared.com/reports/october-2026Free to reuse with attribution and a link back to this report.
Download the data
Every figure on this page is in those files, each one with the numerator and denominator behind it, so any share here can be recomputed rather than taken on trust.