The Best Smart Shades, Blinds, and Curtains

Set it and forget it. That's what it has been like living with Lutron's Serena Shades for the past year, and it's exactly what I want out of a gadget like this. Lutron's website might look a bit dated, but you can run through a series of choices as you design your custom shades (in Honeycomb, Wood Blinds, or Roller designs). I chose the latter and entered the measurements from the inside mount of my windows in Lutron's shade builder tool. You can choose between battery-powered and wired, but because I don't have outlets near my windows and I didn't want to deal with a 15-foot cord, I opted for the batteries (eight D-cell alkaline batteries). Good news on that front: These batteries should last three to five years if you open and close the shades twice per day! Once the batteries start to get low, the shades will move at half speed, indicating it's time to swap them (you will also get an alert in the Lutron app).

Some of the following options in the design process may differ if you went with a different shade style, but you can mount these shades on the inside or outside mount of your windows, and even above the frame if you want (I did an inside mount). Then, choose the kind of headrail you want. I went with the fabric-wrapped Fascia, which will cost a bit more, but it looks cleaner than the standard roll design. Lutron also lets you choose between sheer, translucent, or blackout for the roller shade, and I went with translucent. It can let very little light in on sunny days, and night, looking from the outside, I can just see a faint glow from my living room lights. I couldn't see any silhouettes! Finally, choose your fabric weave and color (I did Luna <1% Collection in basalt gray).

During the order process, you will also need to choose how you want to control your shades. I wanted to use my phone and voice assistant but also have the option for a remote, so went for the Remote & Connected Home option. Make sure you snag the Lutron Smart Hub, which you will need to plug into your router to pair your shades to your Wi-Fi connection. It was pretty easy to set it all up and connect to Google Assistant in the Google Home app (you can set them up with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Samsung SmartThings, and even other brands like Sonos, Ecobee, and Honeywell).

The installation itself took no more than an hour (hopefully you're comfortable with drills and mounting things), and it truly has been smooth sailing since. I set up a schedule for the shades to open and close 30 minutes after sunrise and sunset, and they've been doing exactly that for close to a year. They are almost silent. You hear a very slight whirr, but honestly, if I didn't see them move and I wasn't paying attention and the TV was on, I would never hear them at all. They look great, work flawlessly, and I don't have to worry about battery life for years. They're spendy, but you're paying for peace of mind. —Julian Chokkattu

For a choice of understated, Scandi-style shades, Swedish OmniaBlinds offers a lovely range of fabrics named after world cities. My review shade was the textured and translucent Panama fabric in light gray. This shade affords privacy but allows some light through when the shade is closed, which was perfect for my kitchen. OmniaBlinds also offers blackout shades, and you can request free fabric samples before you buy. I tried a made-to-measure shade fitted in my kitchen window frame with two brackets screwed into the PVC frame to hold the shade securely in place. A USB-C port at one end enables you to recharge the shade, and a handy beaded pull cord opens and closes it. I love the look of this shade, and little details like the black brackets, cord, and cylinder weight on the bottom add a touch of class.

OmniaBlinds smart shades rely on Eve’s excellent MotionBlinds motors, so you get Matter support with voice controls and scheduling through Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, or Samsung SmartThings (I tested with Apple). Remember you will need a Matter controller, such as an Apple TV or Nest Hub, and good Wi-Fi connectivity. My shade was scheduled to open and close automatically at dawn and dusk and worked perfectly. I also appreciate the physical pull cord because it makes it easy for anyone to open and close the shade should they want to (smart home controls can be problematic).

Over a few months, I have had no issues with the OmniaBlinds shade. They have stayed connected, and both automation and voice control work perfectly. The battery is supposed to last up to a year (mine is still going strong). There aren’t as many customization options as some other shades, though this makes ordering straightforward, and the only thing I missed was a valance option for the top (you will want a snug fit to avoid light leakage). This shade can also be a little noisy when opening or closing, up to around 60 decibels. Prices are relatively high, starting from around $220.

With a similarly enormous range of shades and finishes, Canisteo is a slightly more budget-friendly option than SmartWings. I decided to test a dual shade for the bedroom, which includes a blackout shade to keep things dark at night and a translucent inner shade for a softer, diffused light during the day. It’s a versatile combo that I highly recommend, but it does almost double your costs. These shades came with special brackets, and it was seriously fiddly to slide them into place. Thankfully, once in, you shouldn’t need to touch them again. There’s a USB-C port and control button at one end, and the Matter code is on the weighted strip at the bottom of each shade. This strip is quite large and has the Canisteo logo on one side, which I do not like, but I appreciate the brush strip on the bottom to prevent any sound when it touches down on your windowsill. There’s an optional metal cassette valance that you can slide over the top for a neat finish and to block any light leakage.

Matter support means you can set up schedules and voice controls with Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Apple HomeKit, or Samsung SmartThings. Remember that you need a controller, like an Echo Hub or Apple TV. You can also get the same optional 5- or 15-channel remote for these shades as for SmartWings. It’s a little fiddly if you have to program it, but it should come pre-paired. You will likely want it because the button can be hard to reach and there’s no cord.

I have only had these shades for a couple of weeks, but so far, so good. They respond to voice controls and open and close on schedule. The battery life is supposed to be between four and six months, and you can buy a solar panel to stick to your window if you don’t want to have to plug in. Operation is impressively quiet (I measured 46 decibels), and I can sleep through this shade opening. These are some of the most affordable custom-fit smart shades on the market, starting from around $120.

By far the most affordable smart shade option, Ikea’s Fyrtur shades come in a choice of eight sizes, from 23 x 76.75 inches up to 48 x 76.75 inches. Unlike the other shades in our guide, there is no made-to-measure option, and these shades are not designed to be cut (it is technically possible according to some online guides, but it doesn’t look easy). If you’re lucky enough to have a window that matches one of the sizes, this is a classy-looking smart shade that is easy to install. It uses similar spring brackets to our top two picks and has a removable, rechargeable battery in a compartment at the top right. The top section of these shades is quite bulky, but it looks neat enough once installed. There are physical buttons at the top left for opening and closing the shade, and you get a tiny remote control in the box.

You can connect to the shade via the Ikea Home smart app, and you can schedule times for it to open or close automatically, but you must plug in the included signal repeater within 30 feet of the shade. You also need a Dirigera hub ($70) if you want to add voice commands and remote controls for the major smart home platforms. The Dirigera hub replaces the old Tradfri hub and is a big improvement with support for Matter, Wi-Fi, Zigbee, and Thread. There are some other connection options if you search online and don’t mind jumping through a few hoops.

Style-wise the Fyrtur only comes in gray, though it blends in well with most rooms. It is quite noisy, hitting up to 60 decibels when opening or closing. Battery life is OK—expect at least a couple of months. It’s nice that you can remove the battery to charge easily by plugging the supplied cable into the repeater, though I’d rather have a USB-C port than MicroUSB. They start at $130.

What if you already have a roller shade you love? The Eve MotionBlinds Upgrade Kit could be just what you need. This clever kit can be fitted into an existing roller shade or blind to make it smart. The circumference of the tube inside your existing roller shade matters, so measure up before you buy. Installation is a breeze, and you can add the MotionBlinds to HomeKit simply by scanning the QR code on the chain pull mechanism using your Apple Home app. There’s no remote with this and no need for a separate hub, provided you have a HomePod mini, HomePod, or Apple TV. Battery life is up to a year, depending on how often you open and close your shades.

Though originally designed for Apple Home, the latest version is Matter-enabled and you can easily connect it to Amazon Alexa, Samsung SmartThings, or Google Home. You just need a Matter controller and Thread border router. Even if you have an older version of the Eve Motion Blinds, it is straightforward to upgrade to Matter. I have my Eve MotionBlinds in my bedroom and they are scheduled in the Apple Home app to open and close with sunset and sunrise on weekdays. We ask Siri or pull the control chain on weekends.

Because you can pair the Eve MotionBlinds Upgrade Kit with any roller, you can get the exact size, color, and finish you want. A few suppliers ship the Eve MotionBlinds ready fitted into their made-to-measure shades or blinds. While the pull chain is much easier than trying to fumble with a tiny button, the shade occasionally catches on it when closing. It is also quite noisy in operation, sometimes going above 60 decibels, which is enough to wake you.

Folks with venetian blinds can use this clever gadget from SwitchBot to add automation and remote controls. Provided you have horizontal blinds with a rotary control rod, you can fit the SwitchBot Blind Tilt yourself, but I recommend watching the instructional video, as it can be fiddly. You get a solar panel in the box that can go behind the blinds to keep the battery topped up. It connects to the SwitchBot app on your phone via Bluetooth to set the Blind Tilt function up and to set your preferred positions and schedules. There is a built-in light sensor, so you can have the blinds close automatically when the sun is shining.

If you want to use voice commands or control your blinds remotely you need to buy a SwitchBot Hub Mini ($39) or Hub 2 ($70). With your blinds linked to a hub, you can use all the major smart home ecosystems (only the Hub 2 supports Matter and Apple HomeKit). You can also buy a SwitchBot Remote ($19) if you want a simple programmable button for opening or closing the blinds. The SwitchBot Blind Tilt works quite well and gives you fine control over the angle of your blinds with a slider.

The SwitchBot Blind Tilt is quite chunky and only comes in white, which is fine if your blinds are white, but stands out like a sore thumb otherwise. You also have to run a cable from it to the solar panel, which doesn’t look great from outside of your chosen window. Normal operation is speedy but fairly loud (around 50 decibels), but there is a quiet mode that moves slowly and keeps the volume under 35 decibels. Because Bluetooth is a bit slow and flaky, a hub is advisable for the best performance, but that adds to the cost.

Combining drapes and shades is a great way to achieve total darkness in a bedroom, and you can automate your curtains too. The SwitchBot Curtain 3 comes in a few varieties for rod or U-rail curtains. I tested the rod version with my bedroom curtains and was surprised to find how well it works. You can chart SwitchBot’s progress in our reviews from the original Curtain Bot (4/10, WIRED Review) through the SwitchBot Curtain Rod 2 (7/10, WIRED Recommends). The third time's the charm with the SwitchBot Curtain 3, which addresses all my complaints about the earlier versions.

Installation is easy, but take your time and make sure to fit the curtain beading for spacing and the magnetic stickers that mark the endpoints for your curtains to be closed. If your curtains open in the middle, you will need two SwitchBot Curtain 3 devices. I tested them with the new solar panels ($26), which clip into place (the old ones relied on adhesive and tended to fall off after a short time). Other improvements with the Curtain 3 include “QuietDrift,” which keeps the volume below 25 decibels (I can sleep through this).

As with the Blind Tilt, you need some extras to get the best from the Curtain 3. I recommend a SwitchBot Hub 2 ($70) to open up support for Amazon Alexa, Google Home, SmartThings, Siri Shortcuts, IFTTT, and also Matter for Apple HomeKit. You can also schedule your curtains and add a SwitchBot Remote ($19) if you want a physical remote control. The Curtain 3 is a bit slimmer than previous versions and sits unobtrusively behind the curtains. Unfortunately, the solar panel attachment looks a bit weird from the outside, but it's worth it since I don't have to charge them. Without this, you'll have to recharge it every couple of months via USB-C.

We have tested a few other smart shades and retrofit devices. Here are a few that narrowly missed out on a place above.

Aqara Curtain Driver E1 for $90: With separate models for rod or track curtains, this is very much like the SwitchBot Curtain 3 above, but not quite as good. It is bigger, which leaves more room for a larger battery, so you can expect up to a year of battery life. Unfortunately, it is also louder (over 50 decibels), more expensive, and requires an Aqara hub to unlock voice commands and smart home automation.

Ikea Tredansen from $130: The Tredansen is very similar to the Fyrtur above, except that it is a cellular blackout blind that only comes in white. The fittings, eight sizes, and removable battery are identical to the Fyrtur. Connect to a Dirigera hub and you can use the Ikea Home app to control, schedule, and group your blinds. You get a pre-paired remote, but annoyingly you have to plug in the included signal repeater for wireless functions (this may depend on how far your devices are from your hub, as some folks have had success without the repeater). They don’t look as nice or feel as durable as the Fyrtur, and I had some issues with patchy connectivity.

Ryse SmartShade for $200: This is a retrofit gadget to convert any roller shade with a beaded chain into a smart shade. It’s easy to fit, but you will need a roller shade with an uninterrupted chain because a plastic spacer joining the two ends of a chain can cause problems (my chain came apart), and it’s noisy in operation. The removable battery pack is a smart idea, but if you want to remote control the shade from your phone, you must be in Bluetooth range. To get scheduling and voice controls, you must buy the Ryse SmartBridge ($71), and I had issues with connectivity dropping in and out. After testing a couple of these retrofit designs for the beaded chain roller blinds (I also tested the Aqara E1) and having problems both times, I can’t recommend them. This one is also way too expensive.