5 Cheaper Smart Lights That Work with Google Home

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It’s hard to live in a house filled to the brim with smart lights. The only reason we say “hard” is that when you have to spend a few days somewhere else, whether it’s with a family member or a hotel, it can be difficult to remember that Google Home didn’t come with you. This shows how easy it is to get used to the automations, especially once you’ve been living under a Google Home roof for a few weeks.

Many manufacturers make everything from smart bulbs and switches to internet-connected lamps and fixtures. Brands like Philips Hue are leading the smart lighting industry because they make the technology easy to set up and use. It’s also easy to expand, but buying multiple smart lights at once can quickly get expensive. Additionally, Hue is just one of many smart lighting manufacturers; many other companies prioritize price as much as the technology used in these bulbs and other lighting gadgets.

We know a thing or two about smart lighting brands you should consider if you’re trying to create a scalable system that a.) works with Google Home and b.) won’t bankrupt you. Some of these manufacturers also make more than just lighting products (TP-Link is a reliable brand for networking hardware). To help you get started, here are five cheaper smart lights we recommend, all of which can be automated through Google Home.

Govee is a must-have smart lighting brand that won’t break the bank. The company makes everything from LED lamps and light strips to light bulbs, and we think the $25 Govee Smart Bulbs (2-pack) are a great choice for Google Home users. These are A19 bulbs with an E26 base, so they are compatible with most residential lamps and fixtures. Connectivity is also simple: you can connect via 2.4GHz Wi-Fi or Bluetooth and configure everything in the Govee app.

Once online, you can link your Govee account to Google Home to control and automate light bulbs in the Google Home app. You can even use voice commands by speaking into your phone’s mic or a compatible smart speaker (you can’t speak directly to the bulbs). With over 16 million color options and 54 scene modes to choose from, you can dial in the perfect lighting for almost any mood.

Amazon shoppers have rated Govee bulbs 4.6 out of 5 stars, based on more than 27,200 reviews. People like how easy it is to install and automate the lights, but a few felt that the maximum brightness wasn’t bright enough. It also looks like you can only have one shared account, not multiple user profiles.

The author of this article equipped his entire apartment with Kasa smart bulbs. It’s been a few years and I’m still a very happy camper, so I definitely recommend the $22 Kasa smart bulbs (2-pack) as a cheap Google Home solution. Initial setup is handled by the Kasa app, which integrates the bulbs via 2.4GHz Wi-Fi. Once activated, you can add them to Google Home and they can also interface with Alexa and Samsung SmartThings.

Kasa claims you’ll have up to 16 million colors to choose from, as well as a color temperature range of 2500K to 6500K. The Kasa app also provides energy scheduling and monitoring tools; you can access the former through the Google Home app. I chose to highlight the two-pack, but you can also purchase these bulbs individually, and there is a 1,000 lumen option (sold alone or in a two-pack), but at a slightly higher cost.

On Amazon, the 800 lumen two-pack has a 4.5 out of 5 stars, based on over 16,700 reviews. Buyers like that the bulbs work well and are easy to install and customize. That said, if you’re looking for bulbs with lots of color-changing effects and animations, this might not be the best choice; they’re just not as advanced as other lighting products.

Here’s another A19 option with an E26 base, one of the most common bulb types on the market. The $35 LIFX Smart Bulbs (2-Pack) check many of the same boxes as the Govee and Kasa A19/E26 bulbs we’ve been talking about. Initial setup requires Bluetooth to integrate the bulbs with the LIFX app, but once they’re registered you can control them via 2.4GHz Wi-Fi. The bulbs are compatible with Google Home, Apple HomeKit, Alexa and Matter; the product page even names IFTTT.

The LIFX app is packed with features and customizations; Choose from over 200 lighting presets or create your own hues and lighting. You can also adjust the bulbs from 1500K to 9000K for color temperature, and you’ll want to try Visualizer mode. This uses the built-in microphone of your phone or tablet to make your bulbs react rhythmically to your favorite songs.

Amazon user reviews have earned this LIFX product a 4.4 out of 5 star rating, based on over 4,300 reviews. Most users favor bulbs, particularly because of their ease of installation and control. We think it’s important to shed light on some configuration issues; apparently HomeKit integration can be a real pain. And while we’re focused on Google Home, no ecosystem should record lights more or less efficiently than another.

Exterior lighting is just as important as interior application. Arguably the former may be more important when used for home security, and we think the $45 GE CYNC Outdoor Spotlight (2-pack) is one of the least expensive bulb combinations made for floodlights. Compatible with Google Home and Alexa, CYNC bulbs offer a 40-degree beam angle and customizable colors. This is another lighting product that connects via 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, with initial setup handled by the CYNC app.

After integration, you can adjust brightness, color temperature, create lighting schedules, and much more. Google Home and Alexa compatibility are available, and rest assured, both bulbs are weatherproof. What do people think about it? On Amazon, this GE CYNC set has 4.1 out of 5 stars based on over 600 reviews. Most reviewers liked the wide range of color options, simple setup, and decent cost.

Unfortunately, a few people had difficulty getting the bulbs online and updating them. This doesn’t seem like a major quality control issue, but it’s worth knowing in case you encounter it yourself. One Amazon reviewer even went to the trouble of creating individual houses (lighting zones) in the CYNC app. We suggest installing the bulbs indoors, as close to your router as possible, then moving them outside once installation is complete.

Govee appears more than once in this smart lighting roundup because they’re so good. This one’s a bit of a novelty, but for those of us looking to upgrade our home theater time, the $30 Govee RGBIC Smart LED Light Strips are what we’d buy. The kit comes with a 12.5-foot spool of light strips, which should be enough to cover the back of most 55- to 65-inch TVs. If you need a few extra feet, you can pay an extra $5 for a 15 foot spool.

Not only will you have millions of color options at your disposal, but you can also choose from over 99 lighting presets, as well as 11 music modes. This is another Govee system that supports Music Sync, and unlike the Govee bulbs we mentioned above, the light strips include a built-in mic, so you won’t need to rely on your phone for Music Sync. And as you might guess, the kit is compatible with both Google Home and Alexa.

Over 6,300 Amazon shoppers have written about this Govee product, giving it a 4.4 out of 5 star rating. Most people like the biased lighting that Govee brings to the table, but the adhesive can be a challenge; We’ve read a few reviews where customers had trouble removing the adhesive backing or the adhesive failed to stick after installation.

Smart lighting products sell by the dozen and you can find them just about anywhere smart technology is sold. Our main goal in researching this article was to find the cheapest smart lights compatible with Google Home. This didn’t always translate into great prices, partly because we wanted to avoid unknown brands.

Each of our five product picks has earned more than four stars on Amazon, and we’ve referenced user reviews to present as many pros and cons as possible.