Updated August 15th, 2026
A smart plug is the cheapest, easiest entry point into a smart home — no wiring, no electrician, just plug it into an existing outlet and you can control whatever's connected from your phone or with your voice. But even in this simple category, the options range from bare-bones $9-a-unit basics to privacy-focused plugs with local-only control and real-time energy tracking, so picking the right one depends on what you actually want to automate.
We compared four smart plugs that each fit a different need. The Kasa Smart Plug HS103P2 is our Best Value pick — a two-pack from one of the most trusted names in the category for under $18. The Amazon Smart Plug is our Best Overall pick, backed by over half a million ratings and about as safe a bet as exists in this category. The Govee Smart Plug with Energy Monitoring is our pick for anyone who wants to actually see what their devices are costing them to run. And the Eve Energy Matter Smart Plug is our Premium Pick, built for buyers who want local-only control with no cloud dependency and native Matter/Thread support.
We evaluated each plug on setup difficulty (hub required or not), voice assistant compatibility, real-world reliability from customer reviews, and any standout feature that sets it apart from a basic on/off plug. The Kasa Smart Plug HS103P2 holds a massive 150,602 ratings at a 4.6-star average. The Amazon Smart Plug is the runaway leader of the entire category with 571,205 ratings at 4.7 stars and 8,000+ bought in the past month. The Govee Smart Plug with Energy Monitoring holds 1,142 ratings at 4.6 stars. And the Eve Energy Matter Smart Plug holds 429 ratings at 4.2 stars, with 300+ bought in the past month.
Quick Notes
The Kasa Smart Plug HS103P2 is our Best Value pick because it delivers two UL-certified smart plugs for under $18 while holding 150,602 ratings at a 4.6-star average. It's aimed at anyone who wants a reliable, no-hub-required smart plug without spending much per unit. One concrete detail that matters is that Kasa has been a leading smart home brand since 2015, trusted by over 7 million users and named a reader's choice by PCMag — a track record that shows up in just how deep this product's review history runs. A second detail is the compact design, which keeps the second outlet on a duplex receptacle usable instead of blocking it — a small detail that several competing plugs get wrong. The tradeoff is that it lacks energy monitoring, so if tracking power usage matters to you, you'll want the Govee pick instead. Skip this one if you want built-in energy monitoring. Buy it if you want a reliable smart plug without spending much per unit.
Quick Notes
The Amazon Smart Plug is our Best Overall pick because it holds an extraordinary 571,205 ratings at a 4.7-star average, making it by far the most-reviewed smart plug on all of Amazon. It's built for anyone who wants the simplest, most foolproof entry point into a smart home. One concrete detail that matters is the setup process, which takes just a couple of minutes through the Alexa app with no smart home hub required — plug it in, open the app, and it's usually ready to go. A second detail is Away Mode, which automatically turns connected lights on and off on a schedule to make your home look occupied while you're traveling, a genuinely useful security feature built directly into the free Alexa app. The tradeoff is that it works exclusively with Alexa and requires a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network, so it's not a fit if your smart home is built around Google Home or Apple Home instead. Skip this one if you don't use Alexa as your primary smart home platform. Buy it if you want the single safest, most trusted choice with the deepest track record.
Quick Notes
The Govee Smart Plug with Energy Monitoring is our pick for tracking energy usage because it delivers real-time power, current, and voltage data backed by a 4.6-star average across 1,142 ratings. It's built for anyone who wants to actually understand what their devices are costing them to run, not just turn them on and off. One concrete detail that matters is the historical data view, which lets you review energy use daily, weekly, monthly, or over a full year in the Govee Home app — genuinely useful for spotting phantom power draw from devices left plugged in. A second detail is the dual WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, which means you can control the plug locally over Bluetooth even if your WiFi is down, then still get full remote access when you're away from home. The tradeoff is that at $8.32 per plug in the four-pack, it costs meaningfully more per unit than the Kasa pick, though the energy monitoring feature is the reason for the difference. Skip this one if you don't care about tracking energy usage. Buy it if you want to see exactly what your devices are costing you to run.
Quick Notes
The Eve Energy Matter Smart Plug is our Premium Pick because it delivers fully local, cloud-free control backed by a 4.2-star average across 429 ratings. It's built for buyers who prioritize privacy and cross-platform compatibility over rock-bottom price. One concrete detail that matters is the 100% local operation over Thread — no Eve cloud, no registration, and no tracking, meaning commands execute without ever leaving your home network, which also makes it noticeably faster to respond than typical Wi-Fi plugs. A second detail is native Matter support, which means this plug works seamlessly across Apple Home, Alexa, Google Home, and SmartThings simultaneously rather than locking you into a single ecosystem — genuinely future-proof as smart home standards continue to consolidate. The tradeoff is that it requires a compatible Thread border router or Matter hub to unlock full functionality, which is an added requirement (and potential added cost) that simpler Wi-Fi-only plugs don't have. Skip this one if you don't already have a Matter or Thread-compatible hub. Buy it if you want local-only control with no cloud dependency and don't mind paying more for it.
Kasa Smart Plug HS103P2
Amazon Smart Plug
Govee Smart Plug with Energy Monitoring
Eve Energy Matter Smart Plug
Best Use
Budget-friendly everyday automation
Simplest, most trusted setup for Alexa users
Tracking real energy usage and cost
Privacy-focused, local-only smart home control
Price
$17.99 (2-pack)
$24.99
$33.29 (4-pack)
$39.95
Hub Required
No
No
No
Yes (Matter/Thread hub)
Standout Feature
Trusted by over 4 million users, UL certified
571,205 ratings, the most-reviewed smart plug on Amazon
Real-time power, current, and voltage tracking up to 1 year
100% local control, no cloud, no registration, no tracking
Why We'd Buy It
4.6 stars across 150,602 ratings, 1K+ bought in the past month
4.7 stars across 571,205 ratings, Amazon's Choice
4.6 stars across 1,142 ratings, 1K+ bought in the past month
4.2 stars across 429 ratings, 300+ bought in the past month
If you want a reliable smart plug without spending much, the Kasa Smart Plug HS103P2 covers that. It comes as a two-pack for under $18, is UL certified, and is backed by over 150,000 ratings from a brand that’s been a category leader since 2015.
If you want the single safest, most trusted choice with the deepest track record, the Amazon Smart Plug is built for that. With more than half a million ratings at 4.7 stars, it’s the most-reviewed smart plug on all of Amazon, and setup takes just a couple of minutes through the Alexa app.
If you want to actually see how much energy your devices are using, the Govee Smart Plug with Energy Monitoring is built for that. It tracks real-time power, current, and voltage, with daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly history so you can spot which devices are costing you the most to run.
If you want a smart plug that works entirely locally with no cloud dependency, the Eve Energy Matter Smart Plug is built for that. It’s Matter and Thread native, meaning no Eve cloud, no registration, and no tracking — just fast, local, cross-platform control.
For automations that react to movement or open doors, see our smart sensor recommendations across several common use cases.
Buy the Kasa Smart Plug HS103P2 if you want a reliable smart plug without spending much.
Buy the Amazon Smart Plug if you want the single safest, most trusted choice with the deepest track record.
Buy the Govee Smart Plug with Energy Monitoring if you want to see exactly what your devices are costing you to run.
Buy the Eve Energy Matter Smart Plug if you want local-only control with no cloud dependency and don't mind paying a premium for it.
Choose the Kasa Smart Plug HS103P2 if you want a reliable smart plug without spending much. Choose the Amazon Smart Plug if you want the single safest, most trusted choice with the deepest track record. Choose the Govee Smart Plug with Energy Monitoring if you want to see exactly what your devices are costing you to run. Choose the Eve Energy Matter Smart Plug if you want local-only control with no cloud dependency and don't mind paying more for it.
Still not sure? Go with the Amazon Smart Plug. With over half a million ratings and the simplest setup of any plug in this comparison, it's the least likely choice to cause you any trouble.
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