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Arduino Cloud vs Home Assistant

Arduino Cloud logo

Arduino Cloud

Smart Home

Cloud platform for Arduino IoT devices and applications

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Home Assistant logo

Home Assistant

Smart Home

Open source home automation that puts local control and privacy first

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Arduino Cloud the free plan allows 2 connected devices, 5 variables each and one day of data retention; Home Assistant add-ons run only on Home Assistant Operating System installations, and Container installations have no access to them
  • They diverge on capability: Arduino Cloud covers Device Connectivity, Home Assistant covers Local Control.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Arduino Cloud and Home Assistant actually diverge.

Attributes where Arduino Cloud and Home Assistant differ
AttributeArduino CloudHome Assistant
Pricing modelsubscriptionopen-source
PlatformsArduino devices, Cloud, Mobile app, Web dashboardLinux, Docker, Raspberry Pi, MacOS, Windows
Founded20052013

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Smart Home).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Arduino Cloud

  • Device Connectivity
  • Cloud Storage
  • Real-Time Sync
  • Security
  • Arduino IDE
  • Mobile app
  • Integration services
  • Arduino devices support

Only in Home Assistant

  • Local Control
  • Privacy First
  • Automation Engine
  • Custom Integrations
  • 150+ integrations
  • Voice Control
  • Mobile App
  • Linux support

Both cover

  • REST API

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Arduino Cloud

  • Connecting Arduino boards to a cloud dashboardnot Home Assistant
  • Over-the-air firmware updates to deployed devicesnot Home Assistant
  • Logging sensor data and charting it over timenot Home Assistant
  • Triggering notifications from device thresholdsnot Home Assistant
  • Classroom IoT projects on the School plannot Home Assistant

Home Assistant

  • Home automationnot Arduino Cloud
  • Energy monitoringnot Arduino Cloud
  • Security systemsnot Arduino Cloud
  • Device integrationnot Arduino Cloud

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Arduino Cloud

  • The free plan allows 2 connected devices, 5 variables each and one day of data retention
  • Free accounts are limited to 25 compilations a day and 10 trigger notifications a day
  • The Maker plan at $72 a year lifts devices to 25 and retention to 3 months, still for a single user
  • Team pricing jumps to $1,000 a year
  • Two years of data retention and unlimited ingestion require Enterprise

Home Assistant

  • Add-ons run only on Home Assistant Operating System installations, and Container installations have no access to them
  • Thread and Z-Wave are controlled by add-ons, so a Container install has no out-of-the-box support for either
  • A Container installation means bringing your own Linux host with Docker and handling updates by hand
  • The recommended install path expects dedicated hardware such as a Raspberry Pi 4 or 5 with at least 2 GB of RAM, an Odroid, or an x86-64 machine
  • Every documented hardware option requires a wired Ethernet connection

Pricing, plan by plan

Arduino Cloud

Free
  • MakerFree
    • 2 devices
    • Basic features
    • Cloud access
  • Maker Plus$7/month
    • Up to 10 devices
    • Advanced features
    • Better storage

Home Assistant

Free
  • Community EditionFree
    • Unlimited devices
    • Full automation
    • Local control

Which should you pick?

Choose Arduino Cloud if

  • You need device connectivity.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Arduino devices, Cloud, Mobile app, Web dashboard.
  • You also want cloud storage.
Arduino Cloud review

Choose Home Assistant if

  • You need local control.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Raspberry Pi, MacOS, Windows.
  • You also want privacy first.
Home Assistant review

Questions people ask

Is Arduino Cloud or Home Assistant better?
Neither clearly leads. Arduino Cloud starts at Free and Home Assistant at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Arduino Cloud or Home Assistant?
Arduino Cloud starts at Free and Home Assistant at Free.
Does Arduino Cloud or Home Assistant run on more platforms?
Arduino Cloud runs on Arduino devices, Cloud, Mobile app, Web dashboard. Home Assistant runs on Linux, Docker, Raspberry Pi, MacOS, Windows.
Can I use Arduino Cloud for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Arduino Cloud best used for?
Arduino Cloud is most often used for connecting arduino boards to a cloud dashboard, over-the-air firmware updates to deployed devices, logging sensor data and charting it over time, triggering notifications from device thresholds. Of those, connecting arduino boards to a cloud dashboard and over-the-air firmware updates to deployed devices are not what Home Assistant is typically brought in for.
What can Arduino Cloud do that Home Assistant cannot?
Arduino Cloud covers Device Connectivity, Cloud Storage, Real-Time Sync, Security. Home Assistant covers Local Control, Privacy First, Automation Engine, Custom Integrations. Both handle REST API.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Home Assistant: Does Home Assistant software cost anything?

Home Assistant core software is completely free and open source. It is operated by the Open Home Foundation as a non-profit, which means it cannot be sold or acquired. Commercial products like Home Assistant hardware are sold separately.

Source
Home Assistant: Are there paid products from Home Assistant?

Home Assistant offers official hardware products including Home Assistant Green, Connect ZBT-2, Connect ZWA-2, and Voice Preview Edition, which have separate pricing. Nabu Casa provides commercial services as an official partner.

Source
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