Best Home Assistant Add-ons for Beginners (2026)
The Home Assistant add-on store has over 500 options. That sounds great until you realize most beginners do not know which ones matter and which ones are wasted disk space. I have been running Home Assistant for three years and have installed, tested, and removed dozens of add-ons. These are the ones that stayed.
If you are new to Home Assistant, start with our complete beginner guide before diving into add-ons. You need a working Home Assistant installation first.
What Are Add-ons?
Add-ons are separate applications that run alongside Home Assistant, usually in Docker containers managed by the Supervisor. They extend what Home Assistant can do without modifying the core system. Think of them as apps on your phone: some are essential, most are optional.
Add-ons only work with Home Assistant OS or Home Assistant Supervised installations. If you run Home Assistant Container (Docker) or Home Assistant Core, you install these as separate Docker containers instead. Our Home Assistant best integrations guide covers both approaches.
The Essential Add-ons (Install These First)
1. File Editor
What it does: Lets you edit YAML configuration files directly in the browser.
Why you need it: You will edit automations, scripts, and configuration files constantly. File Editor gives you a web-based text editor with syntax highlighting, right inside Home Assistant.
Price: Free
Install: Settings > Add-ons > Add-on Store > File Editor
This is the first add-on I install on every new Home Assistant setup. Without it, you are SSHing into your server for every config change.
2. Mosquitto MQTT Broker
What it does: Provides an MQTT broker for Zigbee2MQTT, Tasmota, Shelly, and other MQTT-based devices.
Why you need it: If you run any Zigbee devices via Zigbee2MQTT, or any MQTT-compatible devices, you need a broker. Mosquitto is the standard.
Price: Free
Install: Settings > Add-ons > Add-on Store > Mosquitto Broker
After installing, create an MQTT user in Settings > People > Users, then configure Zigbee2MQTT to use the broker. Our Zigbee2MQTT setup guide covers the full configuration.
3. Samba Share
What it does: Shares your Home Assistant configuration folder over the network, so you can access it from any computer.
Why you need it: Drag-and-drop file access makes backups, custom themes, and large config changes trivial. You can edit files in VS Code or any text editor on your main computer.
Price: Free
Install: Settings > Add-ons > Add-on Store > Samba Share
After installing, configure a username and password. On Windows, open File Explorer and type \\hassio\config. On Mac, use Finder > Go > Connect to Server > smb://hassio.local/config.
4. Terminal & SSH
What it does: Gives you a web-based terminal and optional SSH access to the Home Assistant system.
Why you need it: Some operations require command-line access: checking logs, running scripts, debugging issues. The web terminal is convenient; SSH is useful for remote management.
Price: Free
Install: Settings > Add-ons > Add-on Store > Terminal & SSH
You can access the web terminal from the sidebar after installation. For SSH access, configure a port and authorized keys in the add-on settings.
5. Google Drive Backup
What it does: Automatically backs up your Home Assistant installation to Google Drive.
Why you need it: Backups are not optional. A failed SD card, botched update, or accidental config deletion can wipe out months of automation work. Google Drive Backup runs daily and keeps your backups offsite.
Price: Free
Install: Add custom repository: https://github.com/sabeechen/hassio-google-drive-backup
This is the single most important add-on for protecting your smart home investment. Set it to keep 7 daily, 4 weekly, and 6 monthly backups. You will never worry about losing your configuration again.
Networking Add-ons
6. NGINX Proxy Manager (Advanced Users)
What it does: Provides HTTPS access to your Home Assistant instance from outside your home network.
Why you need it: If you want to control your smart home when you are away from home, you need secure remote access. NGINX Proxy Manager handles SSL certificates and reverse proxying.
Price: Free
Install: Settings > Add-ons > Add-on Store > NGINX Proxy Manager
Important: This opens your Home Assistant to the internet. Use strong passwords, enable two-factor authentication, and keep the add-on updated. Alternatively, consider Nabu Casa ($6.50/month) for secure remote access without the configuration complexity.
7. WireGuard
What it does: Creates a VPN server on your Home Assistant device, letting you access your home network securely from anywhere.
Why you need it: A VPN is more secure than opening ports. You connect to your home network as if you were on your local WiFi, then access Home Assistant normally.
Price: Free
Install: Settings > Add-ons > Add-on Store > WireGuard
WireGuard is the modern VPN standard: fast, lightweight, and easy to set up. Install the WireGuard app on your phone, scan the QR code from the add-on, and you have secure remote access.
Our smart home security guide covers remote access best practices.
Monitoring and Debugging
8. Glances
What it does: Monitors your Home Assistant device’s system resources: CPU usage, memory, disk space, network traffic.
Why you need it: Knowing if your device is running low on memory or disk space prevents mysterious failures. Glances gives you a real-time dashboard.
Price: Free
Install: Settings > Add-ons > Add-on Store > Glances
If you are running Home Assistant on a Raspberry Pi, monitoring resources is especially important. Low memory causes automations to fail silently, and full SD cards cause data loss.
9. Log Viewer
What it does: Provides a web interface for viewing system and Home Assistant logs.
Why you need it: When automations do not trigger or devices go offline, the logs tell you why. Log Viewer makes searching and filtering logs much easier than the default HA log viewer.
Price: Free
Install: Settings > Add-ons > Add-on Store > Log Viewer
Optional But Useful
10. ESPHome
What it does: Lets you flash and manage custom firmware on ESP32 and ESP8266 microcontrollers for DIY smart home devices.
Why you need it: ESPHome powers DIY sensors, switches, and displays. If you want to build custom devices (temperature sensors, presence detectors, custom buttons), ESPHome makes it straightforward.
Price: Free
Install: Settings > Add-ons > Add-on Store > ESPHome
You do not need ESPHome for a basic smart home, but it unlocks a world of DIY possibilities. Our best smart home automations guide includes some ESPHome-based automation ideas.
11. Node-RED
What it does: A visual programming tool for creating complex automations using a flow-based editor.
Why you need it: If you find Home Assistant’s YAML automations limiting, Node-RED provides a drag-and-drop alternative. Some users prefer it for complex conditional logic.
Price: Free
Install: Settings > Add-ons > Add-on Store > Node-RED
Node-RED is not for everyone. Home Assistant’s built-in automation editor handles most use cases. But for complex flows with many conditions and branching paths, Node-RED is more intuitive than YAML.
12. AdGuard Home
What it does: Network-wide ad blocker that runs on your Home Assistant device.
Why you need it: Blocks ads and trackers on every device on your network without installing browser extensions. Reduces bandwidth, improves privacy, and speeds up browsing.
Price: Free
Install: Settings > Add-ons > Add-on Store > AdGuard Home
This is not strictly a smart home add-on, but running it on your HA device means one less thing to manage separately. Configure your router’s DNS to point to your HA device’s IP, and all network traffic gets filtered.
Add-ons I Removed (And Why)
Zigbee2MQTT (as add-on): Moved to Docker for more control and stability. The add-on version sometimes had issues with USB passthrough.
Node-RED: Replaced by Home Assistant’s improved automation editor and Python scripts. The visual flow was nice but added unnecessary complexity for my use case.
Grafana: Great for data visualization, but overkill for most homes. Home Assistant’s built-in dashboards handle what I need.
deCONZ: Switched to ZHA, then to Zigbee2MQTT. deCONZ was solid but Z2M supports more devices and has a better dashboard.
Recommended Starter Pack
If you are new to Home Assistant, install these add-ons in order:
- File Editor (edit YAML configs)
- Samba Share (drag-and-drop file access)
- Terminal & SSH (command-line access)
- Google Drive Backup (automated backups)
- Mosquitto MQTT (if using Zigbee2MQTT)
- Glances (monitor device resources)
That is six add-ons covering editing, file access, command line, backups, MQTT, and monitoring. Everything else is optional based on your specific needs.
FAQ
How many add-ons can Home Assistant handle?
It depends on your hardware. A Raspberry Pi 4 with 4GB RAM can comfortably run 10-15 add-ons. A NUC or mini PC with 8GB+ RAM can run 30+ without issues. Monitor your memory usage with Glances to know when you are approaching limits.
Are add-ons safe to install?
Add-ons from the official Home Assistant store are generally safe because they are maintained by the community and reviewed. Third-party add-ons (from custom repositories) should be evaluated more carefully. Check the GitHub repository, recent commits, and community feedback before installing.
Do add-ons slow down Home Assistant?
Each add-on uses some system resources (CPU, memory, disk). On a Raspberry Pi, running too many add-ons can slow down Home Assistant’s core functions. On more powerful hardware (NUC, mini PC), the impact is negligible. Remove add-ons you do not use.
Can I install add-ons on Home Assistant Container?
No. The add-on system requires Home Assistant OS or Home Assistant Supervised. If you run Home Assistant Container (Docker), you install these applications as separate Docker containers. The functionality is the same, but the installation process is different.
What is the difference between add-ons and integrations?
Add-ons are separate applications that run alongside Home Assistant (like Mosquitto, File Editor, or Node-RED). Integrations are built into Home Assistant and connect to devices and services (like Zigbee, MQTT, or Philips Hue). You need integrations to talk to your devices; add-ons provide supporting services.