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Lighting controllers

A lighting controller is a small box wired between a power supply and a plain LED strip or tape, which is how under-cabinet and cove lighting becomes smart without replacing the fixtures. It is the flexible path, and the one where matching the voltages is on you.

In the catalog
11
Work without a hub
8 of 11
Hub required
3
Most common radios
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth LE, Zigbee, Matter
Price range
$8 to $385

What decides compatibility

  • The controller voltage has to match the LED run and the power supply, usually 12V or 24V. Mismatches either do not light or burn out.
  • Channel count sets what you can control: single color, tunable white, RGB, or RGBW.
  • Amperage per channel caps how long a run you can drive from one controller.

How these connect to your system

A works-with badge does not say how the device gets there, and the path changes what you get. Direct means the maker built the integration and the device's own features tend to come with it. Via Matter means the standard controls work and anything unusual about the device may not carry over. Via a hub means you need a second box, usually the maker's own, before it works at all.

  • Alexa8 work with it
    Direct 6Via Matter 1Via a hub 1
  • Google Home8 work with it
    Direct 7Via Matter 1
  • Home Assistant4 work with it
    Via Matter 1Via an add-on 3
  • SmartThings3 work with it
    Direct 2Via Matter 1
  • Hubitat2 work with it
    Direct 2
  • Hue1 work with it
    Direct 1
  • Apple Home1 work with it
    Via Matter 1

Lighting controllers we list

Filter and compare these in the catalog
Hue Play HDMI Sync Box
Hue Play HDMI Sync Box
Philips Hue · Lighting controller · Zigbee
Hub requiredHue
$385
Inovelli Blue Series Smart Fan/Light Canopy Module (VZM36)
Inovelli Blue Series Smart Fan/Light Canopy Module (VZM36)
Inovelli · Lighting controller · Zigbee
Hub requiredSmartThingsHome AssistantAlexaHubitat
$55
Shelly DALI Dimmer Gen3
Shelly DALI Dimmer Gen3
Shelly · Lighting controller · Wi-Fi
No hubGoogleAlexa
$50
Shelly Mini 1PM Gen 3
Shelly · Lighting controller · Matter
No hubSmartThingsAppleGoogleHome AssistantAlexa
$13
Shelly Plus 1
Shelly · Lighting controller · Wi-Fi
No hubGoogleAlexa
$21
Shelly Plus 2PM
Shelly Plus 2PM
Shelly · Lighting controller · Wi-Fi
No hubGoogleAlexa
$55
Shelly Plus RGBW PM
Shelly · Lighting controller · Wi-Fi
No hubGoogleAlexa
$40
Shelly Pro RGBWW PM
Shelly Pro RGBWW PM
Shelly · Lighting controller · Wi-Fi
No hubGoogleAlexa
$85
Sonoff Basic R3
Sonoff Basic R3
Sonoff · Lighting controller · Wi-Fi
No hubGoogleHome Assistant
$8
Sonoff Mini Extreme
Sonoff · Lighting controller · Wi-Fi
No hubGoogleAlexa
$13
Zooz Z-Wave Long Range RGBW Dimmer ZEN56 800LR
Zooz Z-Wave Long Range RGBW Dimmer ZEN56 800LR
Zooz · Lighting controller · Z-Wave
Hub requiredSmartThingsHome AssistantHubitat
$50

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