Starling Home Hub discontinued, leaving Google Nest owners without easy HomeKit integration

Google Nest enthusiasts who rely on Apple’s HomeKit ecosystem just lost their most reliable bridge between the two platforms. Starling Home Hub, the popular device that seamlessly connected Nest cameras, thermostats, and doorbells to HomeKit, announced it’s no longer available for purchase.

The news hit particularly hard for users who were on the verge of buying the device. One Reddit user shared their frustration after discovering the product was unavailable just as they were moving into a new home with freshly installed Nest equipment. “I literally just bought all google nest stuff for my brand new built house,” they wrote, perfectly capturing the timing mishap that many potential buyers now face.

Starling’s official statement points to economic pressures that have made manufacturing unsustainable. The company specifically cited “rapidly rising costs of doing business for small US-based product companies,” with tariffs on essential components being the primary culprit. After six years of operation since 2019, these increased expenses finally pushed the business beyond its breaking point.

Here’s a screenshot of the notice on the website:

What made Starling Home Hub special wasn’t just its functionality, but its simplicity. Users consistently praised it as a “plug and play” solution that just worked, contrasting sharply with more complex alternatives like Homebridge setups. One owner described it as “the most reliable piece of technology I own because I ALWAYS forget that I own it.”

Google’s ecosystem remains largely walled off from HomeKit, and while alternatives exist, none match Starling’s ease of use. Homebridge on Raspberry Pi offers a free solution, but requires technical knowledge many users lack. Home Assistant provides another path, but again demands more setup complexity than the average consumer wants to tackle.

Some users are suggesting keeping an eye out for listings on eBay. Meanwhile, a handful of others are offering to sell their units that are no longer in use.

For Google Nest owners invested in HomeKit, this development forces an uncomfortable choice: stick with Google’s native app ecosystem, dive into more complex integration solutions, or hunt for remaining Starling units while they’re still available. The company teased they’re “thinking about the next big thing,” but for now, it’s farewell to one of the smart home’s most beloved bridge devices.

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