Best Smart Garage Door Opener Controllers

I tried five controllers—from Chamberlain, Genie, Meross, Tailwind, and Wyze—and learned installing most of them is anything but easy

Left to right: Smart garage door opener controllers from Tailwind, Chamberlain, and Genie.

By Daniel Wroclawski

Do you ever drive away from home only to ask yourself, “Did I close the garage door?” I’ve done it more than I care to admit. But there’s a simple and affordable device that can solve that issue for you, and for the most part, it will work with just about any garage door opener.

It’s called a smart garage door opener controller, and it’s a small pucklike device that you connect to your existing garage door opener’s motor that enables you to control it via the internet. This allows you to check to see whether your garage door is open or closed from your smartphone, close it if you forget, or open it for a visitor while you’re away. These devices can also be programmed to automatically close your door each night (if you’re forgetful, like me).

What’s more, most of these devices work with digital assistants and smart home systems—allowing you to ask Alexa, Siri, etc., whether you left the door open. Some even work with Amazon and Walmart, so deliveries can be left safely inside your garage. (Take that, porch pirates!)

The term “smart garage door opener controller” is a mouthful, but it highlights an important distinction. There are both smart garage door openers and smart garage door controllers, and they are two different products. A garage door opener is the device with a motor and track that physically operates your garage door. There are now many smart garage door openers on the market that offer all the smarts built in, without the need for an extra controller device. By contrast, a smart garage door controller is the small device we mentioned above that retrofits your regular old garage door opener with smart functionality.

We decided to focus on smart garage door controllers because they are a much easier (and cheaper) upgrade than a completely new garage door opener. Here’s a quick look at the five smart garage door opener controllers I evaluated. The first four represent my top picks based on various criteria, including value, compatibility with existing openers, and ease of setup.

How We Chose Which Smart Garage Door Opener Controllers to Evaluate

There are many garage door controllers on the market, ranging in price from about $30 to well over $100. We started by including the controllers made by the two biggest garage door opener brands on the market: Chamberlain and Genie (part of Overhead Door Corporation). We then included a few upstarts and budget-focused brands: Meross, Tailwind, and Wyze. The Wyze model in particular stood out to us as one of the first controllers to also include a camera. That means you can visually check to see whether your garage door is closed from anywhere.

How I Evaluated the Smart Garage Door Opener Controllers

As CR’s smart-home reporter, I’m no stranger to working with connected devices. I live with them, too. In my own home, I’ve installed about 70 smart home devices—Philips Hue smart lightbulbs, Samsung water leak detectors, and an LG smart refrigerator, to name a few. I also own a Genie smart garage door opener (not a controller, meaning the smart features are built in), and I’ve previously evaluated the Chamberlain MyQ Smart Garage Control as part of my Amazon Key in-garage delivery review.

To evaluate the smart garage door controllers for this story, I focused heavily on the installation and setup of each device because I know that can make or break the whole experience. All but the Chamberlain controller had to be wired into my garage door opener, and a few of them also had hardwired door sensors, meaning you have to run a wire along the ceiling and walls from the controller to the door.

If the controllers supported digital assistants and smart home ecosystems (I focused on the big four: Amazon Alexa, Apple Home/Siri, Google Home/Assistant, and Samsung SmartThings) I considered how easy they were to integrate with each platform and how well each integration worked. For example, in my evaluation, I found that Google Home, like Amazon Alexa, requires you to set a PIN code that you tell the assistant to open your garage door. Amazon makes this easy to do in the Alexa app, but Google makes you set it in the controller’s app, and you have to dig through that app’s settings to find it.

I also checked the responsiveness of each controller’s open and close commands, both through their respective apps and through each integration’s app (the Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings apps). In fact, I spent so much time evaluating these controllers that my neighbors asked me if my wife had kicked me out of the house and I was living in our garage. So I can assure you that I know what I’m talking about when it comes to smart garage door opener controllers.

A Word About Chamberlain Group Openers With Yellow Learn Buttons

In combing through the opener compatibility information for each of these garage door controllers, I discovered a consistent exception involving garage door openers made by the Chamberlain Group with a yellow “learn” button. (You use the learn button to program garage door remotes to operate the opener.) Three of the five controllers I evaluated—including the Chamberlain MyQ model—don’t work with these openers, which were made by the Chamberlain Group and sold under the Chamberlain, LiftMaster, and Craftsman brands in the U.S. between 2010 and 2021.

The only controllers that will work with these openers are the Meross MSG100 and the Tailwind IQ3 model (see our Editor’s Choice and Most Compatible picks, below), which can be purchased with special adapters for these openers. Tailwind includes them at no additional cost.

I reached out to the Chamberlain Group to learn more about this odd group of openers, and a spokesperson told me they use photoelectric sensors (the ones by the bottom of the door that make sure no one is blocking it) with “an energy conservation feature where the sensor lights would shut off after the garage door had been closed for some time.” The feature has since been removed from all Chamberlain, LiftMaster, and Craftsman openers.

The bottom line: Check first to determine whether the controller you buy is compatible with your garage door opener. To help you do so, I’ve included a link to the compatibility checker provided by each brand in their write-ups below.

Editor’s Choice: Meross MSG100 Smart Wi-Fi Garage Door Opener

Photos: Meross, Daniel Wroclawski/Consumer Reports

Price: $50
Where to buy: Amazon
Number of doors it can control: One
Works with: Amazon Alexa, Apple Home/Siri, Google Home/Assistant, Samsung SmartThings
Compatibility checker: Meross

The Meross MSG100 is not the easiest to install and set up of the bunch, though it was somewhat easier than the Tailwind model below. But it offered impeccably speedy controls for opening and closing the door, both from the Meross app and from all four third-party smart home systems.

Installation involved connecting two wires to my garage door opener and stringing up the included wired door sensor. (If you have a Chamberlain Group opener with yellow or purple learn buttons, you’ll also need one of three adapter remotes that Meross sells.) I ran into some trouble with the door sensor because you have to find a spot to mount it on the door where it won’t get caught by a tension wire or the frame of the door as it moves up and down the track. It took a few attempts to find a good spot where the sensor wouldn’t get caught, but once I did it worked like a charm.

Setting up the Meross app would have been painless if not for some bugginess involving Apple Home (formerly HomeKit). When using this controller with an iPhone, you’re required to set it up using Apple Home, but Apple Home failed to register the device with the app. I tried again with no luck, but when I tried a third time the next day, it worked flawlessly. I’m not sure what caused the issue, but this should affect only iPhone users, not Android users. Aside from that setup issue, the Meross MSG100 worked flawlessly, offering the snappiest controls of all the models I tried.

Another thing to note is that all these controllers can play a series of beeps (and/or flash lights) to warn anyone in the garage that the door is being remotely closed and they should stand clear. The Meross has this feature turned off by default, whereas the other controllers I tried don’t even give you an option to disable it. I find the warning annoying, but I still want to have it on because I have a toddler at home, and you might want to do the same if you have young kids.

Most Compatible: Tailwind IQ3 Smart Automatic Garage Controller Pro

Photo: Tailwind, Daniel Wroclawski/Consumer Reports

Price: $80
Where to buy: Tailwind
Number of doors it can control: Three (requires one hardwired sensor per door)
Works with: Amazon Alexa, Apple Home/Siri, Google Home/Assistant, Samsung SmartThings, Home Assistant, Hubitat, and more
Compatibility checker: Tailwind

The Tailwind IQ3 had the most difficult installation process of the bunch, but it offers by far the most compatibility with existing garage door openers and smart home systems.

As mentioned above, it’s one of only a few options if you own a Chamberlain, LiftMaster, or Craftsman opener with a yellow learn button, thanks to its special adapter. Tailwind also offers a free adapter for rare Genie and Overhead Door openers that use proprietary signals. (To order the correct adapter at no extra charge, make sure to answer the prompts about your current opener at checkout.) As for smart home systems, in addition to the big four, Tailwind also works with Home Assistant, Hubitat, IFTTT, and the professionally installed systems Control4 and Crestron.

The installation process for the Tailwind was challenging because of its unusual wired door sensor, which you have to mount to the metal track of the door. Tailwind provides an installation video on YouTube, but it runs through the mounting process quickly, and I found myself confused about how it actually mounts to the track. Once I figured it out, I tested the door only to find that I had caught the sensor on the door’s tension wire, causing the door to pull the sensor along the track as it opened. Luckily, I didn’t break the sensor and was able to remount it correctly.

Despite my installation issues, the app setup process went smoothly, and the Tailwind controller was up and running after about 5 minutes. Setting up the integrations with Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, and SmartThings, though, involved another hiccup. Many smart home devices let you set these up either from their own app or the respective Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, and SmartThings apps. But Tailwind requires you to enable the integrations in its own app first. If you don’t, they won’t work. When I figured this out and successfully enabled them, all the integrations worked well.

The other nice thing about the Tailwind IQ3 is that it can control up to three garage doors. You’ll need additional sensors and you’ll have to wire the controller to each opener, but you won’t have to buy an additional controller for each door.

Easiest to Set Up: Chamberlain MyQ-G0401-ES Smart Garage Control

Photo: Chamberlain, Daniel Wroclawski/Consumer Reports

Price: From $29
Where to buy: Amazon, Walmart
Number of doors it can control: Two (requires one wireless sensor per door)
Works with: Amazon Key delivery (not Alexa), Google Assistant (not Google Home), Ring, Walmart+ InHome delivery (coming soon)
Compatibility checker: MyQ

The Chamberlain MyQ Smart Garage Control was the only controller of the bunch that didn’t require any wiring, making it much easier to install. All you have to do is plug in the controller, pair the wireless, battery-powered door sensor with the controller, and train the controller to operate your opener using its learn button. It took two attempts for it to figure out the right wireless signals to use to control my opener, but the app warns you multiple attempts may be needed.

With setup complete, I was able to quickly and easily operate my garage door from the MyQ app. If that’s all you’re looking for from a garage door opener controller, you will love the Chamberlain MyQ. But if you want voice control or to use it with a smart home system, you will be disappointed.

The Chamberlain MyQ works only with Google Assistant, but not the Google Home app. It also works with Ring, but all it does is show your garage door’s open/closed status in the Ring app. If you tap the button to open or close the door, it jumps you to the MyQ app to press the button there instead.

That said, the Chamberlain MyQ is a great option for frequent online shoppers of Amazon or Walmart. It’s the only controller that works with Amazon Key’s in-garage delivery service, and it will soon be the second controller (in addition to the Genie model below) to work with Walmart+ InHome in-garage delivery service. Both services allow a delivery driver to open your garage door, drop your packages inside, and close the door to keep your deliveries secure. You can read my Amazon Key delivery review here, and stay tuned for a Walmart+ InHome delivery review in the near future.

Best Value: Wyze Cam v3 Garage Door Controller

Photo: Wyze, Daniel Wroclawski/Consumer Reports

Price: From $44
Where to buy: Amazon, Walmart, Wyze
Number of doors it can control: One
Works with: Amazon Alexa, Google Home/Assistant
Compatibility checker: Wyze

The Wyze Cam v3 Garage Door Controller is one of the first controllers on the market to feature a security camera, allowing you to visually check to see whether your garage door is open or closed. It seems tailor-made for Amazon Key and Walmart+ InHome delivery, but it doesn’t work with either service, at least not yet.

The installation process was much easier than the other wired controllers, as you don’t need to run a wired door sensor to the garage door. Instead, the camera tells whether the door is open or closed by looking for a QR code that you stick to the door. If it sees the code, it knows the door is closed. If not, it knows the door is open. Simple, but effective.

The app walked me through the whole installation and setup process, including calibrating the camera to recognize the QR code on the door. I found the whole process quite straightforward and easy. With setup complete, I was able to quickly and easily control the door from the Wyze app.

The Wyze controller also works well with Amazon Alexa and Google Home, but the integrations only let you control the door, not view the camera. It’s a weird omission, given that the camera, when purchased by itself, works perfectly with both systems. And that means that if you want to call up a video feed of your garage, you’ll either need a second camera to do so or have to settle for viewing it in the Wyze app on your phone.

Not Worth Considering: Genie Aladdin Connect Wi-Fi RetroFit Kit

Photo: Genie, Daniel Wroclawski/Consumer Reports

Price: From $65
Where to buy: Amazon, Home Depot, Overhead Door Parts Online, Walmart
Number of doors it can control: Three (requires one wireless sensor per door)
Works with: Amazon Alexa, Apple Siri (not Apple Home), Google Home/Assistant, Samsung SmartThings, Walmart+ InHome delivery, Alarm.com, and more
Compatibility sheet: Genie (PDF)

I wanted to like the Genie Aladdin Connect Wi-Fi RetroFit Kit, especially because I like my Genie smart garage door opener, but the integrations with the retrofit kit were much slower and buggier than the built-in functionality of my smart garage door opener.

With Alexa and Google Assistant, this controller was much slower than the others, taking upwards of 10 seconds to operate the door. The Genie controller also works with Siri using Siri Shortcuts (not Apple Home, meaning you can’t control it from the Home app), and those commands work fine from an iPhone or Apple Watch, but they don’t work with HomePod smart speakers (perhaps because of security concerns). The SmartThings integration was borderline unusable, either not responding to commands from the SmartThings app or taking a long time (well over 10 seconds) to do so.

Despite the buggy integrations, the Genie Aladdin Connect Wi-Fi RetroFit Kit works very well from the Aladdin Connect app, responding to commands promptly. It’s a perfectly fine controller if you want to use it by itself. That said, I’m not sure who should buy it. While it can control three garage doors, so can the Tailwind, which offers a lot more features. And if you want Walmart+ InHome delivery, the much more affordable Chamberlain MyQ controller will soon offer that functionality.

This product evaluation is part of Consumer Reports’ Outside the Labs reviews program, which is separate from our laboratory testing and ratings. Our Outside the Labs reviews are performed at home and in other native settings by individuals, including our journalists, with specialized subject matter experience or familiarity and are designed to offer another important perspective for consumers as they shop. While the products or services mentioned in this article may not currently be in CR’s ratings, they could eventually be tested in our laboratories and rated according to an objective, scientific protocol.

Like all CR evaluations of products and services, our Outside the Labs reviews are independent and free from advertising. If you’d like to learn more about the criteria for our lab testing, please go to CR’s Research & Testing page.

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