How do I know if my switch box has a neutral wire?

Turn off the breaker, remove the wallplate, and look for a bundle of white wires, usually capped together at the back of the box. Homes wired from the 1980s onward mostly have one at the switch; older homes often do not. When in doubt, an electrician can confirm in minutes, and it is worth confirming before you buy, not after.

Which smart dimmers work without a neutral wire?

In our library, two paths: the Lutron Caseta Diva needs no neutral and no extra parts by design, and the Inovelli Blue 2-1 supports no-neutral installs if you add a bypass device at the light fixture. The Cync, Kasa, and Leviton dimmers all require a neutral.

Do smart switches work with smart bulbs?

They solve different problems and usually should not share a circuit: a dimmer varies power to the fixture, which most smart bulbs handle poorly. Pick the layer that fits the fixture. Bulbs and strips live in our lighting directory; the wall hardware lives here.

What does the question mark in the table mean?

It marks a case we checked and official documentation does not answer. We record 'unknown' rather than guessing in either direction.

Every Smart Switch and Dimmer Compared: Check Your Wiring First (2026)

Every product page for a smart dimmer leads with the app. The thing that decides whether you can use one at all is inside the wall: whether your switch box has a neutral wire, whether the location is single-pole or 3-way, and what the LED load limit is. So this directory leads with the install reality, and the table renders live from the same sourced records behind our compatibility checker.

Show only ones that work with:

Product	~Price*	Amazon Alexa	Google Home	Apple Home	SmartThings	Home Assistant	Connection	Hub needed	Cloud-dependent	Subscription
IKEA BILRESA Remote Control (Dual Button)✓ fully verified	$6.99	worksAmazon Alexa: works	worksGoogle Home: works	worksApple Home: works	worksSmartThings: works	worksHome Assistant: works	Thread · Matter	Yes	No	—
IKEA BILRESA Remote Control (Dual Button) — the catch, per ecosystem ~$6.99 at time of research — never treated as a live price ✓ Amazon Alexa: works — Basis is IKEA's blanket statement of compatibility with Matter systems from Amazon, Apple, Google, Homey and Samsung; IKEA publishes no per-ecosystem listing of which button actions (single, double, long press) each platform exposes. An on-page customer Q&A reports Alexa surfaces only single-press per button; that report is unverified against any official document. ✓ Google Home: works — IKEA's blanket Matter-systems statement naming Google; button-action depth per platform is not documented by IKEA. Thread border router on the Google side required. ✓ Apple Home: works — IKEA's blanket Matter-systems statement naming Apple; button-action depth per platform is not documented by IKEA. Thread border router on the Apple side required. ✓ SmartThings: works — IKEA's blanket Matter-systems statement naming Samsung; button-action depth per platform is not documented by IKEA. Thread border router on the Samsung side required. ✓ Home Assistant: works — IKEA does not name Home Assistant. The path is HA's official Matter integration (local push); the CSA cert types this device as a Matter Generic Switch (0x000F), and no IKEA-specific HA listing exists. Connection: Thread · Matter · Hub for full use: Yes (Matter controller plus a Thread border router; IKEA's stated example is its DIRIGERA hub. Per IKEA's compatibility statement it works with Matter systems from Amazon, Apple, Google, Homey and Samsung through that platform's Thread border router. Controls up to 10 smart products.) · Cloud-dependent: No — core function survives without the vendor cloud Full sourced profile for IKEA BILRESA Remote Control (Dual Button) →
GE Cync Paddle Dimmer Smart Switch (Matter)✓ fully verified	$26	worksAmazon Alexa: works	worksGoogle Home: works	worksApple Home: works	worksSmartThings: works	worksHome Assistant: works	Matter · Wi-Fi · Bluetooth	No	No	—
GE Cync Paddle Dimmer Smart Switch (Matter) — the catch, per ecosystem ~$26 at time of research — never treated as a live price ✓ Amazon Alexa: works — Two real paths: Matter (local, no account — but on/off/dim only) or the cloud-linked Cync Alexa skill; the WiFi path is not 'direct', it requires the Cync app and account linking. Schedules, scenes, and advanced dimming config stay in the Cync app either way; legacy non-Matter Cync switches have only the cloud-skill path. ✓ Google Home: works — Two real paths: Matter (local, on/off/dim only) or Cync-account cloud linking in Google Home — GE's guide requires signing into the Cync account, so the WiFi path is cloud-linked, not direct. No deeper Google-specific integration exists for the switches; app features stay in the Cync app. ✓ Apple Home: works — Matter only, and only on the 2025+ SKUs — legacy Cync switches have no Apple Home path ✓ SmartThings: works — Via Matter on the 2025+ Matter-generation SKUs only — GE's SmartThings support is Matter-only, so legacy WiFi/Bluetooth Cync switches have no SmartThings path at all. ✓ Home Assistant: works — Local via HA's Matter integration; an official cloud Cync integration also exists (HA 2025.10+, one app session at a time) Connection: Matter · Wi-Fi · Bluetooth · Hub for full use: No · Cloud-dependent: No — core function survives without the vendor cloud Full sourced profile for GE Cync Paddle Dimmer Smart Switch (Matter) →
Leviton Decora Smart Wi-Fi Fan Speed Controller, 2nd Gen (D24SF-1BW)✓ fully verified	$42.99	worksAmazon Alexa: works	worksGoogle Home: works	worksApple Home: works	worksSmartThings: works	doesn't workHome Assistant: verified: does not work	Wi-Fi · Bluetooth	Yes	Yes	—
Leviton Decora Smart Wi-Fi Fan Speed Controller, 2nd Gen (D24SF-1BW) — the catch, per ecosystem ~$42.99 at time of research (Leviton's own store) — never treated as a live price ✓ Amazon Alexa: works — Listed in Leviton's spec sheet works-with row. ✓ Google Home: works — Listed as 'Hey Google' in Leviton's spec sheet. ✓ Apple Home: works — HomeKit is listed on the spec sheet, but taking Leviton's Matter firmware update REMOVES the existing HomeKit connection and forces re-pairing via a Matter code. Choosing Matter and keeping HomeKit are not both available. ✓ SmartThings: works — Listed in Leviton's spec sheet works-with row. ✗ Home Assistant: doesn't work — Home Assistant's Leviton integration page documents Z-Wave models only (DZ6HD, DZ15S, ZW4SF, DZPD3, DZPA1, ZW15R). No official core integration covers the Decora Smart Wi-Fi line, and Leviton does not list Home Assistant. Connection: Wi-Fi · Bluetooth · Hub for full use: Yes (No hub or bridge. The spec sheet states it connects directly to 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi. Schedules and settings are stored on the device and continue to run during an internet outage; app and voice control go through the My Leviton cloud.) · Cloud-dependent: Yes — a vendor shutdown would degrade or brick it Full sourced profile for Leviton Decora Smart Wi-Fi Fan Speed Controller, 2nd Gen (D24SF-1BW) →
Inovelli Blue Series Smart Fan/Light Canopy Module (VZM36)✓ fully verified	$55	partialAmazon Alexa: partial support — see the catch	doesn't workGoogle Home: verified: does not work	doesn't workApple Home: verified: does not work	worksSmartThings: works	worksHome Assistant: works	Zigbee	Yes	No	—
Inovelli Blue Series Smart Fan/Light Canopy Module (VZM36) — the catch, per ecosystem ~$55 at time of research (Inovelli's own store) — never treated as a live price ◐ Amazon Alexa: partial — Only via an Amazon Echo model containing a built-in Zigbee radio, which acts as the hub. Inovelli lists 'Amazon Echo (requires compatible version)' but publishes no dedicated Alexa setup article, so feature depth is undocumented. ✗ Google Home: doesn't work — Absent from Inovelli's published platform compatibility list and from its help centre, and the module carries no radio Google Home can reach. Recorded as none on the basis of a curated manufacturer list that omits it, not an affirmative 'not supported' statement. ✗ Apple Home: doesn't work — Absent from Inovelli's published platform list, no setup documentation exists, and the device carries no Matter or HomeKit radio. Recorded as none on the basis of a curated manufacturer list that omits it, not an affirmative statement. ✓ SmartThings: works — Requires a SmartThings hub with a Zigbee radio; Inovelli publishes a dedicated setup article. ✓ Home Assistant: works — Inovelli publishes setup articles for both ZHA and Zigbee2MQTT; requires a Zigbee coordinator. Connection: Zigbee · Hub for full use: Yes (Yes, a Zigbee hub is required for smart control. One nuance: Inovelli documents direct Zigbee binding between a Blue Series wall switch (VZM31-SN or VZM35-SN) and this module, which it describes as near-instantaneous and able to operate without the hub once configured — but a Zigbee coordinator is still needed to perform the initial pairing and binding. Hub-free operation is a post-setup state, not a hub-free product.) · Cloud-dependent: No — core function survives without the vendor cloud Full sourced profile for Inovelli Blue Series Smart Fan/Light Canopy Module (VZM36) →
Inovelli Blue Series 2-1 Smart Switch (VZM31-SN)✓ fully verified	$60	partialAmazon Alexa: partial support — see the catch	doesn't workGoogle Home: verified: does not work	doesn't workApple Home: verified: does not work	worksSmartThings: works	worksHome Assistant: works	Zigbee	Yes	No	—
Inovelli Blue Series 2-1 Smart Switch (VZM31-SN) — the catch, per ecosystem ~$60 at time of research — never treated as a live price ◐ Amazon Alexa: partial — Only via Amazon Echo models that contain a built-in Zigbee radio; Inovelli's chart says 'yes, but only certain hubs.' Feature depth on Echo is not documented. ✗ Google Home: doesn't work — Google is listed as not compatible on Inovelli's Hub Platform Compatibility Chart; Google Home hardware has no supported path to this Zigbee switch. ✗ Apple Home: doesn't work — Apple is listed as not compatible on Inovelli's Hub Platform Compatibility Chart; there is no documented Apple Home path, native or bridged. ✓ SmartThings: works — Requires a SmartThings hub with a Zigbee radio ('only certain hubs' per Inovelli's chart); Inovelli publishes official SmartThings setup instructions. ✓ Home Assistant: works — Officially supported via ZHA and Zigbee2MQTT with a Zigbee coordinator; Inovelli's chart notes 'we only support certain installations.' Connection: Zigbee · Hub for full use: Yes (A Zigbee hub is mandatory for all smart features; the switch ships with no hub and has no WiFi radio. Officially supported platforms per Inovelli's Hub Platform Compatibility Chart: SmartThings, Hubitat, Home Assistant (ZHA and Zigbee2MQTT), Homey, and Amazon Echo models that include a Zigbee radio. The Philips Hue Bridge is explicitly listed as not compatible.) · Cloud-dependent: No — core function survives without the vendor cloud Full sourced profile for Inovelli Blue Series 2-1 Smart Switch (VZM31-SN) →
Leviton Decora Smart Wi-Fi Dimmer, 2nd Gen (D26HD)discontinued✓ fully verified	—	worksAmazon Alexa: works	worksGoogle Home: works	worksApple Home: works	worksSmartThings: works	partialHome Assistant: partial support — see the catch	Matter · Wi-Fi	No	No	—
Leviton Decora Smart Wi-Fi Dimmer, 2nd Gen (D26HD) — the catch, per ecosystem ✓ Amazon Alexa: works — Cloud skill via My Leviton account; Leviton states existing cloud integrations are not impacted by the Matter update, so both paths can coexist. ✓ Google Home: works — Cloud integration via My Leviton account; Matter is an alternative path. ✓ Apple Home: works — Native HomeKit on stock firmware. Installing the Matter firmware removes the existing HomeKit connection; the dimmer must be re-added to Apple Home with its Matter pairing code from the My Leviton app. ✓ SmartThings: works — Listed by Leviton among supported ecosystems; cloud-linked, with Matter as an alternative path. ◐ Home Assistant: partial — No official Leviton integration. The community decora_wifi integration is cloud-polling, flagged legacy, and does not list the D26HD. The documented route is the Matter firmware plus Home Assistant's Matter integration. Connection: Matter · Wi-Fi · Hub for full use: No · Cloud-dependent: No — core function survives without the vendor cloud Full sourced profile for Leviton Decora Smart Wi-Fi Dimmer, 2nd Gen (D26HD) →
Lutron Caseta Diva Smart Dimmer (DVRF-6L)✓ fully verified	—	worksAmazon Alexa: works	worksGoogle Home: works	worksApple Home: works	worksSmartThings: works	worksHome Assistant: works	—	Yes	No	—
Lutron Caseta Diva Smart Dimmer (DVRF-6L) — the catch, per ecosystem ✓ Amazon Alexa: works — Requires the Caseta Smart Hub; the dimmer has no direct Alexa path. ✓ Google Home: works — Requires the Caseta Smart Hub; Google Home integration is hub-and-cloud based. ✓ Apple Home: works — Apple Home support is a function of the Caseta Smart Hub; no hub, no Home app or Siri. ✓ SmartThings: works — Official Lutron-SmartThings integration; requires a Lutron Smart Hub plus at least one Lutron device (Lutron support + casetawireless.com SmartThings pages). ✓ Home Assistant: works — Official built-in integration (lutron_caseta), local push, but it connects to the Smart Hub, never to the dimmer directly. Connection: — · Hub for full use: Yes (Caseta Smart Hub (L-BDG2-WH) or Smart Hub PRO is required for app control, scheduling, scenes, and every ecosystem integration (Alexa, Google Home, Apple Home, SmartThings, Home Assistant). Without a hub it still works as a normal wall dimmer: slider at the wall, wired 3-way, and up to 10 directly paired Pico remotes. Hub price is not published on an official Lutron page.) · Cloud-dependent: No — core function survives without the vendor cloud Full sourced profile for Lutron Caseta Diva Smart Dimmer (DVRF-6L) →
Lutron Caséta Smart Fan Speed Control Switch (PD-FSQN)✓ fully verified	—	worksAmazon Alexa: works	worksGoogle Home: works	worksApple Home: works	worksSmartThings: works	worksHome Assistant: works	—	Yes	No	—
Lutron Caséta Smart Fan Speed Control Switch (PD-FSQN) — the catch, per ecosystem ✓ Amazon Alexa: works — Requires a Lutron Smart Hub; the switch itself has no standard radio. ✓ Google Home: works — Requires a Lutron Smart Hub; the switch itself has no standard radio. ✓ Apple Home: works — Lutron states the Smart Hub contains Apple Home technology — the hub provides it, not the switch. ✓ SmartThings: works — Requires a Lutron Smart Hub plus a SmartThings account. Caseta scenes cannot be imported into SmartThings. ✓ Home Assistant: works — Official lutron_caseta integration with local push; fan speed control is an explicitly supported device type and appears as a fan entity. Requires a Smart Hub or Bridge PRO plus generated certificates. Note Lutron does not list Home Assistant on its own works-with page — support is documented only from the Home Assistant side. Connection: — · Hub for full use: Yes (Yes for anything smart. The switch carries only Lutron's proprietary Clear Connect RF and no standard radio, so every ecosystem integration happens at the hub. It works as a manual wall control with no hub and pairs directly with Pico remotes and Caseta motion sensors (up to 10 devices), but the Lutron app, remote access, voice assistants, and all platform integrations require a Lutron Smart Hub or Smart Hub PRO. RF range is 60 ft line-of-sight, 30 ft through walls.) · Cloud-dependent: No — core function survives without the vendor cloud Full sourced profile for Lutron Caséta Smart Fan Speed Control Switch (PD-FSQN) →
Lutron Claro Smart Switch for Caséta (DVRF-5NS)✓ fully verified	—	worksAmazon Alexa: works	worksGoogle Home: works	worksApple Home: works	worksSmartThings: works	worksHome Assistant: works	—	Yes	No	—
Lutron Claro Smart Switch for Caséta (DVRF-5NS) — the catch, per ecosystem ✓ Amazon Alexa: works — Requires a Lutron Smart Hub; the switch carries no standard radio. ✓ Google Home: works — Requires a Lutron Smart Hub; the switch carries no standard radio. ✓ Apple Home: works — Lutron states the Smart Hub contains Apple Home technology — the hub provides it, not the switch. ✓ SmartThings: works — Requires a Lutron Smart Hub plus a SmartThings account. Caseta scenes cannot be imported into SmartThings. ✓ Home Assistant: works — Official lutron_caseta integration with local push via Smart Hub or Bridge PRO; wall switches expose as switch entities. Lutron does not list Home Assistant on its own works-with page — support is documented only from the Home Assistant side. Connection: — · Hub for full use: Yes (Yes for anything smart. The switch works standalone as a wall control and pairs directly with Pico remotes without a hub, but Lutron states a Smart Hub is required to monitor or operate Caseta products from a smart device and to create scenes or timeclock schedules. No app, no voice, and no ecosystem integration without it — a real added cost on top of the switch.) · Cloud-dependent: No — core function survives without the vendor cloud Full sourced profile for Lutron Claro Smart Switch for Caséta (DVRF-5NS) →
TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Dimmer Switch KS225 (Matter)✓ fully verified	—	worksAmazon Alexa: works	worksGoogle Home: works	worksApple Home: works	worksSmartThings: works	worksHome Assistant: works	Matter · Wi-Fi · Bluetooth	No	No	—
TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Dimmer Switch KS225 (Matter) — the catch, per ecosystem ✓ Amazon Alexa: works — Works with Alexa per the official datasheet; Matter is an alternative path. The native path rides the TP-Link cloud account link. ✓ Google Home: works — Works with Google Home per the official datasheet; Matter is an alternative path. ✓ Apple Home: works — No native HomeKit; Apple Home and Siri work only through Matter, which requires an Apple Home hub (HomePod or Apple TV). TP-Link names the Apple Home app explicitly. ✓ SmartThings: works — Works with SmartThings per the official datasheet; Matter is an alternative path. ✓ Home Assistant: works — Official tplink integration, local polling, KS225 explicitly listed, with the footnote 'Model requires authentication': TP-Link cloud credentials must be entered once to enable local access. Connection: Matter · Wi-Fi · Bluetooth · Hub for full use: No · Cloud-dependent: No — core function survives without the vendor cloud Full sourced profile for TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Dimmer Switch KS225 (Matter) →
No products in this category work with that ecosystem in our records yet. A Setup Check can research options outside our library.

Sorted by price, low to high — an objective order, not a ranking or a verdict. Tap any row’s ＋ (or a phone card) to read every catch. ✓ works · ◐ partial · ✗ doesn’t work (verified) · ? not checked yet · ? checked, but the evidence doesn’t settle it. *Prices at time of research — never live prices. Data last verified 2026-07-26; every fact links to its sourced profile.

Which of these works with your home?

Check switches & dimmers against your setup →

Don’t see the exact model you own? Two options, and they’re different:tell us and we’ll add it to the research queue (free), or get aSetup Check — a personalized, human-checked report that researches your whole list, including products we haven’t profiled yet.

The neutral-wire question

Two products here work without a neutral, and they get there differently. The Lutron Caseta Diva needs no neutral and no workaround parts; that is the point of Lutron’s proprietary Clear Connect radio, and the trade is that every smart feature routes through the separately sold Caseta Smart Hub. The Inovelli Blue 2-1 ($60) does it on open Zigbee, but a no-neutral install requires a bypass device at the fixture, and Inovelli’s own docs warn about flicker and reboots on low-wattage loads without one.

The rest require a neutral, stated plainly in their own documentation: the Cync paddle dimmer ($26, and note its Matter refresh dropped the old no-neutral trick), the Kasa KS225, and the Leviton D26HD. Pre-1980s wiring rules these out at many switch boxes.

What each one needs besides wiring

The hub column of this category is quieter than the sensor category’s, but it exists. Lutron requires its hub for anything smart. Inovelli requires a Zigbee hub, and the officially supported list is narrow: SmartThings, Hubitat, Home Assistant, Homey, and Zigbee-radio Echo models. Inovelli’s compatibility chart lists Apple Home, Google Home, and the Hue Bridge as not compatible, which surprises people who assume any Zigbee device rides any Zigbee hub. Cync, Kasa, and Leviton connect straight to 2.4 GHz WiFi with no hub, though Apple Home support on the Kasa runs through Matter and therefore needs a HomePod or Apple TV in the house.

The IKEA BILRESA ($6.99) is the odd one in the table on purpose: it switches things without touching your wiring at all. It is a battery-powered two-button Matter controller from IKEA’s 2025 Matter wave, and per IKEA it works with any Matter ecosystem, not just the DIRIGERA hub. The requirement it does carry: a Thread border router must already be on your network, and batteries are sold separately.

Two catches the spec sheets underplay

Single-pole versus 3-way. The Kasa KS225’s datasheet says it plainly: not compatible with 3-way wiring. If two switches control your hallway light, that dimmer is out for that location. Lutron handles 3-way with a Pico remote or accessory switch; Inovelli and Leviton use their own companion hardware rather than standard traveler wiring.

Matter that arrives by firmware can break what works today. The Leviton D26HD is discontinued (its successor is the D36HD), yet it received a Matter certification in February 2025 via an opt-in firmware program. The catch, per Leviton’s own support pages: installing the Matter firmware severs an existing Apple HomeKit pairing, and the switch must be re-added over Matter, automations and all. Upgrade on your schedule, not on a whim.

Where to start

Open the switch box before you open your wallet. Neutral present and a single-pole location: the Cync and Kasa are the low-cost WiFi paths, with the Cync covering all five ecosystems. No neutral: Lutron if you want it to just work behind its hub, Inovelli if you already run Home Assistant, Hubitat, or SmartThings and don’t need Apple or Google. No desire to rewire anything: the BILRESA rides an existing Thread border router for $6.99. Then run your exact combination through the checker, or start from your ecosystem with the starter quiz.

The neutral-wire question

What each one needs besides wiring

Two catches the spec sheets underplay

Where to start

Frequently asked questions