A:Answer The Tapo app is not required, I initially installed and controlled it from my Alexa app. However a lot of the functionality is not available from Alexa, such as setting the gradual on/off functionality. I don't have HomeKit so I don't know if that additional functionality is available. I've found the Tapo app to be easy to use, I specially like how fast the app opens on my Android device, so I'm more likely to use the Tapo app than I would the Alexa app (which takes a while to load), Note that I can use Alexa voice commands to control devices as well as the Tapo and Alexa apps.