Category guide
Best local in-wall relays for Home Assistant
Comparison tables are useful, but most buyers still want a plainspoken shortlist. The matching guide gives that recommendation layer.
Read the buying guide →Compare category
In-wall relays comparisons
Hidden relay modules for making existing switches smarter without replacing every wall control.
Catalog view
Browse in-wall relays
Want the full set of product notes with images, outbound product links, and buyer caveats? Jump back to the catalog for this category.
Browse product notes →Strongest overall pick
Shelly Plus 1
Shelly · HA: excellent · local: excellent
tiny form factor fits behind most light switches and junction boxes
View product notes →Best local-control posture
Shelly Plus 1
Shelly · works offline: yes
Fully local control via HTTP API or MQTT. Cloud is optional and not needed for core relay functionality.
Why it stands out →Easiest starting point
Shelly Plus 2PM
Shelly · setup: moderate
Home Assistant users who want to control two circuits (lights, fans, etc.) from a single device
See buyer notes →| Criteria | Shelly Plus 1 | Shelly Plus 1 Mini Gen3 | Shelly Plus 2PM | Shelly Wave 1PM Mini | Shelly Wave 2PM | Shelly Wave Pro 1PM | SONOFF ZBMINI Extreme | SONOFF ZBMINI-L2 | Zooz ZEN16 MultiRelay | Zooz ZEN51 Dry Contact Relay | Zooz ZEN52 Double Relay | Zooz ZEN72 800LR Dimmer Switch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local control | excellent | excellent | excellent | excellent | excellent | excellent | excellent | excellent | excellent | excellent | excellent | excellent |
| Cloud dependency | low | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none |
| Home Assistant fit | excellent | excellent | excellent | excellent | excellent | excellent | excellent | excellent | excellent | excellent | excellent | excellent |
| Works offline | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Setup difficulty | advanced | advanced | moderate | moderate | moderate | advanced | advanced | advanced | advanced | advanced | advanced | moderate |
| Needs extra hub / controller | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Power / form factor | hardwired | hardwired | hardwired | mains | mains | mains | hardwired | hardwired | hardwired | hardwired | hardwired | hardwired |
| Protocols | wifi, mqtt, bluetooth | wifi, bluetooth | wifi, mqtt, bluetooth | z-wave | z-wave | z-wave | zigbee | zigbee | z-wave | z-wave | z-wave | z-wave |
| Best for | Home Assistant users who want to smart-enable existing dumb switches | making any dumb switch smart without replacing the switch itself | Home Assistant users who want to control two circuits (lights, fans, etc.) from a single device | Home Assistant users with an existing Z-Wave network who want compact behind-switch relays | Home Assistant users who need to control two circuits from one box, like a dual gang switch or two light groups | Home Assistant users who want to control circuits from the electrical panel rather than behind switches | older homes without neutral wires that need smart relays | older homes without neutral wires at the switch box | DIY home automation projects needing multiple independent relay controls | making existing dumb switches smart without changing the switch plate | two-gang switch boxes where you want to keep existing switches and add Z-Wave behind them | Z-Wave Home Assistant setups wanting a quality dimmer switch |
budget price band
Shelly Plus 1
Shelly · local control: excellent · cloud: low
- Setup: advanced
- Needs extra hub: no / self-contained
- Standout: Tiny Wi-Fi relay with full local API — hides behind any existing switch plate.
budget price band
Shelly Plus 1 Mini Gen3
Shelly · local control: excellent · cloud: none
- Setup: advanced
- Needs extra hub: no / self-contained
- Standout: Tiny Gen3 relay with fully local Shelly integration — hides behind any switch or in any junction box.
budget price band
Shelly Plus 2PM
Shelly · local control: excellent · cloud: none
- Setup: moderate
- Needs extra hub: no / self-contained
- Standout: Two independent relay channels with per-channel power monitoring — control two loads from one device.
mid price band
Shelly Wave 1PM Mini
Shelly · local control: excellent · cloud: none
- Setup: moderate
- Needs extra hub: yes
- Standout: Ultra-compact Z-Wave relay with power monitoring that fits behind almost any existing switch.
mid price band
Shelly Wave 2PM
Shelly · local control: excellent · cloud: none
- Setup: moderate
- Needs extra hub: yes
- Standout: Dual-channel Z-Wave relay with independent power monitoring on each channel.
mid price band
Shelly Wave Pro 1PM
Shelly · local control: excellent · cloud: none
- Setup: advanced
- Needs extra hub: yes
- Standout: DIN-rail mountable Z-Wave relay with power monitoring for panel-level circuit control.
budget price band
SONOFF ZBMINI Extreme
SONOFF · local control: excellent · cloud: none
- Setup: advanced
- Needs extra hub: yes
- Standout: No neutral wire required in an ultra-compact Zigbee relay — the smallest no-neutral option available.
budget price band
SONOFF ZBMINI-L2
SONOFF · local control: excellent · cloud: none
- Setup: advanced
- Needs extra hub: yes
- Standout: No neutral wire required — the key upgrade over the original ZBMINI for older wiring.
mid price band
Zooz ZEN16 MultiRelay
Zooz · local control: excellent · cloud: none
- Setup: advanced
- Needs extra hub: yes
- Standout: Three independent dry contact relays in one module. Control a garage door, fireplace, and sprinkler from one device.
mid price band
Zooz ZEN51 Dry Contact Relay
Zooz · local control: excellent · cloud: none
- Setup: advanced
- Needs extra hub: yes
- Standout: Tiny behind-the-wall relay that makes any existing switch Z-Wave smart without replacing the switch itself.
mid price band
Zooz ZEN52 Double Relay
Zooz · local control: excellent · cloud: none
- Setup: advanced
- Needs extra hub: yes
- Standout: Two independent dry contact relays in one module. Smart-ify a two-gang box without replacing either switch.
mid price band
Zooz ZEN72 800LR Dimmer Switch
Zooz · local control: excellent · cloud: none
- Setup: moderate
- Needs extra hub: yes
- Standout: Z-Wave 800 Long Range with multi-tap scene control — local, reliable, and interference-free.