Gladys Assistant

Key features

• Local-first execution Scenes and device control run on the home box itself, and the vendor states no data is sent to the cloud. Remote access is an optional paid add-on rather than the default path, so the house keeps working locally.[1][2]

• Named protocol and brand integrations Documented integrations include Zigbee2mqtt, Z-Wave JS UI, MQTT, Matter devices, Philips Hue, Sonos, Tasmota, Owntracks, CalDAV, and RTSP cameras, plus USB Zigbee and Z-Wave sticks. The vendor claims 750+ compatible devices on the homepage.[1]

• Visual scene builder Automations are assembled as visual scenes with triggers, conditions, and actions instead of configuration files. This is the mechanism behind presence, climate, lighting, and scheduled routines.[1]

• Per-room dashboards Each room gets a dashboard showing device state, sensor readings, and camera views at a glance. Dashboards double as the household-facing control surface on wall tablets and phones.[1]

• Telegram and voice interaction Residents can question Gladys over Telegram and receive answers about home state, and voice control works with a connected microphone or audio streaming. The OpenAI-powered chat that answers questions about the home is part of the paid Plus add-on.[1][2]

• Electricity tracking Energy meters feed consumption views so households can see what lighting, heating, and appliances draw over time. Tracking is built into the hub rather than requiring a separate metering app.[1]

• HTTP API and MQTT actions Scenes can issue HTTP requests and MQTT messages, so technically inclined households can interconnect scripts and external services beyond the native integration list. This is the documented escape hatch for unsupported devices.[1]

• One-image installation targets Install from a pre-built Raspberry Pi OS image, multi-architecture Docker images, a Proxmox VM, or mini-PC and NAS guides. No coding is required for setup, though flashing an image or running containers assumes basic Linux comfort.[1][2]

Who will love it

• Privacy-first households Families that want automation without a vendor cloud account get the core promise directly: data stays on the home box, and nothing requires an external login to function.[1][2]

• Non-technical smart-home beginners People put off by YAML configuration and constant maintenance get visual scenes, ready-made images, and a consumer-style interface. A long-term user praises exactly this friendly interface and helpful community.[1][2]

• Raspberry Pi and Docker self-hosters Households already comfortable running a Pi or containers can be up quickly from the pre-built image or multi-architecture Docker images, with Proxmox VM and NAS guides covering the other common home-lab targets.[1][2]

Who should avoid it

• YAML tinkerers with exotic devices Enthusiasts who enjoy hand-tuning configurations and run uncommon hardware report their devices are not yet supported and the simplified model is not for them. The founder agrees Gladys follows a different philosophy from Home Assistant.[1]

• Large existing Home Assistant setups Households with dozens of integrations, automations, and scripts face real migration cost, since most things would need rebuilding and some devices lack support. One experienced user concluded adding a nicer interface to Home Assistant was easier than moving.[1][2]

• Remote-first and enterprise buyers Encrypted remote access, automatic backups, and device sharing all sit behind the paid Plus subscription, and no enterprise plan with SLAs or single sign-on is documented. Support runs through public community discussions.[1]

How people experience it

Alternatives and compatibility