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As technology advances each day, homeowners can automate their homes and control smart products within those homes. Smart hubs come in handy if you’re looking to control your smart home remotely over a network.
But not all smart hubs will be up for the challenge since some have inferior build and won’t perform excellently.
The two most sought-after smart hubs are the Samsung smartthings hub and Vera plus hub. The two smart hubs perform excellently, and users might have a daunting task choosing the best one for them.
This article will compare the two smart hubs and look at their pros and cons. So, be sure to read on for more information.
The Installation Process
Smartthings hub and Vera Plus have somewhat similar installation processes. They need you to plug them into a power outlet since they need electrical energy to function. They also need your home’s internet connection to control all devices connected to the same internet connection.
But how you connect them to your home’s network is somehow different. For the Vera control hub, you will directly plug it into an ethernet port for internet connectivity.
But when using the Smartthings hub, you will have to connect it to your home’s router. Both connection methods aim to give smart hubs internet connectivity.
So, there is a difference in how you connect the two smart home devices to the network. But the installation processes are straightforward, and users don’t have a problem installing their smart hubs.
Smart Hub Set Up
Once your smart hub has an electrical power supply and is connected to your home’s network, setting up the smart hub becomes the next step. Both Smartthings and Vera Plus have a straightforward setup that guarantees excellent performance.
Smartthings Hub Setup
You will use the smartthings app to create an account. The mobile app also allows you to add smart home products to the smart hub for hassle-free smart home control.
Your smartphone or tablet will become the control panel for instructing the Smartthings hub to execute a particular task.
The smartthings works efficiently and even checks if there is any firmware update. Once you have set up the smartthings hub, you can control the added smart products remotely!
Vera Plus Hub Setup
The setup is a bit different for Vera Plus smart hub. When setting up this smart hub, you will go to the Vera Plus website and create an account.
You will then register your Vera Plus smart hub using its serial number.
Once you’re past this milestone, you can add the devices you want to control using this smart home hub.
Network Protocols Compatibility
Smartthings and Vera Plus have all gone through significant advancements to be compatible with many home security products.
You can be sure to control a wide range of smart home products if you invest in either Smartthings or Vera Edge as a smart home controller.
But these two smart home controllers are different if you look at the network protocols they use to connect with other smart home products in your home.
Smartthings Hub
- Wirelessly connect and control a wide range of compatible smart devices from 40+ partner brands, including voice assistants, lights & switches, speakers, cameras, sensors and more.
- Teach the hub your Good Morning, Goodbye, Goodnight, and other routines to automatically turn devices on or off throughout the day.
- 24/7 Monitoring: Receive app alerts from connected devices when there’s unexpected activity in your home.
Smartthings Hub has fewer protocols among the two smart hubs. But it still connects excellently with the smart home products on the same network. Smartthings use the following network protocols:
- ZigBee
- Z-Wave
- IP
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| It has a built-in battery pack. | 130-ft. range. |
| Compatible with 200 smart home products. | It supports only three communication protocols. |
| The mobile app is easy to use. | |
| Smartthings Hub Reviews |
Vera Plus Hub
- Supports Z-Wave Plus, ZigBee, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB, and VeraLink devices
- Fast 880 MHZ Dual-Core MIPS SoC processor and doubled memory (512MB)
- Built-in siren alarm to alert neighbors and scare off intruders
- Works with up to 2,000 devices from all major brands
- Control all devices and view cameras from one app
This smart hub is compatible with one more network protocol. It also excellently connects with smart home products through the following network protocols:
- Wi-Fi
- ZigBee
- Z-Wave
- Bluetooth BLE
Vera Plus has more protocols for its users, and it includes Bluetooth connectivity in its protocols. But this does not mean it is better than the Smartthings hub. Smartthings hub doesn’t have a direct connection to a home’s Wi-Fi network.
But you can still connect it to a home’s Wi-Fi network through a router. If you’re planning to use a smart hub to control your home’s security, be sure to look for a smart hub with many protocols.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| It has a geofencing capability. | It only has 1 USB port. |
| It has four communication protocols. | There isn't a built-in battery pack. |
| It has a Wi-Fi receiver. | The setup is a bit complicated. |
| Vera Plus Hub Reviews |
The Design
Smartthings Hub
Smartthings smart hubs feature a white color design. They also work with Amazon Alexa besides working with the Smartthings App.
As such, you can control your smart home by issuing voice commands if you have connected the Smartthings hub with Amazon Alexa.
Smartthings hubs also work with a wide array of smart home products such as light bulbs, smart locks, speakers, and thermostats, among others.
Vera Plus Hub
Vera Plus smart hub features a black color finish. You can add over 100 devices to this smart hub as long as they are compatible with this smart hub’s network protocols. It gives users a wide option of smart home products to add to the network protocols.
You can connect your thermostat to this smart hub and monitor its energy use. This allows you to monitor energy use in your home, and you can make adjustments as need dictates.
You can also add light bulbs and smart locks as devices for a more functional smart home.
Simultaneous Device Control
Smartthings Hub
When it comes to controlling smart home devices, Smartthings smart hub beats Vera Plus smart hub. You can control 200 devices simultaneously with this smart hub.
Vera Plus Hub
The number of devices you can simultaneously control with this smart hub is slightly lower, but you can still control 75-125 devices.
Therefore, you can be sure to control all your smart bulbs, thermostat, or even smart door locks with this smart hub.
Similarities between Smartthings and Vera Plus smart hubs
The two smart hubs work to control smart home products that are on the same network as them. They all come with their respective mobile apps to give users more control of their smart home products.
With mobile apps, homeowners can control each smart home product separately.
The mobile apps also allow smart homeowners to group certain smart home products and control them simultaneously. The two smart hubs are also compatible with many third-party smart home products.
Their apps also allow you to receive updates every time a new product is out on the market.
Differences between Smartthings and Vera Plus smart hubs
Although they work to achieve the same goal: to control a smart home, these two smart hubs have differences. The first noticeable difference is in the number of protocols they have.
Smartthings hub has only three network protocols, while Vera Plus smart hub has 4.
Smartthings hub also controls more devices simultaneously. It can control 200 devices, while Vera Plus controls 75-125 devices.
You can connect Smartthings to your home’s Wi-Fi network through a router. Smartthings hub can also work as a router.
Final Thoughts
Smartthings and Vera Plus smart hubs have their fair share of strengths and weaknesses. But they all perform exceptionally well if you are looking to control your smart home.
Your choice for a particular smart hub should depend on what you’re looking to achieve.
If you want a smart hub that is easy to set up, then Smartthings might be the smart hub to buy. But if you are looking for a smart hub with many network protocols, Vera Plus is your option here.
You will also need to consider the number of devices you’re looking to control in your smart home.
If you have many devices to control, Smartthings smart hub is the device to buy. Both smart hubs work excellently, and they are the most popular smart hub brands.
But users can also try google home smart products to control their smart homes.
We hope this guide has helped you know the smart hub that’s right for your home
. Since we’re a participant in the Amazon Services LLC associates program an affiliate advertising link to the Amazon product page is in this article.
The links are there to help smart homeowners source the smart hubs we’ve reviewed with ease. Be sure to click on the links to check the latest prices on Amazon.
| Smartthings hub and Vera plus | Product Information | Check Price |
|---|---|---|
Top
Top | Samsung GP-U999SJVLGDA 3rd Generation SmartThings Hub | Check Price |
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Top | Vera Control VeraSecure Advanced Smart Home Security Controller Hub | Check Price |
