Remote-access comparison
Relay or Proxy: which is right for you?
Relay gives you a simple dashboard for everyday controls. Proxy opens your full Home Assistant. Both work with the installation you already have at home.
Choose what you need
Choose Relay for a simpler setup. Check temperatures, switch lights and run scripts from a separate dashboard. Add the supplied YAML configuration, reload the REST commands, then save the automation. No router changes or incoming port needed. You can start free.
Choose Proxy for your full Home Assistant. Open the dashboards and settings you already use, with your Home Assistant login. Setup takes more work: your provider must give you a public IPv4 address, and you must configure your router and Home Assistant.
Behind CGNAT or don’t want to open a port? Relay works when Home Assistant can reach our service over HTTPS. Proxy cannot work behind CGNAT, where your provider shares one public address between customers. If you need the full interface without a port-forwarding rule, compare Cloud, VPN and self-managed options in the table below.
If your current remote access already does everything you need, you may not need another service.
Compare the methods
| Method | What you get | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| Relay | A simple dashboard for selected readings and controls.
| Add our YAML configuration, reload REST commands, then save the automation.
|
| Full Proxy | Your full Home Assistant interface at a personal web address.
| A public IPv4 address, a router rule allowing only our server, and trusted-proxy settings in Home Assistant.
|
| Home Assistant Cloud | Home Assistant through the official Cloud remote-access service. | A Cloud subscription and its Home Assistant setup. No router port-forwarding rule. |
| Private VPN | Your Home Assistant after your device joins a private network. | Set up the VPN on each phone or computer. CGNAT support and router changes depend on the VPN. |
| Self-managed HTTPS proxy | Home Assistant through your own hostname and reverse proxy. | Manage the hostname, network access, certificates, proxy settings and ongoing maintenance yourself. |
What happens to your data?
Relay: Home Assistant sends your selected data and collects control requests over an encrypted connection. Our service receives that data.
Proxy: your browser’s connection to us is encrypted. The connection from us to your home is not encrypted unless you set up HTTPS with a valid, trusted certificate. Someone who intercepts an unencrypted connection could read it, including sign-in details. Our service can read the traffic even when both connections use HTTPS. See what is protected.
Check each provider’s current features, terms and setup guidance before choosing.
Using a browser or the Companion app
With Proxy, first open your personal address in a browser on mobile data and sign in to Home Assistant. Then add that address to the Companion app and test the features you use.
Relay is a separate browser dashboard and cannot be the Companion app’s server address. With a VPN, your app also depends on the private-network connection.
Try switching between Wi-Fi and mobile data. Keep a local way to reach Home Assistant. Use the official Companion networking guide for your platform.
Follow the guide for your choice
Want to try a simple dashboard? Start with Free Relay. Need the full Home Assistant interface? Test your connection for Proxy before buying. For Cloud, a VPN or your own proxy, follow that provider’s setup guide.
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