One Year of Smart Home Compared: Building a Clearer Way to Choose Smart Home Devices
When I first started experimenting with smart home technology, I quickly realized how overwhelming the market had become. There are hundreds of devices — cameras, locks, bulbs, sensors, thermostats, and hubs — each with slightly different specs, compatibility promises, and marketing jargon. The problem wasn’t that there wasn’t enough information; it was that the information was scattered, repetitive, and often untrustworthy.
That frustration was the seed that grew into Smart Home Compared. Today, after more than a year of building, refining, and expanding the site, I wanted to share the story behind it, what it offers, and where I see it going.
Why I Built Smart Home Compared
The motivation was simple: I wanted a single, trustworthy place where people could actually compare devices side by side. Not a blog post written once and forgotten. Not a sales page filled with affiliate links and little substance. I wanted structured data, updated information, and transparency about what each product can — and cannot — do.
Over time, Smart Home Compared has evolved into three main types of content:
Category pages — where you can browse all devices of a certain type (for example, all smart cameras or smart plugs) and compare their core features.
Product pages — deep dives into a single device, with specs, integrations, compatibility, and pricing information.
Head-to-head comparisons — perhaps the most popular feature, where two devices are compared directly in a detailed table: “Eufy 4G Camera S230 vs Eufy SoloCam S220”, “Aqara Hub M3 vs Philips Hue Bridge Pro”, and so on.
A Data-Driven Approach
I spend a lot of time gathering and structuring data. Instead of treating each page as a standalone article, I built a database-driven backbone where information can be reused, compared, and updated automatically.
This approach allows Smart Home Compared to do things that most review blogs can’t:
- Consistent specifications: if a product updates its connectivity or integration, I can update it once and it propagates everywhere.
- Dynamic comparisons: every head-to-head table is generated from real data, not from subjective opinions.
- Price history tracking: I automatically fetch, store and visualize Amazon price trends, so visitors don’t just see today’s price but understand whether it’s a good deal historically.
Transparency First
Affiliate sites get a bad reputation because they often prioritize revenue over accuracy. I wanted Smart Home Compared to be different. Yes, I monetize the site through Amazon affiliate links, but the content is not written to push one product over another. Instead:
- I highlight missing features openly. If a device doesn’t support Matter, HomeKit, or local control, I say it.
- I separate specs from marketing. You’ll see connectivity protocols, integrations, and warranty terms clearly listed.
- I avoid clutter. No pop-ups, no unrelated ads, no “top 10” lists without substance.
My belief is simple: trust is the only long-term strategy that works.
How the Site Has Grown
Over the past year, the site has grown significantly:
- More than 400 products listed across 27 categories.
- Thousands of comparison pages indexed by Google, helping people answer very specific questions.
- Live deal tracking on Twitter, where I post discounts and promotions in real time for smart home devices.
Traffic has been steadily increasing, and more importantly, I’m starting to hear from people who found the site genuinely useful in making a purchase decision. That’s the most rewarding part of the project.
The Bigger Picture
Smart home technology is moving fast: Matter is slowly rolling out, ecosystems are competing for dominance, and consumers are left wondering which devices will still work five years from now. I don’t claim to have all the answers, but I believe well-structured, transparent comparisons are the best way to navigate the noise.
That’s what I want Smart Home Compared to stand for: clarity in a crowded space.
Looking Ahead
In the coming months, I’ll keep expanding the database with more categories and products, and also refining the comparison logic. I’m also experimenting with new tools to help users choose devices not just by specs, but by compatibility with the ecosystem they already own.
Ultimately, Smart Home Compared is not a static website — it’s a living project that grows with the market and with my own curiosity as a smart home enthusiast.
Closing Thoughts
When I launched Smart Home Compared, it was out of personal necessity. A year later, it has become a resource for thousands of people facing the same questions I once had.
If you’re thinking about making your home smarter — whether it’s with a simple water leak sensor, a secure smart lock, or a full ecosystem of devices — I invite you to explore the site. Hopefully, it will save you time, frustration, and maybe even some money along the way.
