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In this post, I explore the best Logitech Harmony alternatives that you can get right now.
To not keep you in suspense, my top picks for Harmony alternatives are:
- #1 – Editor’s Pick: Sofabaton X1
- #2 – Best App & Hub: Broadlink
- #3 – Voice Control: Fire TV Cube
- #4 – Budget Sofabaton: U1
- #5 – Budget Universal: Inteset
- #6 – Best Add-On: Side-Click
- #7 – Best for Gearheads: MX-990
A few of these remotes will control your home theater system as well as your smart devices, and three of them support voice commands using Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant smart speakers. They will all control your smart TV, favorite streaming service, set-top boxes, cable box, sound systems, Blu-Ray player, AV receiver, DVD player, and more.
My top pick is on par with Logitech Harmony Elite, and it is the best Harmony Hub alternative you can get right now.
The Best Replacements for Harmony
I’ll say it again: there is no such thing as the perfect universal remote. It doesn’t exist, never did—like unicorns and fairy dust.
After many years of development, Logitech Harmony came close… but many customers still complained about difficulty with setup, especially for the higher-end models like Elite and Companion.
After Logitech announced last year that its popular line of Harmony remotes is being discontinued, several of you have reached out asking for recommendations about alternatives.
I’ve been a bit mystified as to why Harmony discontinued the line in the first place. According to the recent Smart Remotes Segment Study by Statista, the firm expects a steady growth rate of 5.94% CAGR year over year well into the future. I can’t help but wonder if the remotes were more trouble than they are worth from a support standpoint.
Ok, enough ranting about Harmony for now.
In this article, I provide a thorough analysis of some competing remotes along with the pros and cons of each. I will also give you my top picks for Harmony remote alternatives based on ease of use, setup, ratings from several sources, and functionality.
Let’s get a better remote for your connected devices to replace that Harmony remote sitting on your living room coffee table.
Logitech Harmony Alternatives Comparison Table
The following table shows my top choices for the best Logitech Harmony alternatives.
Last update on 02/06/2023 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
#1 – Most Harmony-Like: Sofabaton X1
Brand new this year, the Sofabaton X1 Universal Remote comes closer to the Harmony paradigm than others on my list of best Logitech Harmony alternatives.
It is a powerful and easy-to-use remote control that supports IR & Bluetooth & Wireless devices. Like Harmony, one-click Activities let you select an activity such as “Watch Movie” to automatically turn on the power and switch the device to the correct input. While there is no docking station, the battery life is nothing short of amazing at three months. The customizable app setup is better than the Harmony app. And the Sofabaton companion app that runs on your mobile devices is super initutive. A Find Lost Remote feature makes it easy to locate your remote when it slides down into the bowels of your easy chair. Alexa integration was just added, and they are working on Google. This is the best universal remote control you can get today in my opinion.
Here is my new-in-the-box X1.
My Sofabaton X1 Universal Remote
Video Review
Here’s an unboxing I did of the x1 over on my YouTube channel. Please subscribe!
Pros
Cons
#2 – Best App & Hub: Broadlink RM4 Pro
If you don’t mind navigating your home theater and smart home using an app instead of a physical remote, then Broadlink is an inexpensive way to do just that. In effect, it gives you much of the same functionality as some of the most expensive remotes on my list at a fraction of the cost. You connect everything up to the Hub and then use the app to navigate your devices. Alternatively, you can use your voice with Alexa or Google Home.
Broadlink even provides support for IFTTT (if this then that ) recipes allowing you to truly automate certain tasks, like turning on the lights at dusk, arming an alarm when you leave home, turning on an A/C unit when a room reaches a certain temperature or turning on the morning news shortly after you get out of bed. This is a bit tricky to set up for the less technical set but offers a lot of value for very little money.
Video Review
Paul Hibbert gives his usual bang-up review of this hub. Ooh, the Zigbee!!
Pros
Cons
#3 – Best Voice Control: Fire TV Cube
I love my Fire TV Cube, and I have used my Harmony Elite remote far less since I bought this. Fire TV has become my go-to streaming service because of this device. I currently use it as my launchpad for Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video. You can literally just say to Alexa, “Watch Mr. Beast on YouTube, and she opens up YouTube to Mr. Beast’s channel. If I say, “Alexa, Show me, Agents of Shield on Netflix,” she will open to the last episode I left off on in my Netflix account.
Very cool.
You can also use many of the smart home features of Alexa using the Cube. For example, you can dim lights and lower blinds, get news and weather updates right on the TV screen, and a whole lot more. It will be interesting to see if devices like this will ultimately replace physical remotes in the long term.
Not a substitute for a traditional remote, yet, but close….real close.
Video Review
Here is an unboxing of my Fire TV Cube over on my YouTube channel.
Pros
Cons
#4 – Budget Sofabaton: Sofabaton U1
Next on my list of Logitech Harmony alternatives is the Sofabaton U1. Softabaton U1 provides an affordable universal remote that lets you replace your remotes for up to 15 home theater /entertainment devices. This is a great value, albeit the design isn’t going to blow anyone away. The remote buttons are not backlit, making it hard to see in the dark.
However, you can control both IR and Bluetooth devices with Sofabaton U1, and the device support is quite broad as well. The company claims its remote is compatible with 500,000 devices. I’m not wild about the LCD look compared to the others here, but it is also less money.
If you are looking for a well-rated functional universal remote and you have a limited budget, the Sofabaton U1 may be worth a look.
📚 Related: Sofabaton X1 vs U1
Pros
Cons
Video Review
Video Credit: A-HIT#5 – Budget Universal: Inteset 4-in-1
The Inteset 4-in-1 universal remote is a great budget option on my list of Logitech Harmony alternatives if you are looking to primarily control your entertainment experience. It will only do IR, but it does it well. All of the buttons are backlit (LED), and you can use it to control your favorite streaming devices like Apple TV and Roku, and Nvidia Shield, as well as many other A/V devices.
It will not control your smart home, however. And there is no voice control support with Alexa or Google Assistant.
Pros
Cons
#6 – Best Add-On: Side-Click
The model of the Sideclick remote you buy will depend on your streaming media player. The name of this remote gives away what it does in terms of functionality. Sideclick was designed as an add-on to your existing remotes, giving them added functionality. There are models for Apple TV, Roku, Chromecast, and Fire TV.
While this is not a direct universal remote, I still wanted it on my list of Logitech Harmony alternatives, as you can use it to upgrade your existing streaming remotes.
Pros
Cons
Sideclick Remotes By Streaming Device
Last update on 02/06/2023 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
#7 – Best for Gearheads: MX-990
Next on my list of Logitech Harmony alternatives is this space age looking remote from MX-990.
Since Logitech announced that it would cease manufacturing Harmony remotes, the MX-990 universal remote control has become one of the more popular Logitech Harmony alternatives. This is for a good reason. The MX-990 was designed to be the one remote that can control all of your electronics while looking sleek and modern in your living room. It has many features, including a large color LCD screen that lets you control your entertainment experience.
The MX-990 also boasts compatibility with over 220,000 devices from 5,000 brands and six unique programmable buttons to make switching between modes easy. The remote feels solid in hand, and the button layout is probably the best among all the remotes I have tested, including Harmony. The only drawback to this remote is that it requires a technical versed in the MX-990’S proprietary software to program the remote for your devices. This is not a DIY option, which is not clear from Amazon’s sales page.
📚 Related: Logitech Harmony Comparison Chart
Pros
Cons
Best Logitech Harmony Alternatives – Over to You
So what do you think about my picks for the best Logitech Harmony alternatives?
Were you as sad as I was when Logitech announced it would stop manufacturing Harmony remotes?
I like the Sofabaton X1 for its versality and ability to consolidate up to 60 remotes and crazy-good battery life. My favorite new toy right now is the Amazon Fire TV Cube. Please comment below and let me know your thoughts about your favorites or the future of universal remotes.
Until next time, live long and prosper.
