Integrate Alexa and Google Home with Home Assistant locally and for FREE (Matterbridge)

In this guide I walk you through the exact video workflow: install Matterbridge inside Home Assistant, expose only what you want using labels, add it to Google Home and share it with Alexa using Matter Multi-Admin (so the same devices can live in two ecosystems).

What you'll get (and why it's so great)

With this method:

• Control your Home Assistant devices from Alexa and Google Home by voice.
• Everything runs locally (the idea is that real automation lives in Home Assistant, and the assistants only control it).
• You can choose what to expose (without 'showing your whole home' to Alexa/Google).
• Devices reach the assistant with correct types (fan, shade, climate, lights…), which Matter supports natively and Alexa maps to compatible categories.

Important: there are 2 similar integrations (don't mix them)

Right now you'll see two paths, and many people mix them up:

Option A) Home Assistant Matter Hub (t0bst4r)

It's popular and it works, but the project itself has announced it's looking for a maintainer ('Maintainer wanted'), which introduces medium‑term maintenance risk for something as critical as your bridge to Alexa/Google/Apple.

Option B) Matterbridge in Home Assistant (Luligu) — my recommendation

It's the official app/add-on to run Matterbridge with the Home Assistant Supervisor, and it has a very practical advantage: storage and plugins persist even if you update or reinstall. That gives peace of mind.

That's why I go with Matterbridge: it's an extensible, stable base for the future (use it today for Home Assistant and add more Matterbridge plugins tomorrow without redoing anything).

Real compatibility requirements (so you don't waste time)

1) Alexa (Amazon)

You need an Alexa device that acts as a Matter controller/hub (for example, certain Echo/eero compatible devices). Alexa supports multiple Matter device types (lights, plugs, shades, thermostats, fans, sensors, etc.), which is why everything appears as the correct type.

2) Google Home

To use Matter with Google Home you need a device that functions as a Matter hub/controller (for example, compatible Nest devices; some routers can also play that role). Google states this in developer documentation and support.

3) Apple Home / HomeKit

This tutorial focuses on Google + Alexa, but it's worth noting that Matter is also compatible with Apple Home. You will normally need a home hub (for example, compatible Apple TV / HomePod) for the best experience, and if you have Thread devices the hub should support Thread.

4) A healthy local network

Matter relies on discovery and LAN communications. If you use VLANs, guest Wi‑Fi or client isolation, pairing can fail or devices can 'disappear'.

Step by step: install Matterbridge in Home Assistant (add-on)

Step 1 — Add the add-on repository

In Home Assistant:

1. Go to Add-ons → Add-on Store.
2. Add the project's repository (the GitHub page often has an 'Add to Home Assistant' button, or you can add it manually).
3. Reload the store and search for Matterbridge to install it.

Step 2 — Install and start the add-on

• Install it and enable it so it starts with Home Assistant.
• If you want, enable the 'watchdog' so it restarts if it crashes.

Key configuration: Home Assistant token + first restart

Your flow is perfect here:

1. In Home Assistant, go to your user profile.
2. Go to Security.
3. Create a long-lived access token.
4. Paste it into the add-on configuration (Matterbridge).
5. Restart the add-on.

This connects Matterbridge to your Home Assistant so it can 'see' entities and expose them.

Expose ONLY what you want (labels): the cleanest, most scalable approach

Here's the trick that pays off every day: filter by labels.

Why use labels (and not 'expose everything')

• You avoid overwhelming Alexa/Google with hundreds of entities.
• You avoid exposing sensitive or useless items (odd scripts, internal sensors, etc.).
• It scales easily: each new device just needs the label.

How to do it

1. Choose a label, for example: matterbridge or matter.
2. Apply that label to only the devices you want to expose:
   • a light
   • a thermostat
   • a fan
   • a shade
3. Configure Matterbridge to filter by label.

The Home Assistant plugin for Matterbridge is specifically designed to expose Home Assistant devices/entities to Matter.

Add to Google Home with Matter (QR)

1. Open Google Home.
2. Add → Device → Works with Matter.
3. Scan the QR that Matterbridge shows you.
4. Accept 'not certified' warnings if they appear (common for community bridges).
5. Assign rooms.

When it's done, you'll see your devices and can control them from the app and by voice.

Common problems and fixes (the part that gets the most searches)

Problem 1: 'Not all devices/entities show up'

This often happens with devices that have multiple entities (for example, a dual relay or a multi-channel device). Your solution is the right one: change the filtering approach to work at the entity level, not just the global device.

In practice, what you want is:

• If a device has two outputs, have them appear in Google/Alexa as two controllable items, not as a single block.

Quick fix:

• Enable entity-level filtering ('filters to entities' in your video).
• Tag or mark the correct entity/device so it exports as you expect.

Problem 2: 'Google Home won't finish / asks for a hub'

You need a device that acts as a Matter controller/hub for the Google Home ecosystem. Google states this explicitly.

Problem 3: 'Alexa can't find anything / Matter doesn't show up'

Make sure your Alexa device actually supports Matter and that you're adding a Matter device through the correct flow. Alexa documents its Matter support and compatible categories.

Problem 4: Strange network (VLANs, guest Wi‑Fi, isolation)

If your phone is on guest Wi‑Fi or there's isolation between devices, the QR may scan but the bridge won't be discovered on the network. Solution: same LAN, no isolation, and avoid rules that block discovery.

Add to Amazon Alexa (Matter)

If you haven't linked it in Google Home, you can add it directly:

1. Alexa app → + → Device → Matter.
2. Scan the QR.
3. Assign rooms/groups.

And that's it — controllable by voice via Alexa.

Having it in Google Home and Alexa at the same time (Matter Multi-Admin)

Here's the pro trick that surprises most: the same Matter device can belong to more than one ecosystem thanks to Multi-Admin (also called multi-fabric).

In your flow:

• First add it to Google Home.
• Then, from Google Home, go to 'linked Matter apps and services' and link Amazon Alexa to share it.

That Multi-Admin concept is part of Matter's design: allowing a device to belong to multiple ecosystems without redoing everything.

Real advantages over Emulated Hue and skills/AWS

vs Emulated Hue

• Emulated Hue is very easy, but everything appears as a bulb.
• With Matter, the assistant understands real types: shade, fan, climate… (and Alexa supports many of those types in Matter).

vs Skills/AWS (the old 'free' method)

AWS/Lambda/skill methods work, but:

• they are longer,
• they depend on the cloud,
• and usually require more maintenance.

Your Matter approach is less drama and more modern.

What about listening to music? (important point to avoid confusion)

Matter is not a multiroom audio system. Matter is a standard for smart home devices (lights, climate, shades, etc.). For music:

• If you want quality: better use an amplifier plus a streamer or an external smart device (as you mention in your video).
• If you want to automate music from Home Assistant: use audio integrations (Cast, Sonos, etc.), not Matter.

This closing section is great because it clears up a common question: 'Okay, I can control everything... what about music?'

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Is this really free?

Yes — the workflow in this article is based on software (Home Assistant + Matterbridge) and local control. The real 'cost' is compatible hardware (for example Echo/Nest/home hub), but no mandatory subscription.

Do I need Nabu Casa?

Not for this method. Nabu Casa is still useful for other things (easy remote access, supporting the project), but it's not required to expose devices to Alexa/Google via Matter.

Can I use it with Apple Home/HomeKit?

Yes — Matter is designed so Apple Home is one of the compatible ecosystems. You will typically need a compatible home hub for a complete experience.

Can I expose sensors?

It depends on the sensor type and ecosystem support. Alexa, for example, supports several sensor categories in Matter.

What if I have lots of devices?

Filter by labels, split by rooms or by type. 'Exposing everything' is usually the source of most problems and duplicates.
Conclusion

If you want Alexa + Google Home controlling Home Assistant without clouds, without opening ports and without subscriptions, Matter + Matterbridge is one of the cleanest solutions available today. Also, it's a big leap over 'emulating Hue': your devices appear as what they are, and with Multi-Admin you can have them in multiple ecosystems at once.