{
 "caption": "The Local Control Index, September 2026. Each platform is scored on eight criteria worth 100 points: full points where the vendor documents the behavior, half where it works with a documented caveat, zero where the cloud is required. Method at /methodology/.",
 "version": "2026.09",
 "updated": "2026-09-07",
 "license": "CC BY 4.0, Smart Living Web",
 "columns": [
  {
   "key": "platform",
   "label": "Platform"
  },
  {
   "key": "total",
   "label": "Score /100"
  },
  {
   "key": "lan",
   "label": "Local app control on the LAN"
  },
  {
   "key": "auto",
   "label": "Local automation execution"
  },
  {
   "key": "voice",
   "label": "Local voice control"
  },
  {
   "key": "state",
   "label": "Local state and sensor reporting"
  },
  {
   "key": "shutdown",
   "label": "Survives a vendor shutdown"
  },
  {
   "key": "api",
   "label": "Local API or integration surface"
  },
  {
   "key": "fw",
   "label": "Local firmware and backup control"
  },
  {
   "key": "account",
   "label": "No account required"
  },
  {
   "key": "note",
   "label": "Why"
  }
 ],
 "rows": [
  {
   "platform": "Home Assistant",
   "key": "home-assistant",
   "total": 100,
   "lan": "20 / 20",
   "auto": "20 / 20",
   "voice": "10 / 10",
   "state": "10 / 10",
   "shutdown": "15 / 15",
   "api": "10 / 10",
   "fw": "10 / 10",
   "account": "5 / 5",
   "note": "The reference implementation of local control. Cloud is an optional paid add-on for remote access and voice services, and everything works without it."
  },
  {
   "platform": "Hubitat Elevation",
   "key": "hubitat",
   "total": 87.5,
   "lan": "20 / 20",
   "auto": "20 / 20",
   "voice": "0 / 10",
   "state": "10 / 10",
   "shutdown": "15 / 15",
   "api": "10 / 10",
   "fw": "10 / 10",
   "account": "2.5 / 5",
   "note": "Rules run on the hub in milliseconds and survive an outage. Loses points only for having no local voice option and for requiring an account at registration."
  },
  {
   "platform": "Homey Pro",
   "key": "homey",
   "total": 62.5,
   "lan": "10 / 20",
   "auto": "20 / 20",
   "voice": "0 / 10",
   "state": "10 / 10",
   "shutdown": "7.5 / 15",
   "api": "10 / 10",
   "fw": "5 / 10",
   "account": "0 / 5",
   "note": "Automations are genuinely on-premise, but owners report the mobile app needing to reauthorize against the internet, which can lock you out mid-outage. Scored half on app control for that reason."
  },
  {
   "platform": "Apple Home",
   "key": "apple",
   "total": 60,
   "lan": "20 / 20",
   "auto": "20 / 20",
   "voice": "0 / 10",
   "state": "10 / 10",
   "shutdown": "7.5 / 15",
   "api": "0 / 10",
   "fw": "2.5 / 10",
   "account": "0 / 5",
   "note": "Automations run on the HomePod or Apple TV, so they survive an outage. Siri does not, there is no local API, and there is no way to export or back up your configuration."
  },
  {
   "platform": "Samsung SmartThings",
   "key": "smartthings",
   "total": 30,
   "lan": "10 / 20",
   "auto": "10 / 20",
   "voice": "0 / 10",
   "state": "10 / 10",
   "shutdown": "0 / 15",
   "api": "0 / 10",
   "fw": "0 / 10",
   "account": "0 / 5",
   "note": "Edge drivers execute on the hub, which is real local processing, but Samsung does not document which routines run locally during an outage. Scored half where the evidence is partial."
  },
  {
   "platform": "Google Home",
   "key": "google",
   "total": 15,
   "lan": "10 / 20",
   "auto": "0 / 20",
   "voice": "0 / 10",
   "state": "5 / 10",
   "shutdown": "0 / 15",
   "api": "0 / 10",
   "fw": "0 / 10",
   "account": "0 / 5",
   "note": "Local Matter control covers lights, plugs and switches only. Routines and all voice remain cloud side, which the twelve hour outage in August 2026 demonstrated at scale."
  },
  {
   "platform": "Amazon Alexa",
   "key": "alexa",
   "total": 5,
   "lan": "0 / 20",
   "auto": "0 / 20",
   "voice": "0 / 10",
   "state": "5 / 10",
   "shutdown": "0 / 15",
   "api": "0 / 10",
   "fw": "0 / 10",
   "account": "0 / 5",
   "note": "On-device voice processing was removed in March 2025 with no opt-out. Devices stay reachable at the protocol level, but nothing in the Alexa layer works without the internet."
  }
 ]
}