Your home automations work, even when you're gone.

You set up a smart home automation: lights, locks, thermostats. You leave town. The location-based triggers stop working because your phone lost signal. The internet-only system goes dark because the internet hiccupped.

A home hub that runs automations locally keeps firing. It doesn't need the internet. It doesn't need your phone to be online. Some home automation tools have backup options that work when the internet is down.

The site explains the difference. Some brand systems only work through Alexa or the internet. Some hubs have backup options. A buyer who reads this knows whether their automation will survive a road trip or a power outage.