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Home Assistant runs on lots of hardware, but three options stand out in 2026: the Home Assistant Green, the Home Assistant Yellow, and a Raspberry Pi. Here’s how to choose. (For the big picture, see our complete Home Assistant guide.)
Home Assistant Green — easiest for most people
The Green is a plug-and-play box: power it on, connect Ethernet, and you’re running Home Assistant in minutes. No flashing, no assembly. It’s the best pick for homeowners who want the simplest path to a reliable hub. The main limitation is that it has no built-in Zigbee/Z-Wave radio, so you add a USB stick if you need those.
Home Assistant Yellow — best for built-in radios & expansion
The Yellow is designed for enthusiasts and larger setups. It includes a built-in Zigbee/Thread radio, supports a Raspberry Pi Compute Module, and can take an NVMe SSD for fast, durable storage. It costs more and may require some assembly, but it’s the most “future-proof” option for a serious smart home.
Raspberry Pi — flexible and budget-friendly
A Raspberry Pi 4 or 5 is the classic DIY route — affordable and capable, but you handle the setup yourself (see our Raspberry Pi installation guide). It’s a great choice if you already have one or enjoy tinkering. For reliability, run it from an SSD rather than an SD card.
Which should you buy?
Choose the Green for the simplest reliable setup, the Yellow if you want built-in radios and room to expand, and a Raspberry Pi if you want flexibility on a budget. Whichever you pick, the hardware is only step one — pairing devices, dashboards, and automations are where a system comes to life.
Not sure which fits your home? We’ll recommend and install the right hardware as part of our smart home installation services. Get a free consultation.
