Chamberlain Blocks myQ API Access and Home Assistant - How to Integrate?

Chamberlain Group Blocks MyQ Access and Home Assistant

Chamberlain Group announced that they will no longer allow (unauthorized) third party integrations to use their MyQ API service.  In fact they are now actively blocking these requests.  Reading between the lines, this is a block on any "unauthorized access", otherwise known as those who are not paying to use the service. Chamberlain's myQ does have several official integrations listed on their works with myQ page.  

This forces Chamberlain and Liftmaster garage door owners to use the official MyQ iOS and Android applications or one of their approved partner integrations.  Or does it?  In fact the original myQ integration is cloud based and once again, Chamberlain has proven that cloud driven applications can fail, can be taken down or blocked, or be converted to paid services at any time.  Cloud integrations can be slower and less reliable because they rely on an external Internet connection and "calls to the cloud".  They also tend to track user behavior. 

Smart Home users who are paying attention to these issues, are moving towards locally connected integrations with optional cloud.  In other words they work locally but can optionally connect to smart home systems for local access and alerts.  These local integrations use a smart home hub or software to provide local smart home control.  Users can then selectively allow access and alerts remotely but the system will not fail because of cloud changes or Internet outages.

How to Integrate Chamberlain MyQ with Your Smart Home without the MyQ App:

1. Ecolink GDZW7-ECO - The GDZW7-ECO ZWave garage door controller works with virtually all garage door openers including Chamberlain and Liftmaster.  It supports the Chamberlain wireless rolling code Security+ 1.0 and 2.0 yellow, purple, red and orange Learn Buttons.  It also includes a garage door position tilt sensor and has safety features including a warning strobe and sound.  The GDZW7-ECO integrates with Home Assistant, SmartThings, Alarm.com, Alula Connect+ and more.
2. Hack a garage door button - If you're comfortable with a soldering iron you can use any garage door button that controls your Chamberlain opener.  Open the case and find the connections for the button.  Then you can solder a pair of wires across this connection and connect them to any relay controller.  This mimics pressing the button.  In this manner you can connect a Shelly Plus1 WiFi relay, a Fibaro FGBS-222 smart implant or any other smart home relay output and have it virtually press the button, controlling your Chamberlain garage door opener.
3. ratgdo - What's a ratgdo?   It's a device that can work with Chamberlain rolling code openers and can be controlled by MQTT or ESPHome communication. This will work perfectly with the likes of Home Assistant on your local LAN.  It's also a bit DIY but an excellent creative solution
4. Konnected blaQ - Konnected has announced a new device called blaQ that works with chamberlain garage door openers with the newer Security+ Yellow learn buttons.  It can also read the door status.  This product is expected to ship in March 2024.
5. Meross Garage Door Opener - smart home manufacturer meross has released a garage door controller that works with most garage door openers and is compatible with HomeKit, Alexa, Google, SmartThings and more.  For Chamberlain support they offer an optional accessory which is essentially an extra wireless button with dry contact leads.

Conclusion

This move by Chamberlain has drawn criticism from the smart home DIY community as evidence by this post in the Home Assistant community pages which currently has about 200 posts.  Users are understandably angry.  Chamberlain of course has every right to control and protect their service.  Cloud services are not free, they are incredibly expensive to run and maintain especially at scale.  Users can make a choice to either pay for the myQ service and app or find alternate ways to control their garage door.  There are several options available including ponying up or rolling up their sleeves.