# HomeBot for HomeKit — HomeKit Shortcuts + CLI > HomeKit automation and device control for smart homes. (iPhone/iPad app by Pedro Jose Pereira Vieito.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/homebot-for-homekit/id1553547811 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Pedro Jose Pereira Vieito](https://appshunter.io/developer/931232010) - Category: Utilities, Productivity - Price: $5.99 - Rating: 4.30/5 from 18 App Store ratings · 20 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 17.0 · 13 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2021-02-24 - Data updated: 2026-09-19 - Monetization: paid - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/homebot-for-homekit/id1553547811/reviews.md ## What is HomeBot for HomeKit? HomeBot for HomeKit lets you automate your home with Shortcuts and the command line. It includes two powerful actions to manage your HomeKit setup: • Run Home Action: Control scenes and devices in bulk, adjust device properties, or change your primary home. • Get Home Items: Find and filter scenes, devices, device groups, rooms, and homes by name, item type, service type, room, home, activation status, or supported actions and properties. Results include item details, device properties such as light brightness and thermostat target temperature, and sensor readings such as temperature, humidity, and air quality. Action Types: • Trigger Scene: Trigger one or more scenes. • Switch Scene Status: Activate, deactivate, or toggle one or more scenes. • Switch Device Status: Activate, deactivate, or toggle one or more devices or device groups. • Change Device Property: Adjust supported device or device group properties, such as light brightness, thermostat target temperature, or the position of blinds. • Change Primary Home: Set the default HomeKit home. Changing your primary home propagates the change to all your devices, and Siri automatically uses the selected home by default. Explore the included example shortcuts to get started: • Trigger Scenes: Choose scenes in your primary home and trigger them together. • Switch Lightbulbs in Room: Toggle, activate, or deactivate all lightbulbs in a room. • Get Home Status: Export the status of all items in your primary home to a JSON file. • Get Temperature Measurements: Read each temperature sensor in your HomeKit setup. • Set Thermostats Temperature: Set the target temperature of one or more thermostats. • Set Light Brightness in Room: Set the light brightness of all lightbulbs in a room. • Change Lightbulb Colors: Cycle lightbulbs through the colors of the rainbow. • Change Primary Home: Choose which HomeKit home to use as your primary home. Automation Systems: • Shortcuts: Build advanced HomeKit workflows by combining HomeBot’s powerful actions with the built-in Shortcuts actions and automation triggers. • Command-Line Automation on Mac: Automate HomeKit from Terminal, scripts, or AI agents with the included "homebot-cli" tool. Export HomeKit data as JSON for use in your scripts. HomeBot supports macOS, iOS, and iPadOS. Notes: • HomeBot can detect and control the following types of devices: outlets, lightbulbs, switches, thermostats, fans, air purifiers, heaters, dehumidifiers, windows, window coverings, faucets, valves, irrigation systems, doors, garage door openers, and locks. • HomeBot also supports reading measurements or detections from the following types of sensors: temperature, humidity, air quality, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, contact (doors, windows, and window coverings), smoke, leak, motion, light, and occupancy sensors. • HomeBot supports changing and reading the following device properties: light brightness, light hue, light saturation, light color temperature, thermostat mode (auto, cool, heat or off), thermostat target temperature, heater-cooler mode, cooling threshold temperature, heating threshold temperature, fan rotation speed, and the position of doors, windows, blinds, or shades. • HomeBot Command-Line Automation is only available on macOS. Privacy by Design: HomeBot works completely on-device and does not store or send any information outside of the protected app sandbox. ## Key features - Bulk HomeKit action execution - Detailed HomeKit item listing and filtering - Trigger scenes and switch device status - Change device properties like brightness and temperature - Set primary home for default Siri use - Supports a wide range of smart home devices and sensors ## Recent user reviews (10 of 20) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/homebot-for-homekit/id1553547811/reviews.md ### 1/5 — No support *2026-01-30* There is no support on the developer’s web site for this app. It’s very difficult to understand how these shortcuts work, except for the most basic ones. Not useful. ### 1/5 — API issues and not approved for HomeKit *2025-06-30* Bit of a scam to sell an app that isn’t able to communicate to HomeKit just throws API errors… ### 1/5 — Pretty much useless *2024-07-15* I can't work out how to use this. I don't consider myself stupid, but "Import an example shortcut to begin learning how to use HomBot actions" is not enough documentation for me to work it out. No matter what I try I just get errors. I'll be asking for a refund. ### 3/5 — Concept Stage *2024-04-21* I like the concept as it adds two nice features to Apple’ Shortcuts for getting and changing HomeKit data. The major downside is the almost total lack of documentation (except for a few limited examples. The issue is that though there are only two new Shortcut items, each has lots of sub-values which can be entered…. Manually debugging with the sample screen coming up each run is annoying . How do I turn that off? A little polishing is needed ### 3/5 — Frustrating! Could be 5* *2024-04-15* On the one hand I am really glad this app exists as it allows me to interact effectively with my Philips Hue devices but on the other hand it's so annoying that it doesn't exist in the menu bar. Therefore every time you run a shortcut on the Mac this app then appears in a window and is annoying and distracting. Please, please, please update so this is discreetly hidden away in the background as a menu bar UI - there is now need for this to be a foreground app window. An update will surely put this firmly in the 5* position. ### 1/5 — Not usable… *2024-02-17* I tried to get all co2 sensors from my home. All returns are 600ppm, except one. That’s wrong, even when it’s running again are the same wrong numbers coming back. ### 4/5 — Works, but a little fiddly *2023-12-17* I bought this so I could set the target temperature on a thermostat, and it works perfectly. That said, configuring the actions is a little confusing - it’s not clear which options need to be set to achieve the desired results, and the error messages are somewhat opaque. I also wasn’t able to find any documentation (but this might be on me). Overall - recommended, but persist if you hit problems. **Developer response:** Hi! Thanks a lot for the feedback, you can find some documentation about the Automation URLs here: https://pvieito.com/2022/01/automate-homekit-with-homecontrol You can also ask any question at app-support@pvieito.com. ### 5/5 — Awesome app! *2023-11-21* Just wish there was a way to round the temperature sensor measurements report to display temperatures to a whole or a tenth degree. ### 5/5 — app not working at all *2023-11-14* how can i get my money back? ### 1/5 — Wrong App Still Charged *2023-11-13* I requested a refund because I have never used the app and didn't mean to download this - I was looking for Homebot the Real Estate app. He refused to refund. Cheap and not great way to do busines.. **Developer response:** Hi! For refunds, you have to contact Apple directly. ## Frequently asked questions about HomeBot for HomeKit ### What is HomeBot for Shortcuts? HomeBot for Shortcuts is a utility app that provides advanced actions for Apple's HomeKit platform. It allows users to automate their smart home devices and scenes in more powerful ways than native Shortcuts actions. ### How much does HomeBot for Shortcuts cost? HomeBot for Shortcuts is a paid app, priced at $5.99. This one-time purchase grants you access to all its features for automating your HomeKit setup. ### What devices is HomeBot for Shortcuts compatible with? HomeBot for Shortcuts is available for macOS, iOS, and iPadOS. You can use it on your Mac, iPhone, and iPad to manage your smart home. ### What types of HomeKit devices does HomeBot for Shortcuts support? HomeBot for Shortcuts supports a wide array of devices including outlets, lightbulbs, thermostats, fans, and locks, as well as sensors for temperature, humidity, and air quality. It can also control device groups. ### Can HomeBot for Shortcuts control multiple devices at once? Yes, HomeBot for Shortcuts excels at bulk actions. You can trigger multiple scenes, switch the status of several devices or groups, and change properties like light brightness or thermostat temperature for many devices simultaneously. ### How often is HomeBot for Shortcuts updated? The app was last updated on February 12, 2026, indicating ongoing development and support. Users can expect regular updates to improve functionality and compatibility. ### What is the age rating for HomeBot for Shortcuts? HomeBot for Shortcuts has an age rating of 4+. This indicates it is suitable for users of all ages, with no mature content concerns. ### Does HomeBot for Shortcuts offer a free trial? As a paid application, HomeBot for Shortcuts does not typically offer a free trial. The purchase price of $5.99 provides full access to its advanced HomeKit automation features. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 2.3 — 2026-09-16 • Added command-line automation on Mac: list HomeKit items and run actions from Terminal, scripts, or AI agents. • Added support for scene deactivation. • Bug fixes and stability improvements. ### 2.2 — 2026-09-13 • Added command-line automation on Mac: list HomeKit items and run actions from Terminal, scripts, or AI agents. • Added support for scene deactivation. • Bug fixes and stability improvements. ### 2.1.1 — 2026-02-12 • Added support for scene deactivation. • Bug fixes and stability improvements. ### 2.1 — 2025-09-13 • New Glass-style icon with dark mode support. • Compatibility update. ### 2.0.1 — 2024-09-11 • Added support for background execution of "Run Home Action" Shortcuts action (requires last system version). • Compatibility update. ## Apps similar to HomeBot for HomeKit | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Loccali: for Shortcuts](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/loccali-for-shortcuts/id6449942222) | 5.0 (2) | Free | Utilities | | [Homemanager for Homebridge](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/homemanager-for-homebridge/id1440396849) | 4.3 (186) | Free | Utilities | | [Flame Services Browser](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flame-services-browser/id325206381) | 4.9 (14) | Free | Utilities | | [Home Configurator](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/home-configurator/id1525371546) | 3.9 (12) | Free | Utilities | | [GizmoPack](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gizmopack/id1505218567) | 4.6 (31) | Free | Utilities | | [HomeDash](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/homedash/id1003033186) | 4.5 (208) | $14.99 | Utilities | ## More apps by Pedro Jose Pereira Vieito - [AirWeight for Bluetooth Scales](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/airweight-for-bluetooth-scales/id931232011) - [OverPicture for Safari](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/overpicture-for-safari/id1188020834) - [MakePDF: Document Merger](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/makepdf-document-merger/id1200274125) - [VoiceExpress: Audio to Text](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/voiceexpress-audio-to-text/id1434634466) - [MakePass: AI Wallet Editor](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/makepass-ai-wallet-editor/id1450989464) All apps by Pedro Jose Pereira Vieito: https://appshunter.io/developer/931232010 --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-19.*