This question comes up constantly, usually from clients who've done some research and are worried about making the wrong choice. Let me give you an honest answer rather than a sales pitch for whatever we have the most inventory of.
The short version: we primarily use Control4. Here's the longer version.
Control4
Control4 is what we specify on most of our projects, and there's a reason: it's the best combination of reliability, integration breadth, and ongoing development in the market. The platform integrates with more third-party devices — cameras, intercoms, streaming services, climate systems, lighting, audio — than anything else. The app is clean and functional. The dealer network means if we're unavailable for some reason, another qualified dealer can support it.
Control4 received significant investment and development after the SnapOne acquisition. The OS 3 and OS 3.4+ releases substantially improved the experience and added capabilities that closed the gap with some of the premium competition.
Where Control4 requires investment: it needs a professional programmer. You can't self-install a serious Control4 system and expect it to work well. The platform's power comes from how it's configured, and that requires expertise.
Savant
Savant is our choice for clients who put a premium on the interface aesthetic and Apple-native experience. The Savant app is genuinely beautiful — the best-looking interface in the category. The hardware (keypads, remotes, touchscreens) has a premium feel that some clients prefer.
Savant has gotten meaningfully better in recent years and we do a meaningful number of installs on it. It works excellently, particularly in the AV-forward applications where its interface strengths really show.
The tradeoff: Savant is generally more expensive than Control4, has a somewhat narrower third-party integration library, and is primarily Apple-native (Android exists but is clearly secondary).
Crestron
Crestron is the commercial and ultra-high-end residential standard. It's genuinely the most capable and flexible platform — if you can imagine it, Crestron can probably do it. The trade-off is cost and complexity. Crestron programming is expensive, requires specialists, and ongoing changes require that same specialist.
For most residential applications, Crestron is more system than the project requires. We use it on very large estates, commercial-adjacent residential projects, and clients who specifically request it and understand the ongoing support model.
How We Actually Decide
We ask clients what they're optimizing for. Heavy AV focus with premium interface priorities? Savant is worth a look. Large estate with complex integration requirements and multiple systems? Crestron might be justified. Everything else — which is most projects — Control4 is the answer.
More important than the platform is the integrator who installs and programs it. A great Control4 programmer will deliver better results than a mediocre Crestron programmer. The platform matters; the expertise matters more.
We're a Control4 and Savant dealer. We're not going to recommend Crestron if the project doesn't call for it, and we're not going to recommend Control4 for a client who's better served by Savant. That's the honest version.
