For what? For your own remote access, yes (unless you want to install a VPN). For Alexa or Google Assistant integration, only if you want to use the components and not cloud:.
What will you be using as a payment processor PayPal would be Great for me and many others, also any chance you will go the same rout as Plex did with having a life time purchase or monthly subscription it I wouldn’t mind paying a little more as a one time fee
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I just wonder what is the reason for such a superfluous move… I respect the HA project a lot, but if Samsung smartthings has 123 euros and has this feature for free, what is the reason to choose ΗΑ? I know that HA is open source and has a big community with fast support and… BUT if in 2 years of cloud subscription i will spent 120 euro! I would prefer to choose samsung smartthings with the same price and have cloud for free. In fact you have become more expensive from samsung for those cloud services that are very important for Iot.
The reason? Making life easier for people.
You can chose to not use it, and use the components instead (and the Google Assistant component is quite tricky to set up), for free. Or you can chose to push a couple of buttons and be done, and pay for it.
Of course, if you’d taken a few minutes to read the blog article, or the posts on this thread, you’d have known that 
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Continuing on @Tinkerer’s statement that I 100% agree with is that HA does not rely on the cloud it’s just a add on where as SmartThings is 99.9% reliant on Cloud to function
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Any plans to move the iOS notifications to use this cloud connection for sending notifications and action responses?
Would be a nice addition to see happen and adds value to justify the fee. Right now I prefer local Alexa control so not so interested in the cloud option.
REGARDING COST:
I dont care much for subscription models. It lends itself to Cost creep with little increase in benefit. I am also one to pennypinch and become annoyed by the constant need to remember some micropayment.
I do love Plex’s payment model.
Please provide a x1payment option. What about offering HomePass or HASSPASS or whatever??
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This worked for me thanks!
I am all for using the cloud solution, but before that… what about a site telling me which stuff I can control by it? I still look for the way to control the white tone of my light bulbs via Alexa. Noone could tell me how to change it and your source says it’s doable.
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works great, absolutely love it… Where do I start paying? Looking forward to it. Great work team.
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Worked perfect to add the cloud component, create account and login. If this work I will happily pay $5 / month to support it and HA in general.
But clicking ‘Activate the Home Assistant skill for Google Assistant’ only returns a 404. Any suggestions?
It should no longer be returning 404, it went live a while back. That said, the instructions will walk you through an alternative approach that will work.
Hi all
I’m trying to use it with Alexa in Italy, but I don’t find the HA Alexa skill in the italian Alexa store list.
What can do or how can I help to get it also in Italian skill store?
Thanks
I have been using this for a few months. However, I have two issues. The first is the free period is supposed to end on June 30th, and it’s the 26th and there is not information on how to pay. The other issues is that there needs to be a way filter out the things in home assistant that I don’t want exposed to Google Assistant and Alexa. The assistants are showing over 100 devices but I only need about half of those to be exposed to the assistants.
It has been extended 1st Sept asposted here
Items can be filtered
read this post
And a search of the forums has many posts on excluding items to alexa
you can already limit what is exposed. check the docs.
i constantly get unable to connect to cloud. any tips? it’s has worked once or twice but then just signs out constantly
Love this cloud service (been using it for at least a month and it’s working very well for me). I’m honestly looking forward to paying for this service (please keep it $5 a month or less) so that I can support continued development of Home Assistant. Have the subscription plans been ironed out yet?
Sorry to sound like an old record… but I hate subscription services and have recently cancelled several. I would way prefer a one off ‘buy in’, if it does evolve to a paid service.