What smart garage door opener options are there that don’t rely on the cloud?

On the most recent IoT Podcast episode, Billy called in and left a question on our voicemail hotline. Billy currently has a Chamberlain MyQ system for his garage door but is looking for alternatives that don’t require a cloud connection or those that have subscription fees. The MyQ can be extended with IFTTT but requires a small fee so Billy is looking for a no-fee replacement that can work locally. (Update: Chamberlain currently allows IFTTT integration for free, although it says it reserves the right to end the free service connection at any time).

We have two recommendations for Billy, depending on if he wants to completely replace his garage door opener or if he wants to keep the existing opener and just add on a smart alternative.

The latter option is less expensive of course and it’s the route I took. I bought a Go-Control GDOOZ-4 Z-Wave garage door opener with included tilt sensor. Since this option uses a Z-Wave radio, it does require a hub such as SmartThings.

Essentially, the module attaches to your existing garage door opener with a few wires that replicate the hardwired garage door controller. And the small tilt sensor attaches directly to your garage door to detect when the door is open or closed. Installation is simple and shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes. Once installed, you have local or remote access and can even control your garage door with voice commands. The Go-Control has been around for a few years and might be hard to find, but Amazon usually has a few in stock for $90.

For a full garage door opener replacement option, Stacey found the MM9495M 1 1/4 horsepower smart garage door opener from Mighty Mule.

Since this is a full replacement, you get the opener, belt rail, IR safety sensors, two traditional remotes, and a keypad. Also included is a WiFi module to remotely monitor and control your garage door through a smartphone app or voice controls via Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Additionally, this opener works with IFTTT for custom notifications or automations. The direct purchase price from Mighty Mule is $308 although I found it online at HomeDepot for $287 (currently out of stock, unfortunately), so shop around if you plan to purchase this option.

To hear Billy’s question in full, as well as our discussion, tune in to the IoT Podcast below.

Updated at 10:15 CT, on 11/14/2019 to reflect that Chamberlain currently offers free IFTTT integration with MyQ.