Futurehome Smarthub Mandatory Subscription Fee

Futurehome ransomed customer devices after bankruptcy, forcing them to pay a subscription fee or face disabled core functionality.

Futurehome’s Smarthub (left) and example compatible devices

Company info

Futurehome’s Smarthub (left) and example compatible devices

Futurehome Smarthub is a Norwegian smart-home gateway originally sold as a one-time purchase. The hub lets users pair Zigbee-, Z-Wave-, and Futurehome-branded devices and control them locally or remotely through a free mobile app and cloud service; it also exposes local APIs for third-party integrations such as Home Assistant.

After the company’s 2025 bankruptcy and relaunch, any continued use now requires an annual subscription of 1,188 NOK (≈ $117); households that decline are locked out of the app, automations, and the local API interface, leaving only manual, on-device control.

Background

Futurehome AS, founded in Stavanger, Norway, in 2013, sold the Futurehome Smarthub; a central hub that connects and controls various IoT devices using standards like Zigbee and Z-Wave. The Smarthub and Futurehome’s own product line (thermostats, smart plugs, relays, sensors, etc) allow users to automate lighting, heating, EV charging, and other home functions via a mobile app and cloud platform.

Prior to 2025, Futurehome operated on a one-time hardware purchase model, with app and cloud services included at no extra cost. Users could remotely monitor and control their smart homes through the Futurehome app without any subscription fees.

Futurehome AS was declared bankrupt on May 20, 2025. The platform and its services were acquired in a 50/50 split by Sikom Connect AS and the former Futurehome owners. The business was relaunched under a new entity: FHSD Connect AS.

June 2025 Subscription Rollout

Following the relaunch, FHSD Connect announced that a mandatory subscription would be required to continue using the Smarthub platform. On June 26, 2025, a four-week trial period ended and the new pricing model took effect. The fee: 1,188 NOK per year (≈ $117 USD).

Customers had until June 26, 2025 to activate this subscription. Failing to pay leads to the following restrictions:

• App becomes inaccessible (both remote and LAN/local usage)
• Local API and MQTT interface are disabled after a short "grace period"
• Automations, modes, shortcuts, and energy services are locked
• Manual control of paired devices remains, but only via physical interaction

These restrictions are enforced by a firmware update delivered through the app. A Futurehome software engineer, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed this is a deliberate lockout mechanism designed to force users to subscribe.

The hub is installed in over 38,000 Norwegian households.

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  Futurehome app home screen prompting the user to activate a subscription.
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  Subscription-activation screen showing annual-payment terms; one link opens the subscription FAQ, the other opens a feedback form (https://us1.zonka.co/1pBYm3)
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  Feedback form presented to users who decline the subscription (https://us1.zonka.co/1pBYm3)

Futurehome's reply

FHSD CEO Øyvind Fries justified the subscription model as necessary to “secure stable operation, fund product development, and provide high-quality support,” according to statements given to Tek.no and reiterated in the FAQ.

Consumer response

The reaction from Futurehome’s user base was negative. Norwegian customers described the move as a betrayal, given that the original sale included full functionality with no indication that a subscription would be introduced later.

On Reddit’s r/norge, there is an active discussion thread filled with outrage, legal concerns, and comparisons to ransomware tactics.

One user, muffinmeistro, wrote:

I can't understand how what they're trying to do here is legal. I'd like to hear what u/thomasiversen thinks. They're removing functionality locally in a hub (computer) that I've paid for with an update.

Norway, though not an EU member, adheres to European Economic Area (EEA) consumer protections that bar unfair commercial practices. Whether this retroactive subscription violates those laws remains to be seen.

Impact on Third-Party Integrations

One especially frustrating consequence for advanced users is that the subscription disables all third-party integrations. Futurehome previously allowed integration with:

• Home Assistant via a custom MQTT bridge
• Homebridge via NPM plugin for Apple HomeKit

These relied on the hub’s local API and MQTT server. Once disabled, no data is sent or received, breaking compatibility with these platforms.

While some users may migrate to other smart home ecosystems using open protocols like Zigbee2MQTT, some Futurehome-branded devices (e.g., the HAN-Sensor and Futurehome Charge EV charger) may lose core features or become inaccessible due to lack of open community drivers.

Inadequate subscription notice

Futurehome doesn't prominently disclose the new subscription requirement in product listings or on its homepage.

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  The only mention of a subscription on site homepage is in fine print on the second scroll page.
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  Landing view of homepage with no subscription mention.

Further, product and app store pages list only hardware prices, creating the false impression of a one-time purchase.

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  Apple App Store listing for Futurehome, no mention of required subscription.
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  Google Play listing for Futurehome app, no mention of subscription.
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  HAN Sensor product page: no mention of subscription requirement.
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  Modusbryter page omits any disclosure of subscription lock-in.