--- title: Apollo Automation launches $40 official ESPHome Starter... description: Apollo Automation, now an official Open Home Foundation commercial partner, has launched the first official ESPHome Starter Kit, priced at $40. The kit... canonical: https://daily.dev/posts/apollo-automation-launches-40-official-esphome-starter-kit-with-esp32-c6-board-four-fpc-modules-vm8so6fch twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:site: @dailydotdev og:type: website og:site_name: daily.dev og:title: Apollo Automation launches $40 official ESPHome Starter Kit with ESP32-C6 board, four FPC modules | daily.dev og:description: Apollo Automation, now an official Open Home Foundation commercial partner, has launched the first official ESPHome Starter Kit, priced at $40. The kit... og:url: https://daily.dev/posts/apollo-automation-launches-40-official-esphome-starter-kit-with-esp32-c6-board-four-fpc-modules-vm8so6fch og:image: https://api.daily.dev/og/posts/Vm8so6fCH.png og:image:alt: Apollo Automation launches $40 official ESPHome Starter Kit with ESP32-C6 board, four FPC modules og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 630 og:locale: en --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://daily.dev/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Apollo Automation launches $40 official ESPHome Starter Kit with ESP32-C6 board, four FPC modules **[CNX Software](https://daily.dev/sources/cnx-software)** · [@cnxsoft](https://daily.dev/cnxsoft) · 3 min read · 0 upvotes · 0 comments ## Summary Apollo Automation, now an official Open Home Foundation commercial partner, has launched the first official ESPHome Starter Kit, priced at $40. The kit includes an ESPHome C6 board built around the ESP32-C6-MINI-1 module (Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth LE, Thread/Zigbee), two FPC expansion connectors, and four plug-in modules covering PIR motion detection, temperature/humidity sensing (AHT20F), a button, a buzzer, and ten RGB LEDs. It's designed for beginners, using the no-code ESPHome Device Builder desktop app for configuration, while advanced users can access default YAML, PDF schematics, and Gerber files on GitHub. The kit works standalone or with Home Assistant and launched August 12. ## Full article daily.dev links to this article rather than hosting it. Read it at the original source: ## Questions this post answers ### What is included in the Apollo Automation ESPHome Starter Kit? The kit includes an ESPHome C6 board with an ESP32-C6-MINI-1 wireless module (Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth LE, Thread/Zigbee), two 14-pin FPC expansion connectors, and four plug-in modules: an MH-SR602 PIR motion sensor, an AHT20F temperature/humidity sensor, a button module, and a module combining ten RGB LEDs with a piezo buzzer, plus three FPC cables and a stand. _Developers evaluating ESPHome hardware kits can track product launches like this on daily.dev._ ### How much does the official ESPHome Starter Kit cost and who makes it? The official ESPHome Starter Kit costs $40 and is made by Apollo Automation, the second commercial partner of the Open Home Foundation, added in December 2025. It launched on the Apollo Automation website on August 12, and is designed for beginners using the ESPHome Device Builder desktop app without requiring YAML knowledge. _Anyone comparing smart home starter kits can follow hardware releases like this on daily.dev._ ### Do I need to know YAML to configure the ESPHome Starter Kit? No, YAML knowledge is not required. The kit is designed to be beginner-friendly, letting users plug in a module via the included FPC cable and configure the device visually using the ESPHome Device Builder desktop app, though advanced users can still access the default YAML file, schematics, and Gerber files on GitHub for deeper customization. _Makers exploring no-code hardware configuration tools can keep up with ESPHome updates on daily.dev._ ## Similar posts on daily.dev - [The ESP32 turned out to be the least intimidating way into a hobby that scared me for years](https://daily.dev/posts/the-esp32-turned-out-to-be-the-least-intimidating-way-into-a-hobby-that-scared-me-for-years-0clcoshb0) · XDA Developers · 0 upvotes · 0 comments - [An ESP32-S3 programmable universal remote in a Wiimote shell \(Crowdfunding\)](https://daily.dev/posts/an-esp32-s3-programmable-universal-remote-in-a-wiimote-shell-crowdfunding--1a6ps8wly) · CNX Software · 0 upvotes · 0 comments - [You can now buy the ESP32-S31 development board, and it's pretty cheap](https://daily.dev/posts/you-can-now-buy-the-esp32-s31-development-board-and-it-s-pretty-cheap-khnshyuty) · XDA Developers · 1 upvotes · 0 comments - [Espressif ESP32-C61-MINI-1/1U Wi-Fi 6 and BLE IoT module launched for about $2](https://daily.dev/posts/espressif-esp32-c61-mini-1-1u-wi-fi-6-and-ble-iot-module-launched-for-about-2-v90vbvvgt) · CNX Software · 0 upvotes · 0 comments - [ESPHome 2026.9.0: Faster builds and encrypted updates](https://daily.dev/posts/esphome-2026-9-0-faster-builds-and-encrypted-updates-qd7a35hwj) · ESPHome - Smart Home Made Simple · 0 upvotes · 0 comments --- Tags: [#tech-news](https://daily.dev/tags/tech-news), [#iot](https://daily.dev/tags/iot) [View this post on daily.dev](https://daily.dev/posts/apollo-automation-launches-40-official-esphome-starter-kit-with-esp32-c6-board-four-fpc-modules-vm8so6fch) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://daily.dev/#organization","name":"daily.dev","url":"https://daily.dev","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://daily.dev/apple-touch-icon.png","width":180,"height":180},"sameAs":["https://twitter.com/dailydotdev","https://github.com/dailydotdev","https://www.linkedin.com/company/daily-dev-ltd"]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://daily.dev/#website","url":"https://daily.dev","name":"daily.dev","publisher":{"@id":"https://daily.dev/#organization"},"potentialAction":{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https://daily.dev/search?q={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}}]} {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"TechArticle","headline":"Apollo Automation launches $40 official ESPHome Starter Kit with ESP32-C6 board, four FPC modules","url":"https://daily.dev/posts/apollo-automation-launches-40-official-esphome-starter-kit-with-esp32-c6-board-four-fpc-modules-vm8so6fch","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://daily.dev/posts/apollo-automation-launches-40-official-esphome-starter-kit-with-esp32-c6-board-four-fpc-modules-vm8so6fch"},"datePublished":"2026-08-12T10:56:43.517Z","dateModified":"2026-08-13T07:00:19.545Z","description":"Apollo Automation, now an official Open Home Foundation commercial partner, has launched the first official ESPHome Starter Kit, priced at $40. 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