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IoT & Smart Home · head to head

Crestron vs Home Assistant

Crestron logo

Crestron

IoT & Smart Home

Enterprise-grade control and automation technology

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Home Assistant logo

Home Assistant

IoT & Smart Home

Open source home automation that puts local control and privacy first

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Home Assistant has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Crestron crestron does not sell direct or publish prices; its own site's How-To-Buy navigation routes buyers only to a dealer/partner search (Elite Platinum Commercial Dealers) or an authorized representative, with no online pricing or purchase path.; Home Assistant add-ons run only on Home Assistant Operating System installations, and Container installations have no access to them
  • They diverge on capability: Crestron covers Enterprise Control, Home Assistant covers Local Control.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Crestron and Home Assistant actually diverge.

Attributes where Crestron and Home Assistant differ
AttributeCrestronHome Assistant
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsControl systems, Mobile apps, Web interfaces, Touch screensLinux, Docker, Raspberry Pi, MacOS, Windows
Founded19712013

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (IoT & 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 Crestron

  • Enterprise Control
  • Powerful Programming
  • Extensive Integration
  • Reliability
  • 5000+ devices
  • Custom protocols
  • Web/Mobile apps
  • Touch panels

Only in Home Assistant

  • Local Control
  • Privacy First
  • Automation Engine
  • Custom Integrations
  • 150+ integrations
  • Voice Control
  • Mobile App
  • REST API

What people use each for

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

Crestron

  • Conference room automationnot Home Assistant
  • Building managementnot Home Assistant
  • Campus-wide controlnot Home Assistant
  • Corporate AVnot Home Assistant

Home Assistant

  • Home automationnot Crestron
  • Energy monitoringnot Crestron
  • Security systemsnot Crestron
  • Device integrationnot Crestron

Where each one falls short

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

Crestron

  • Crestron does not sell direct or publish prices; its own site's How-To-Buy navigation routes buyers only to a dealer/partner search (Elite Platinum Commercial Dealers) or an authorized representative, with no online pricing or purchase path.

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

Crestron

On request
  • Professional$1000/month
    • Programming tools
    • Device control
    • Advanced features
  • Enterprise$10000/month
    • Large deployments
    • Custom solutions
    • Enterprise support

Home Assistant

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Crestron if

  • You need enterprise control.
  • You work on Control systems, Mobile apps, Web interfaces, Touch screens.
  • You also want powerful programming.
Crestron 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 Crestron or Home Assistant better?
Neither clearly leads. Crestron starts at On request and Home Assistant at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Crestron or Home Assistant?
Home Assistant has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Crestron and Free for Home Assistant.
Does Crestron or Home Assistant run on more platforms?
Crestron runs on Control systems, Mobile apps, Web interfaces, Touch screens. Home Assistant runs on Linux, Docker, Raspberry Pi, MacOS, Windows.
Can I use Home Assistant for free?
Yes. Home Assistant has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Crestron starts at On request.
What is Crestron best used for?
Crestron is most often used for conference room automation, building management, campus-wide control, corporate av. Of those, conference room automation and building management are not what Home Assistant is typically brought in for.
What can Crestron do that Home Assistant cannot?
Crestron covers Enterprise Control, Powerful Programming, Extensive Integration, Reliability. Home Assistant covers Local Control, Privacy First, Automation Engine, Custom Integrations.
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