Wink Hub 2 vs SmartThings – Which One Wins? [Our Comparison and VERDICT]

Do you have a growing number of smart home devices and are already fed up with launching multiple apps to control your smart home devices? Using a single application, you can make your devices work together efficiently and even create your own routines that suit your lifestyle.

But there are tons of smart home hubs in the market today. Which one is the best?

In this article, we’ll give you a detailed comparison of two of the most popular smart home hubs today, Wink Hub 2 vs Samsung SmartThings. Scroll down to learn the pros and cons.

Although both the smart hubs support their own products, the Wink Hub 2 and Samsung SmartThings can also be integrated with a wide range of devices such as security alarms, music systems, smoke detectors, smart bulbs, smart locks, and many others.

Both the Wink Hub 2 and Samsung SmartThings can efficiently work with ZigBee, Z-Wave, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi network frequencies. The smart hubs also support IFTTT so you can create your own triggers or routine.

Winner: SmartThings

Finicky when it comes to the size and shape of your smart hub? While both the Wink Hub 2 and Samsung SmartThings come in a white enclosure, the hubs differ in size and shape. The Wink Hub 2 has a tall, rectangular shape (7.25 inches tall) while the SmartThings comes in a small square shape ( 5 x 5 inches) with round edges.

Winner: SmartThings

Both the Wink Hub 2 and Samsung SmartThings can be powered through an AC outlet. However, only the SmartThings offer a battery back-up. But take note that this feature was dropped in the latest version of SmartThings as a cost-saving measure. Since most of your devices will go down in case of power interruption anyways, then the battery back-up is no longer considered a top priority.

Winner: Wink Hub

While both smart hubs are easy to set up and provide user-friendly apps, Wink is generally easier to use compared to SmartThings. The Wink app uses a barcode scanner to help you look up on the devices that you wanted to connect to your hub. When connecting a new device, Wink will notify you to press a button until the device is connected.

On the other hand, SmartThings’ auto detect feature can be handy but at the same time not intuitive. When connecting to a new device without special handling in the app, SmartThings will only provide a generic link without any tips to get your device configured correctly.

Winner: SmartThings 

While both smart hubs work well with ZigBee, Bluetooth, and Z-wave devices, each brand differs in the maximum number of devices to connect. Wink can accommodate up to 532 devices while SmartThings can have an unlimited number of devices, making it the winner.

Winner: SmartThings 

While both the Wink Hub 2 and Samsung SmartThings offer support for Ethernet connectivity, only the SmartThings hub provides additional USB ports to connect cellular modems and other local devices. 

Winner: Wink Hub

The Wink Hub offers an app that’s intuitive and easier to use compared to SmartThings. You can easily navigate through the settings and the app is user-friendly.

SmartThings comes with a lot of technical features which might be too complex or difficult to configure for most users. But if you’re a tech-savvy person and love flexibility, then this smart hub is the best one for you.

Winner: SmartThings 

Samsung SmartThings offers a wider community support compared to Wink. If you’re lost on the settings or want to know product updates and new ideas, you can always get info from experienced developers in the community.

If you prefer a standard customer support system, then the Wink is the best option. While Samsung’s customer support is only average, you can expect better corporate customer service from Wink.

Winner: Wink Hub

Before you choose a smart hub, make sure that the hub works in your current location. Unfortunately, the Samsung SmartThings only work in the US. Some users in Canada were able to use SmartThings via a VPN but the connection lacks security.

On the other hand, Wink offers accessibility worldwide. If you leave outside the US, then Wink is the better option.

Not being able to configure the device you’re using due to technical difficulties and lack of device support can lead to frustrations. We highly recommend choosing the one that offers the best user experience and support for a wide range of devices.

While some smart hubs offer flexibility for users who want to extend the functionality of their devices, it could also mean more complex configurations which may not be friendly for all users. If you don’t want to deal with the complex setup and just want to use your device right away, then it’s better to choose a hub with a user-friendly application. 

Most smart devices operate through their own brand’s cloud services. This means your devices are dependent on the internet which might lead to performance and reliability issues. 

Thankfully, smart hubs like Wink and SmartThings offer you the option to have local control. This means your devices can talk directly through a local network and are completely isolated from the internet. This ensures the best performance and highly secured communication through local encryption.

Protocols are like standardized language used in order for your devices to understand each other. Since smart home devices will have different communication protocols, it is best to choose a smart hub that supports a lot of protocols. 

Some of the popular protocols used today are Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Z-Wave, and ZigBee. If your smart hub supports these, then you’ll have no problem connecting different smart devices to your network.

The Wink Hub 2 and Samsung SmartThings are both a great addition to your smart home to efficiently control your smart home devices. While these smart hubs may have some similarities, these also come with their unique pros and cons.

We hope that you found our Wink Hub 2 vs Samsung SmartThings detailed comparison helpful in choosing your next smart hub.