Flic Duo Smart Button and Flic Hub Review

Flic Duo is a well-designed smart button with impressive flexibility, combining physical control, gesture input, and extensive integration with other systems in a single compact device. Once set up, it works reliably, and the accompanying hubs significantly expand its capabilities, especially for Sonos, Philips Hue, and other supported platforms. However, its high price and limited compatibility with systems like Home Assistant make it difficult to recommend for experienced smart home users who already have a well-established Zigbee or Matter ecosystem. For those looking for a simple app-based control solution without a full-fledged automation platform, or for users who value additional security features, Flic Duo remains an attractive, albeit premium, option.

Flic Duo is a two-button smart controller that combines traditional button presses with gesture control to automate lighting, media, and other connected devices. It's designed to function as both a wall switch and a portable remote control, with deeper integration achieved when paired with the Flic Hub.

Specification

Functions

Wall switch and manual device modes

The Flic Duo wall button is perfect for simple on/off or toggle actions, such as controlling room lighting or the main scene. In this mode, it essentially functions as a modernized light switch, offering a familiar experience for people who don't want to open apps or talk to a voice assistant.

When you pick up the Duo, the motion sensor activates swipe and rotate gestures that fit more comfortably in your hand, turning it into more than just a remote control for media or viewing modes. For example, you can swipe up or down to adjust brightness or volume, and rotate gestures to change modes or adjust brightness without the need for an additional rotary control.

«Smart home and multimedia control

In its standard configuration, the device is designed to control lighting, heating, and media playback. A single press turns the light on/off, while a long press followed by a swipe adjusts the brightness. However, precise brightness control and multi-room operation typically require pairing with the Flic Hub. For temperature control, one button can be configured to increase the set point and the other to decrease it, with LED colors used to indicate direction or operating mode.

For multimedia and TV systems, gesture control allows you to increase/decrease volume, skip tracks, and restart playback without having to pick up your phone. When used with the Flic Hub LR and its IR Duo accessory, it can act as a simple remote control for turning on/off your TV and basic AV equipment functions by sending infrared commands to your existing equipment.

Security and location features

In addition to smart home control, the built-in accelerometer supports motion-based safety features such as fall detection. In supported configurations, a detected fall can trigger alerts for predefined contacts, which can be useful for elderly users or lone workers when combined with appropriate monitoring workflows.

There's also a customizable SOS or personal alarm feature, allowing you to send an emergency notification and location data with a single tap via a paired app or service. The "Find My Flic" feature allows Duo to play a sound when triggered from the app, which is convenient if the device is often used as a portable remote control.

Integrations and hubs

Flic Duo integrates with a wide range of platforms and services, including Amazon Alexa, Apple Home (via HomeKit), the Matter ecosystem, Philips Hue, Sonos, and other popular smart home brands. While some can be interacted with directly through your phone, more extensive and robust integration typically requires the use of a Flic hub as an always-on bridge.

The Flic Hub LR adds Ethernet, 5 GHz Wi-Fi, and IR, and also functions as a Matter controller, while the more compact Flic Hub Mini focuses on long-range Bluetooth and Matter controller functionality for simpler use. For Apple users, HomeKit currently only supports button presses (not gestures), so advanced gesture control logic must be handled within the Flic ecosystem or through other supported services.

Accessories and mounting options

Flic offers a range of additional accessories to adapt Duo to various usage scenarios. A sticker sheet with icons for lighting, music, security, and other functions is available, allowing you to label buttons and simplify remembering multi-button or multi-room configurations, which is especially useful in multi-tenant homes or offices.

A metal clip with a lanyard attachment allows the Duo to be worn on a belt, in a bag, or around the neck, making it ideal for use in medical settings or mobile work environments. Silicone and metal mounting options are also available, including a more durable, water-resistant case for outdoor or partially exposed settings, and a metal plate for secure mounting on walls, tables, or car dashboards while maintaining magnetic detachability.

Design

Flic Duo uses two physical buttons and a built-in motion sensor to support five universal triggers: single press, double press, long press, long press with gesture, and long press with twist. With these triggers and two buttons, the device can be configured to perform over 20 different actions for each Duo, and over 30 commands when using the location recognition feature. A built-in buzzer and three LEDs provide audible and visual feedback, allowing you to confirm actions without checking your phone or display.

The device features a compact, minimalist form factor and a magnetic mounting plate, allowing it to be wall-mounted or removed for handheld use. It is powered by a CR2032 coin-cell battery, which lasts approximately three years before replacement under typical use.

One of the Flic Duo's main advantages is its design. The buttons are pleasant to press, and despite its compact size, the device feels well-built. Available in black and white, you can choose the one that best suits your interior. Its slim profile means it won't look out of place next to a traditional light switch.

Flic app and its settings

Setting up the Flic Duo is done exclusively through the Flic app for iOS or Android. The process is generally very simple: select "Add Flic to Hub" in the app, then press and hold the button on the device until it connects. The app will then guide you through naming the device and assigning triggers.

The interface for assigning actions is quite powerful, but the sheer number of options can seem overwhelming. You can select a specific trigger (e.g., "Double-click the small button") and then browse a list of integrations, such as Sonos, Hue, or standard HTTP requests. The app provides a visual guide for gestures, although mastering the "hold and twist" gesture will require some practice to get the timing right.

The app also handles the logic behind the Scene Blend mode, which allows a rotation gesture to seamlessly switch between different lighting scenes, such as from a bright Work scene to a warm Relax scene.

Flic Mini Hub

The Flic Hub Mini is a compact, puck-shaped device that connects to your home network via 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi and provides an always-on bridge, allowing the Flic buttons to function regardless of your smartphone's Bluetooth range. Powered via USB-C, you can connect it to any available USB port or power adapter.

With Hub Mini, Flic buttons can trigger automations even when your phone is away. This is especially important for homes with multiple users, where you want the buttons to work for everyone, not just the person who set them up. Furthermore, Hub Mini offers a greater range than phone control: Flic claims a range of up to 45 meters.

The Hub Mini lacks some of the Flic Hub LR's advanced features, including 5 GHz Wi-Fi, Ethernet connectivity, and an IR blaster. For most home use, these shortcomings aren't significant. However, if you need Apple HomeKit support with gesture control, access to the SDK for custom programming, or IR control of your TV and AV equipment, you should choose the Hub LR.

Compatible services/providers

Flic supports a wide range of services by default, including:

• Philips Hue: Direct control of scenes, brightness and color temperature.
• Sonos: adjust volume, switch tracks and select a playlist.
• Spotify: control playback on connected devices.
• LIFX and Nanoleaf: Lighting control via local network or cloud.
• Universal smart home system: Integration with SmartThings, Alexa, and IFTTT allows the button to trigger virtually any connected device, albeit with a possible cloud delay.
• Matter: As a controller for lamps, blinds and switches that support Matter technology.

Home Assistant and Matter

Given Home Assistant's popularity, Flic's support for a wide range of services, and the presence of Matter, I initially thought integrating Flic into Home Assistant would be a simple process.

Unfortunately, this isn't the case. Flic acts as a Matter hub into which other Matter devices can be integrated. So, I can easily add my TP-Link Tapo P110M smart plug to Flic, but I can't add Flic to another Matter controller.

The process of adding Flic to Home Assistant is much more complicated. I found this comment on Reddit:

1. Create an automation and add three Webhook triggers.
2. For each webhook, click the three dots on the right and select "Change ID.".
   1. Name them something like Single, Double, and Hold to match the actions the Flic buttons can perform.
   2. Let's put automation aside, we'll come back to it later.
3. Now we need to configure Flic Hub to send these requests to Home Assistant. This is easier to do on your phone.
   1. Open the Home Assistant app or web page on your phone and navigate to the automation we just created.
   2. Navigate to the webhook trigger you named "Single" and click the copy button to the right of the "Webhook ID" field to copy the entire URL for that trigger.
   3. In the Flic app, open the Hub and navigate to the button you want to add. Add a single-tap action and set the type to "Internet Request.".
   4. Remove the "http://" placeholder from the URL bar, then paste the copied URL into this field.
   5. Change the request type from "GET" to "POST" and click "Add" in the top right corner to save the changes.
   6. Go back to Home Assistant, look at the automation, press the Flic button, and you should see a message saying it worked.
   7. Repeat these steps for Double and Hold.
4. Now we have an automation that will trigger when the Flic button is clicked. Never delete this automation.
5. Add an action at the bottom of the automation and find "Select".
6. In the Select field, go to Option 1, set the condition to Triggered by, and select One as the identifier.
   1. Add options 2 and 3, specifying "Double" and "Hold" as the trigger conditions.
7. Now you can add any actions you want to these three options.

An alternative is Philipp Schmitt's Home Assistant add-ons, which use the device's Bluetooth, supposedly eliminating the need for a hub. Unfortunately, I had trouble using them, as Home Assistant had difficulty initializing Bluetooth.

Performance

In everyday use, the Flic Duo is generally reliable, but its performance depends heavily on the connection quality with the devices it controls. When controlling Matter devices directly paired with the Flic Hub, the response is almost instantaneous. Rotation and swipe actions work surprisingly well, although a slight delay may be observed depending on wireless interference or distance from the Hub.

Sonos controls work perfectly. Volume adjustments are quick, and the ability to set a maximum volume limit in the app prevents accidental deafness from turning the knob too quickly. However, when moving the knob to areas with poor signal strength, such as a garage, gesture recognition can become unstable.

Battery life appears to be in line with the advertised specifications, thanks to the use of Bluetooth Low Energy. The range is impressive for a device powered by coin batteries, covering most medium-sized homes without issue, provided the hub is centrally located.

The Hub Mini's Bluetooth range was sufficient for my tests, covering a typical two-family home without significant issues. However, if you have a larger home or particularly thick walls, the Hub LR's extended range may justify the extra cost.

Overall verdict

The concept is excellent, and I really like the wide range of available integrations and how easy they are to set up. Once installed, the system works reliably.

However, I'm very price-sensitive. I'm willing to spend more on a product if it's worth it; my love for Philips Hue is proof of that. But with Flic, it's hard to say it's a good value.

The Flic Duo may be a bit different from standard smart buttons, but Philips Hue and Aqara have options for less than half the price. IKEA has even cheaper options. Furthermore, they all use Zigbee, a smart home protocol superior to Bluetooth.

These alternatives integrate easily with ecosystems like Home Assistant, Aqara, and Homey, either directly or through Matter, allowing you to perform actions outside of their native environment.

Therefore, for existing smart home enthusiasts who already have Home Assistant, Homey, or a similar platform installed, I don't see Flic as particularly attractive at this price. The webhook integration method is inconvenient compared to native Zigbee support, and the gesture control features, while interesting, don't fundamentally change what can be achieved with a well-tuned automation system.

However, if you don't have Home Assistant/Homey/Aqara and want to control one of the supported systems, Flic offers an attractive option. Built-in integration with services like Sonos, Spotify, Philips Hue, and Alexa is really easy to set up, and setting it up through the app is more accessible than programming automations in Home Assistant.

Safety features are also worth considering. In the context of elderly care or in situations where workers work alone, the fall detection and SOS call functions, combined with an additional lanyard, create an attractive security device that also controls your smart home. In this case, the higher price may be justified.

If you value Flic's unique combination of features—gesture control, location tracking, extensive integration options, and security features—and don't yet have a sophisticated automation platform, the Flic Duo is worth considering. Just keep in mind that you'll pay significantly more than simpler alternatives, so budget accordingly if you plan to install multiple devices in your home.