How to Create Custom Smart Home Automations Without a Hub in 2026

In today's evolving smart home landscape, the idea of requiring a central hub to control all your devices is rapidly becoming optional. Thanks to advances in wireless standards and cloud-based ecosystems, you can now create highly effective, customized smart home automations without investing in expensive or bulky hubs. Whether you prefer Alexa or Google Assistant, or want to leverage smart bulbs, sensors, and smart plugs, this guide will walk you through practical strategies to build DIY automations that fit seamlessly into your lifestyle in 2026.

Why Go Hubless? Benefits and Considerations

Traditional smart home hubs have served as a backbone for automation, but skipping a hub offers several advantages:

Simplified setup: Fewer devices mean less complexity and quicker installation.
Cost savings: You avoid the upfront cost of dedicated hubs, which can be expensive.
Flexibility: Direct device integrations with Alexa or Google mean you can mix brands more freely.
Remote access and voice control: Cloud-based assistants handle commands and automations seamlessly.

However, hubless setups may have some limitations, such as dependence on cloud services and potential latency. Still, for most DIY home automation projects, the convenience and compatibility outweigh these concerns.

Choosing Your Core Platform: Alexa or Google Assistant?

Your choice of voice assistant forms the foundation of your hubless smart home. Both Alexa and Google Assistant have matured into robust platforms supporting a wide range of smart bulbs, sensors, plugs, and switches.

Alexa: Offers extensive device compatibility and customizable routines. It supports popular smart home protocols like Zigbee on some Echo devices, meaning some bulbs and sensors can connect directly without extra hubs.
Google Assistant: Excels with natural language processing and integrates smoothly with Nest devices and a broad ecosystem of smart home brands.

For DIYers, consider which ecosystem aligns with the devices you already own or plan to buy and which voice assistant you find most intuitive for daily use.

Building Automations with Smart Bulbs and Smart Plugs

Smart bulbs and plugs remain the simplest, most accessible devices for automation without a hub. Here's how to leverage them effectively:

Smart Bulbs: Choose bulbs compatible with your assistant (Alexa or Google). Popular options offer color, brightness, and scheduling controls directly through voice or apps. Use routines to automate lighting based on time of day or your presence.
Smart Plugs: These let you control traditional appliances and lamps. By connecting devices like fans, coffee makers, or holiday lights, you expand automation possibilities without rewiring anything.

Example automation: Program your smart plug to turn on a lamp whenever your smart bulb detects you have switched it off, simulating presence if you’re away. This type of creative trigger-action setup is fully achievable without a hub by using Alexa or Google’s routine builders.

Using Sensors for Smarter Hubless Automations

Today’s smart sensors—motion, door/window, temperature, and humidity—often connect directly to voice assistants or via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, bypassing hubs.

Motion Sensors: Trigger lights or alerts when movement is detected. For example, motion-triggered night lighting or automated fan control.
Contact Sensors: Automate routines based on doors or windows opening, like turning off HVAC when a window opens to save energy.
Environmental Sensors: Use temperature or humidity data to automate smart plugs controlling heaters, humidifiers, or dehumidifiers.

Many sensors integrate through their own apps or directly with Alexa and Google routines. This direct integration is key to eliminating the need for a separate hub.

Creating Effective Automations Using Alexa and Google Routines

Both Alexa and Google Assistant provide built-in routine and automation builders designed for users without hubs. Here’s how to get started:

Start simple: Use time-based triggers to turn on or off devices automatically.
Add conditions: Incorporate sensor input or device status to make automations reactive.
Combine actions: Control multiple devices with a single voice command or automated trigger.

Pro tip: Experiment with combining smart bulbs, plugs, and sensors in your routines to create layered automations like "When motion is detected after sunset, turn on porch light and send a notification."

Final Tips for DIY Hubless Smart Home Success

Prioritize Wi-Fi or native voice assistant compatibility: Devices that connect directly to Alexa or Google simplify your network and setup.
Update firmware regularly: Ensures your devices stay secure and compatible with evolving voice assistant features.
Plan your automations: Map out what you want to automate and test incrementally.
Keep privacy in mind: Review app permissions and settings to maintain control over your data.

With these strategies, your smart home can be both powerful and streamlined, free from the complexity or cost of traditional hubs. Embrace the DIY spirit and explore the growing ecosystem of Alexa- and Google-compatible smart bulbs, sensors, and plugs to create a connected home tailored exactly to your needs.