Futurehome Smarthub Mandatory Subscription Fee: Difference between revisions

In 2025, Futurehome's new owners announced that '''existing customers would now have to pay an annual subscription to continue using their previously purchased smart-home hubs'''. After a bankruptcy and relaunch, Futurehome imposed an annual fee of 1,188 NOK (around $117 USD) for access to its app and cloud services, locking users out unless they subscribed.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2025-06-18 |title=FAQ Subscription - Futurehome |url=https://support.futurehome.no/hc/en-no/articles/28158944965277-FAQ-Subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/UBjdJ |archive-date=2025-07-13 |access-date=2025-07-14}}</ref><ref name=":13">{{Cite web |title=Krever abonnement av kundene - Elektro24-7 |url=https://www.elektro247.no/krever-abonnement-av-kundene.6722352-567787.html |access-date=2025-07-14 |language=no}}</ref>   

The '''Futurehome Smarthub'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Futurehome |url=https://www.futurehome.io/en_no/ |access-date=2025-07-14}}</ref> was '''originally sold as a one-time purchase.''' '''Prior to 2025, Futurehome operated on a one-time hardware purchase model''', with app and cloud services included at no extra cost.

*'''Local API and MQTT disabled:''' The hub's developer interfaces remain active only for a short grace period after the trial, then are gradually shut off without an active subscription.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Futurehome Local API Documentation |url=https://docs.futurehome.io/docs/integration/local-api |access-date=2025-07-13}}</ref>

These limitations were delivered via a firmware update to the hub's software, locking previously available features behind the paywall. One Futurehome software engineer, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the firmware was designed to enforce this lockout mechanism and compel users to subscribe. As of the changeover, the Futurehome system was reportedly installed in over '''38,000 Norwegian households''',<ref>{{Cite web |title=Futurehome Norge |url=https://www.futurehome.io/no/ |access-date=2025-07-13}}</ref> all of which had to choose between paying the new fees or losing most "smart" functionality.<gallery>

He stated that the annual fee would help fund ongoing development of new features and maintain a high level of support for customers.<ref name=":0" /> The company also emailed users saying the change would ultimately provide ''"better functionality, more security, and higher value in the solution you already have invested in"'' positioning the subscription as an improvement for the user base.

''(Translated from Norwegian)''</blockquote>Another user posted expressing concern for the pushing a subscription, as well as a poor user experince:<blockquote>''I want to spend my money somewhere else than paying over 1000 kroner a year for half-hearted functionality. What options do I have? I currently have lights and thermostats from Futurehome. Can these devices be used with Home Assistant?<ref>{{Cite web |last=MrGeniusL |date=2025-06-18 |title=Futurehome tvinger eksisterende kunder over til et abonnement, hva nå? |url=http://www.reddit.com/r/norge/comments/1lek0p7/futurehome_tvinger_eksisterende_kunder_over_til/ |access-date=2025-07-14 |website=r/norge}}</ref>''

File:Subscription.jpg|The only mention of a subscription on [https://www.futurehome.io/en_no/ site homepage] is in fine print on the second scroll page.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Futurehome |url=https://www.futurehome.io/en_no/ |url-status= |access-date=2025-07-13}}</ref>