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Shelly Cloud App – Free vs. Premium
Shelly Cloud App - Free vs Premium
Shelly Cloud provides a mobile and web application for managing its devices. The free version covers all essential functions: adding devices, switching relays, scheduling, monitoring power and creating basic automation scenes.
The optional paid subscription, Shelly Premium, extends this with higher data resolution, longer logs, more dashboards and additional notification/automation capabilities. But is it worth it?
Let’s take a look at the differences between the free plan and the subscription plan so you can make an informed decision…
Shelly App (Basic - Free Plan)
The free Shelly Smart Control App offers core smart-home functionality:
Shelly Premium (Subscription)
For €3.99/month (~AUD $6.50) or €35.99/year (~AUD $59), with a 3-month free trial for new users, Shelly Premium unlocks these advanced features:
Feature Comparison Matrix
|
Feature |
Basic (Free) |
Premium (Subscription) |
|---|---|---|
|
Event Log (per device) |
5 events |
100 events |
|
Energy Statistics Interval |
1-hour |
1-minute |
|
Alexa Virtual Actions |
Up to 3 |
Up to 100 |
|
Weather Widget |
- |
Yes |
|
Weather-Triggered Scenes |
- |
Yes |
|
Forgotten Lights Reminder |
- |
Yes |
|
Dashboards |
Up to 5 |
Up to 20 |
|
Widgets per Dashboard |
Up to 40 |
Up to 80 |
|
Monthly Energy Reports |
- |
Yes (email & in-app) |
|
AI Device Failure Detection |
- |
Yes (anomaly detection) |
|
Offline Device Notifications |
- |
Yes (push/email) |
|
Virtual Devices |
- |
Yes (create logic devices in the app) |
Deeper dive...
What do these differences actually mean? Do I need them? Let’s take a deeper dive to find out…
Event History Event Log (100 vs 5)
More history makes troubleshooting easier. You can confirm when automations ran, when devices toggled or when a fault started—useful for diagnosing intermittent issues and auditing energy anomalies.
High‑Resolution Energy Statistics (1‑minute)
Minute‑level data exposes short spikes and granular patterns you won’t see at 1‑hour resolution. Great for optimising heaters, pumps, EV charging and verifying tariff/automation impacts.
Alexa Virtual Actions (3 free → 100 premium)
Create far more voice‑triggered scenes and routines without hitting limits—ideal for rooms, modes, or seasonal automations.
Weather Widget
Live weather in the app provides context for quick decisions—e.g., avoid heating/cooling clashes with outdoor conditions.
Weather‑Triggered Scenes
Automate based on forecast or current conditions: close shutters before rain, pre‑cool/heat ahead of heatwaves, or pause irrigation on wet days.
Sunrise/Sunset Triggers
Tie lighting, blinds, cameras and garden features to daylight automatically. No maintenance as seasons change.
Forgotten Lights Reminder
Receive push/email if lights are left on outside expected times—reducing energy waste and improving convenience.
Dashboards & Widgets Expansion (20 dashboards / 80 widgets)
Scale layouts for larger homes or businesses. Keep separate boards for energy, HVAC, lighting, security, or per‑site views.
Monthly Energy Reports
Automatic summaries via email and in‑app help spot peak usage, validate savings, and share easy‑to‑read insights with household or stakeholders.
AI‑Powered Device Failure Detection
Machine‑learning watches device behaviour and flags anomalies early—helping you fix issues before they become outages.
Offline Device Notifications
Get alerted when a device drops offline so you can quickly diagnose network or power problems, crucial for critical loads.
Virtual Devices
Build logic devices in the app (e.g., group relays into one control, combine states, or create meta‑switches) to simplify routines.
Is it worth it?
Sorry for sitting on the fence for this one… but the answer to that question is only something you can answer!
We can offer some real-word feedback from our customers… very few opt for the premium plan. I think this is more a testimony to how good the free access is rather than in indictment on the premium offering. If you see value in some of the premium features, then the subscription is a relatively small price to pay and represents good value overall… but only if you will use the extra features of course.
What are my alternatives?
Shelly devices can easily be integrated into 3rd party hubs, such as Home Assistant or Homey Pro. Both platforms allow local data storage, advanced dashboards, threshold alerts (e.g. energy > 20 kWh/month) and integration with other systems. This approach provides the same (and more) capabilities as the Shelly Premium offering. It also brings control of Shelly devices local rather than through the “cloud” and means you can have Shelly devices work with other branded smart home devices and eco-systems.
Worth thinking about.
Ok – thx for reading this
I am new to the Shelly Line
Sounds professional, but ALL I need is a compressed natural gas detector with WiFi and it be free. No monthly charges. I want my WiFi to notify my iPhone
Simple.
So I am confused….do I need to pay a recurring service fee? Thx