specification: FinOps Framework
specificationVersion: '1.0'
schema: https://www.finops.org/framework/
provider: Samsung SmartThings
providerId: smartthings
created: '2026-07-03'
modified: '2026-07-03'
reconciled: false
tags:
- Smart Home
- IoT
- Home Automation
- FinOps
- Cost Management
- FOCUS
description: >-
  FinOps view of building on SmartThings. The SmartThings public REST API is
  free to use, so there is no direct per-call SmartThings invoice for a typical
  integration. The relevant cost is instead your own infrastructure for the
  SmartApp side of the integration - for a WEBHOOK_SMART_APP, the compute and
  bandwidth of the HTTPS endpoint that receives lifecycle and EVENT callbacks;
  for a LAMBDA_SMART_APP, the AWS Lambda invocations, duration, and associated
  API Gateway/CloudWatch charges. SmartThings' own governance cost is
  operational: staying within per-token and per-app rate limits and guardrails
  to avoid 429/422 errors and degraded event delivery. Large-scale integrations
  route through the Enterprise API / service-account program with its own
  contract terms.
notes: >-
  There is no published per-call price for the SmartThings public API. Dominant
  costs are the developer's own SmartApp hosting (Lambda or webhook) and the
  operational discipline of honoring rate limits. Verify Enterprise program
  terms with SmartThings.
sources:
- https://developer.smartthings.com/docs/getting-started/quickstart
- https://developer.smartthings.com/docs/getting-started/rate-limits
- https://developer.smartthings.com/docs/connected-services/smartapp-basics
- https://focus.finops.org/focus-specification/v1-3/
alignedWith:
  framework: FinOps Foundation Framework
  frameworkUrl: https://www.finops.org/framework/
  dataSpec: FOCUS
  dataSpecVersion: '1.3'
  dataSpecUrl: https://focus.finops.org/focus-specification/v1-3/
publisherName: Samsung SmartThings
serviceCategory: IoT and Smart Home Platform
billingModel:
  pricingCategory: Free (Public API)
  billingFrequency: None
  billingCurrency: USD
  chargeCategories:
  - Usage
chargeNote: >-
  The public SmartThings API is not directly billed. Charges captured here are
  the developer's own infrastructure (Lambda / webhook hosting) rather than a
  SmartThings invoice.
focusColumns:
  ServiceName: SmartThings API
  ServiceCategory: IoT and Smart Home Platform
  ProviderName: Samsung SmartThings
  PublisherName: Samsung SmartThings
  InvoiceIssuerName: Samsung SmartThings
  BillingCurrency: USD
  ChargeCategory: Usage
  PricingCategory: Free
meters:
- name: api_requests
  description: Public REST API requests, free but bounded by per-token/per-app rate limits.
  unit: requests
  aggregation: sum
  dimensions:
  - principal
  - installedApp
  - device
- name: lambda_invocations
  description: AWS Lambda invocations for a LAMBDA_SMART_APP handling lifecycle and EVENT callbacks (billed by AWS, not SmartThings).
  unit: invocations
  aggregation: sum
  dimensions:
  - installedApp
- name: webhook_compute
  description: Compute and bandwidth for a WEBHOOK_SMART_APP endpoint receiving callbacks (billed by your host, not SmartThings).
  unit: hours
  aggregation: sum
  dimensions:
  - installedApp
- name: events_delivered
  description: Subscription/eventing volume delivered to your SmartApp; drives downstream compute cost.
  unit: events
  aggregation: sum
  dimensions:
  - installedApp
  - subscription
principles:
- name: Visibility
  description: Track API request volume against X-RateLimit headers and monitor Lambda/webhook cost per installed app.
- name: Allocation
  description: Map SmartApp installations and subscriptions to workloads/teams so downstream compute cost is attributable.
- name: Optimization
  description: Scope subscriptions to only the devices and capabilities you need, batch device commands (up to 10 per request) and events (up to 50 per request), and stay within rate limits to avoid retries.
- name: Accountability
  description: Assign owners per SmartApp; review Lambda/webhook spend and 429/422 rates monthly.
maintainers:
- FN: Kin Lane
  email: kin@apievangelist.com