Using Samsung SmartThings is one of the easiest ways to turn your house into a smart home. You don't need to spend lots of money or install fancy infrastructure—just buy a hub and some devices, and you'll be up and running in no time.

To get your connected devices working exactly how you want, you need to use SmartApps. SmartApps manage the customizable automations and rules that govern your device's reaction to different circumstances.

SmartApps come in a lot of shapes and sizes. You can find official apps released by Samsung and device manufacturers, third-party community projects, or you can even create your own. The apps themselves can do everything from controlling your lighting to opening your garage door and more.

So, which are the best apps to use with your SmartThings system? Keep reading to find out.

A Note About the Future of SmartThings

SmartThings has recently announced an updated SmartThings app and the shutdown of their legacy tools, including the Groovy IDE, in favor of more robust developer tools.

While this hasn't completely removed the SmartThings app's functionality, it has severely limited the SmartThings app's offerings. As the legacy tools disappear, there is a strong possibility that support for one or more of these apps will cease.

Download: SmartThings for iOS | Android (Free)

1. EchoSistant

If you're looking for a more organic way to control your SmartThings devices, EchoSistant is a great way to get started.

EchoSistant allows its users to speak to their Amazon Echo device. Rather than saying things like, "set thermostat to 68 degrees," users of EchoSistant can say something like "Alexa, it's cold in here" to adjust the thermostat. Several SmartThings community members built this app, many of whom have worked on other successful third-party SmartThings projects.

Download: EchoSistant for SmartThings IDE (Free)

2. SmartThings Community Installer

If you want to make installing smart apps for Samsung SmartThings much more straightforward, then you'll need the ST Community Installer. This fun little app works like an app store specifically for SmartThings.

Because this is a community-supported app, it's constantly updating, and new smart apps are added regularly. Additionally, ST Community Installer offers view counts, ratings, and number of installs, so you can determine which apps are the best for your SmartThings installation.

Download: SmartThings Community Installer for SmartThings IDE (Free)

3. WebCoRE

Think of WebCoRe as a turbocharger for Samsung SmartThings automation. It's a rule-based engine that improves Samsung's automation platform. Within WebCoRE, users call its scripts "pistons." (Because it's an engine, of course!)

Custom variables, expressions, and a web-based interface offer users a massive amount of flexibility for their automations. The web-based scripting environment is simple to understand and much more interactive than coding pistons by hand. If you want to take your SmartThings automations to the next level, then WebCoRE is for you.

Download: WebCoRE (Free)

4. SharpTools

If you're looking for an alternative to WebCoRE, SharpTools is a great one. SharpTools allows users to build a web-based interface using tiles to control any device with an active web browser. Think of it as a centralized dashboard for your SmartThings devices.

The interface is clean, and you can even use media tiles for cameras, traffic, weather, and more. SharpTools offers both a free model and a $30 yearly subscription model that gives users additional features.

Install: SharpTools (Free, subscription available)

Related: Smart Home Automation Projects on a Shoestring Budget

5. ActionTiles

ActionTiles is a cloud-based dashboard that displays all your smart home gadgets along with each device's status. The developers call it "a homepage for your home." Because ActionTiles is primarily a web app, it can run on Android, iOS, and desktop computers.

The ActionTiles app allows thermostat adjustments, smart speaker control, video feed monitoring, and even environmental sensor monitoring. ActionTiles is one of the best control interfaces for SmartThings and works in the same fashion as SharpTools and WebCoRE.

In the battle of SharpTools vs. ActionTiles vs. WebCoRE, there isn't a clear winner. All three apps are alternatives to each other, and each is excellent in its own right. You should find the one that works best for you.

Install: ActionTiles ($28.99 for a single location license)

6. Ready For Rain

The beauty of this app is how simple it is. It does one thing—tells you when doors or windows are open if inclement weather is approaching. While this app might seem silly, if you've ever accidentally left a bedroom window open during an overnight storm, you'll recognize how important the app is. Add your zip code and your sensor details, and let Ready For Rain do the rest. One thing is for sure, you'll never wake up to a soggy comforter again.

Ready For Rain is available in the SmartThings app.

7. Homebridge v2

Homebridge v2 is a SmartThings app that allows you to use your Samsung SmartThings with Apple HomeKit. If you currently operate a Homebridge server but want to incorporate your SmartThings devices, then Homebridge v2 is the way to go.

Installation is relatively straightforward, and the app is free. However, the developers do ask for a small donation if you benefit from the software.

Install: Homebridge v2 (Free)

8. MyQ Lite

If you own a Chamberlain MyQ garage door opener and would like to incorporate it into SmartThings, then the MyQ Lite app is going to make you happy. MyQ Lite also supports some smart cameras and some smart locks. The MyQ garage door opener is top-rated, and for good reason. With the MyQ Lite app, the opener just got a whole lot more convenient.

Download: MyQ Lite (Free)

Related: How to Install a Smart Garage Door Controller

9. Thermostat Mode Director

Along the same lines as Ready For Rain, Thermostat Mode Director changes the thermostat of your smart home based on the temperature range of a specified temperature sensor. If windows or doors are open, Thermostat Mode Director will shut off the thermostat.

The app supports setting both upper and lower temperature thresholds. It also provides a thermostat boost that temporarily activates your home's heating or cooling system even if your thermostat is off.

Thermostat Mode Director is available in the SmartThings app.

Related: The Most Energy Efficient Way to Set Your Thermostat

10. SmartThings Cooking

Okay, we're cheating a little bit for this last entry because this isn't a third-party app. But, it is a gorgeous SmartThings app that will interest both home cooks and SmartThings users. The SmartThings Cooking app is filled with bright, full-color images of delicious dishes you can make using the app. Users can adjust recipes for increased or decreased servings, and they can add ingredients to a shopping list. Finally, each recipe takes you through the step-by-step process of making these mouth-watering meals.

SmartThings Cooking is available in the SmartThings app.

Smarter Automations With SmartThings

Despite a new Samsung SmartThings app and the phasing out of many older GitHub-based smart apps, many apps still work well with the new interface. These are some of the best ones that are both currently available and currently still functional.

It's clear that some significant changes are coming to SmartThings and the supported smart apps in its ecosystem. While this development may seem like a bad thing, many people in the SmartThings community are hopeful that these changes pave the way for even better smart apps moving forward.