Rako and Shelly both make a home smarter, but they solve different problems. Rako is a lighting-control system built around dedicated wall keypads and designed scenes, planned and commissioned by a Rako installer. Shelly is a range of small relays, sensors and plugs, most of which sit behind the switches you already have and are controlled from an app. This guide helps you work out which one fits your home, or whether you'd benefit from both.
The short answer
- Choose Rako if you want dedicated keypads, designed lighting scenes and a whole-house system set up by an installer.
- Choose Shelly if you want to keep your existing switches, add smart control one circuit at a time and run it from an app.
- Choose both if you want Rako for lighting scenes and Shelly for jobs such as heating, energy and sensors. Many homes do exactly this.
If you'd like the background on either brand first, read our guides to what Rako is and what Shelly is. This post focuses on the choice between them.
Rako: dedicated keypads and designed scenes
Rako is lighting control made by Rako Controls in Rochester, Kent, which was founded in 2002. At its heart are wall keypads that recall scenes. A scene sets several lights to chosen levels with one press, so a single button can take a room from bright and practical to low and relaxed. For the most common keypad, see Rako RK-EOS-6 vs WK-EOS-6.
A Rako system can be wireless, wired over CAT5, or a hybrid of the two. It can run curtains and blinds as well as lights (see Rako curtains and blinds), which makes it a natural fit when you want one consistent way to control a whole room or a whole house.
App control and voice control through Alexa, Google Home and Apple Home come through a Rako hub. If you're comparing hubs, our guide to the Rako RK-HUB vs WK-HUB explains which one suits a wireless, wired or hybrid system.
Rako is designed and commissioned by a Rako installer. We supply the parts, including keypads and modules, and your installer designs the system and sets up the scenes. For choosing dimmer modules, see Rako RMT-500 vs RML-500.
Shelly: smart control behind the switches you already have
Shelly makes small relays, sensors and plugs. Most Shelly relays sit in the back box behind an existing switch, and the switch still works as normal. That means you can add smart control without changing how a room looks or how people already use it.
You control Shelly devices with the free Shelly Smart Control app. Shelly also works with Alexa, Google Home and Apple Home, with Matter on Matter-certified devices, including Gen4. If you run Home Assistant, Shelly works with it over your local network without needing the cloud; our Shelly and Home Assistant guide explains how.
The big appeal is flexibility. You can start with one circuit and add more over time. To see the range, browse Shelly relays and the Mini range, or read our comparison of Shelly Mini vs Pro vs BLU vs Wave.
Rako vs Shelly side by side
- How you control it day to day: Rako uses dedicated wall keypads. Shelly works with your existing switches and the app.
- Scenes: Rako is built around designed scenes, with several lights set to chosen levels in one press.
- Scope: Rako suits a planned, whole-house lighting system. Shelly lets you start with one circuit and grow from there.
- Beyond lighting: Rako can run curtains and blinds. Shelly's range includes sensors and plugs, and it's often used for heating and energy.
- App and voice: Rako connects to its app and to Alexa, Google Home and Apple Home through a hub. Shelly uses the free Shelly Smart Control app and works with Alexa, Google Home and Apple Home, with Matter on Matter-certified devices.
- Local smart-home platforms: Shelly works with Home Assistant on your local network without the cloud.
- Who sets it up: Rako is designed and commissioned by a Rako installer.
Choose Rako if
- You want lighting scenes designed around how you use each room.
- You'd like dedicated keypads on the wall rather than relying on an app.
- You're planning lighting control across the whole house, not just a room or two.
- You want curtains and blinds controlled alongside the lights.
- You're happy to work with a Rako installer who designs and commissions the system.
Choose Shelly if
- You want to keep your existing switches and have them keep working.
- You'd like to start with one circuit and add more when you're ready.
- You're happy to control things from an app, by voice, or both.
- You want sensors and plugs as well as switching.
- You use Home Assistant and want devices that work on your local network without the cloud.
Can I use Rako and Shelly together?
Yes, and many homes do. A common split is Rako for lighting scenes, with keypads in the main rooms, and Shelly for heating, energy and sensors. The two aren't competing for the same job in that setup. Rako handles how the lighting looks and feels, and Shelly takes care of the smart jobs around it.
If you're planning this, decide early which circuits belong to which system. Your Rako installer can design the lighting side, and you can fit Shelly into the plan around it.
Do Rako and Shelly both work with Alexa, Google Home and Apple Home?
Yes. Rako works with Alexa, Google Home and Apple Home through a Rako hub. Shelly works with all three as well, with Matter on Matter-certified devices, including Gen4. If voice control matters to you, it's available whichever route you take.
Questions to ask before you choose
- Do you want new keypads on the wall, or do you want to keep the switches you have?
- Are you thinking about the whole house now, or one room at a time?
- Is the main goal lighting scenes, or smart control of heating, energy and sensors?
- Do you want curtains and blinds included?
- Will you work with an installer on the design, or do you want to build things up gradually?
If most of your answers point to keypads, scenes and a whole-house plan, Rako is the better fit. If they point to existing switches and adding things over time, start with Shelly. If they point both ways, a mix of the two is often the answer.
Getting help with a Rako project
We supply the parts, and a Rako installer designs and commissions the system. If you're at the planning stage, send us a floor plan or a room list through our Rako project form and we'll help you work out what you need.
Shop Rako, shop Shelly or plan a project
Ready to look at products? Browse the Rako range for keypads, modules and hubs, or the Shelly range for relays, sensors and plugs.
Planning a Rako system? Send us your floor plan or room list using the Rako project form.