A Review of Flic Buttons and Their Compatibility with Home Assistant

When I first received the Flic buttons, I was impressed by their sleek design and build quality. However, as I started to explore their features, I realized that they were not compatible with my existing Home Assistant setup without a significant amount of workarounds.

As a long-time user of Home Assistant, I had already invested in a VeraPlus Hub, which supports both ZigBee and Z-Wave devices. The Flic buttons, being ZigBee devices, require a compatible hub to function. After some research, I discovered the Xiomi Aquara Buttons, which offer similar functionality at a more affordable price point of around $18 on Amazon.

My primary concern was that my Home Assistant setup is running on an Intel NUC via Docker, and I had concerns about the Bluetooth range from where the NUC is located to where the buttons would be. Additionally, I was put off by the high cost of Flic buttons (a starter kit with 2 buttons costs $159.99 at the time of writing).

After further research, I realized that Flic buttons rely on bypassing the hub and using the Bluetooth module on the host running Home Assistant, which is not a feasible solution for me. Instead, I decided to explore other IoT clicky devices that offer better compatibility with Home Assistant.

One notable alternative is the Logitech Pop button, which supports local access and has integrations with Philips Hue, IFTTT, Smart Things, and more. Although my bedroom lights are all Philips Hue bulbs, many of my other smart devices are not, leading me to use a central automation tool like Home Assistant to manage everything.

The recent announcement of IFTTT moving to a subscription model prompted me to look for alternative solutions. As someone who has leveraged the convenience of tiny, reliable buttons via IFTTT since 2017, I was eager to find a suitable replacement.

In conclusion, while the Flic buttons are impressive in terms of design and build quality, their lack of compatibility with Home Assistant without significant workarounds makes them less appealing. Instead, options like Xiomi Aquara Buttons or Logitech Pop buttons offer better integration with Home Assistant and local access, making them more practical choices for those looking to control their smart devices seamlessly.

Flic button home assistant