We install these systems every day. Here’s our honest guide.
When you enter the world of professional smart home installations, you’ll hear three names repeated: Control4, Crestron, and Savant. They are the established powerhouses of the industry.
However, the problem is that these older systems are often just too much. They can be overly complex, they don’t always work with the devices you already own, and they come with a surprisingly big price tag.
This is exactly why we developed SH-PRO. Our whole approach is built around what people actually want: simple controls, the freedom to use any device, and a fair price. So, how do they all stack up? Let’s break it down.
At a Glance: Which is Right for You?
Legacy Systems (Control4, Crestron, etc.)
✅ A powerful choice for big commercial projects with huge budgets, though often limited to that scale.
❌ Legacy technology designed 20 to 50 years ago.
❌ Outdated, unintuitive interfaces that require extensive training and have complex menu and submenu structures.
❌ Extremely high project costs and steep, ongoing service fees.
❌ Can lock you into a specific, limited range of expensive devices.
🏆SH-PRO by The Real Smart Home
✅ A powerful, scalable platform designed for any project, from single rooms to entire estates.
✅ Truly personalised control with custom scenes and multi-tap switch functions.
✅ Incredibly intuitive with a unique 3D floor plan interface specifically designed for you.
✅ Significantly more affordable with transparent, custom packages to fit your budget.
✅ Unrivalled compatibility with thousands of devices you may already own.
What Makes SH-Pro Different
Unmatched Ease of Use
Forget fiddling with menus! Our app uses a personalised 3D floor plan of your house, so anyone in the family can control everything with a quick look (e.g., which lights are on, what rooms have the heating on, what doors or windows are open, etc.). It’s as easy as a cup of tea: no training needed!
Universal Device Compatibility
Unlike other systems, our platform SH-PRO is compatible with over 95% of smart devices available on the market. We support over 3,000 brands and thousands of devices, so your current devices will work seamlessly. We can also recommend the best devices to you according to our testing, depending on their performance, reliability, and features.
Unparalleled Local Control
For ultimate peace of mind, our system prioritises local control. That means your app, floor plan, and automations all run on a small server inside your house. This keeps your data secure, and the system running even during internet outages.
Smart CCTV Integration
Our unique Smart CCTV system is capable of intelligent object recognition, going beyond simple motion detection to accurately distinguish between people, vehicles, and animals. This significantly reduces false alarms and can be used to trigger custom automations.
Limitless Automations
With all your devices in one app, the possibilities for automations are endless. Imagine a home that automatically adjusts to your preferences, from setting the perfect mood lighting to adjusting the heating when you walk in. We’ll help you create automations that are as unique as your lifestyle.
Ultimate Personalisation
Our 3D floor plans are completely customisable. You decide everything, from furniture placement and colour to how devices respond to your touch (tap, double tap, hold, etc.). The possibilities are endless!
Affordable Smart Home Solutions
Starting from just £1,000! Get a completely custom smart home that fits your budget with our bespoke packages – you only pay for what you use. Unlike others, we can even integrate devices you already own, so you can say goodbye to hefty upfront costs!
Things to Ask Your Smart Home Provider
Are you talking to different smart home providers and comparing options? That’s exactly what we would do! Now, let us help you with some questions you can ask them, so you can get a better view of the capabilities of each platform:
Is your platform capable of displaying data in a personalised way instead of the same menus/submenus that are the same for all the users?
Yes. Instead of generic menus, we build a custom 3D floor plan of your house. It makes controlling everything incredibly simple.
Is your platform capable of detecting the room I´m in so the music can follow me around the house?
Definitely. Our system can use sensors to know which room you’re in, so setting up things like having your music follow you is easy.
Is your platform capable of detecting objects from the CCTV cameras so I can be notified about things like someone parking in my driveway while I´m on holiday?
It can. Our Smart CCTV is clever enough to tell the difference between people, cars, and pets, so you only get alerts that actually matter.
Compatibility & Future-Proofing:
Can we connect devices like our robot vacuum, our robot mower, our TV, our garden sprinkler, and other devices to your platform once it´s installed?
100%. Our platform works with thousands of devices from over 3,000 brands, so chances are, the tech you already own will connect just fine.
Do the devices that you are recommending to me (like light switches, etc.), use the standard electrical wiring of the house, so that if I decide to change any of the devices in the future, I can choose devices from other brands?
They do. We believe in future-proofing, so we use standard wiring. This means you’re never locked into a single hardware brand down the line.
Can your platform stop the music automatically when I receive a phone call?
For sure. That’s a perfect example of the kind of clever, custom automations we can set up to fit how you live.
Can your platform show me on my TV a real-time video of who is at the door when someone rings the doorbell?
Yep, that’s exactly the kind of thing a proper smart home should do. Tying everything together like that is what it’s all about.
The In-Depth Comparison
Tired of using multiple apps to control your smart home installations?
Imagine having everything in one place.
With just a single app, you can manage all your smart home devices (even from different brands and ecosystems) using a personalised 3D floor plan of your home.
No more switching between apps!
Want to see it in action?
Try our Virtual Demo and discover all the ways smart living can make your life easier.
You can click around a 3D model of a house and see exactly how it all works. Try adjusting the lights, changing the heating, or closing the blinds for yourself.
Level up your smart home skills and unlock a whole new world of convenience!
Your "Smart Home Systems" Questions, Answered
What is the difference between Control4, Crestron, and SH-PRO?
Control4 and Crestron are well-known smart home systems often used for larger, high-budget projects. SH-PRO is built to be more flexible, easier to use, and more affordable for modern homes.
Is SH-PRO compatible with devices I already own?
Yes. SH-PRO is designed to work with a huge range of smart home devices, so in many cases it can integrate products you already have instead of forcing you into one brand.
Which smart home system is easiest to use?
If ease of use is a priority, SH-PRO is designed to be much simpler for everyday life, with personalised controls and a more intuitive interface instead of complicated menus.
Is SH-PRO cheaper than Control4 or Crestron?
In many cases, yes. SH-PRO is aimed at giving homeowners a more custom and scalable system without the high upfront costs and ongoing fees often linked to older legacy platforms.
So, What's the Verdict?
Finally, don’t just take our word for it. The best way to understand the difference is to see it for yourself. We believe SH-PRO offers a smarter, more personal, and better value experience for the modern homeowner.
The next step is to see it in action, so give The Real Smart Home a bell and we’ll sort out a free demo.