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Smart Home · head to head

Crestron vs OpenHAB

Crestron logo

Crestron

Smart Home

Enterprise-grade control and automation technology

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OpenHAB logo

OpenHAB

Smart Home

Open source automation software for your home

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only OpenHAB has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Crestron no published pricing or pricing tiers; no specific product prices disclosed.; OpenHAB requires a 64-bit Java 21 JVM to be installed and maintained separately
  • They diverge on capability: Crestron covers Enterprise Control, OpenHAB covers Vendor Agnostic.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Crestron and OpenHAB actually diverge.

Attributes where Crestron and OpenHAB differ
AttributeCrestronOpenHAB
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsControl systems, Mobile apps, Web interfaces, Touch screensLinux, Windows, MacOS, Docker, Raspberry Pi
Founded19712010

Identical on both: 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 Crestron

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

Only in OpenHAB

  • Vendor Agnostic
  • Rule Engine
  • 200+ Bindings
  • Local Processing
  • Z-Wave
  • Zigbee
  • MQTT
  • REST API

What people use each for

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

Crestron

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

OpenHAB

  • Self-hosted vendor neutral home automation hubnot Crestron
  • Bridging smart home devices from different manufacturers under one set of rulesnot Crestron

Where each one falls short

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

Crestron

  • No published pricing or pricing tiers; no specific product prices disclosed.
  • The pricing page only announces a 10% global price increase effective March 1, 2022, without listing actual prices.

OpenHAB

  • Requires a 64-bit Java 21 JVM to be installed and maintained separately
  • Oracle Java is explicitly not recommended by the project because of potential licensing restrictions
  • The recommended hardware is a dedicated Raspberry Pi 4 or newer rather than shared hardware
  • Some version upgrades require additional manual steps run through a separate upgrade tool

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

OpenHAB

Free
  • Community EditionFree
    • Unlimited devices
    • 200+ bindings
    • 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 OpenHAB if

  • You need vendor agnostic.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, MacOS, Docker, Raspberry Pi.
  • You also want rule engine.
OpenHAB review

Questions people ask

Is Crestron or OpenHAB better?
Neither clearly leads. Crestron starts at On request and OpenHAB at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Crestron or OpenHAB?
OpenHAB has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Crestron and Free for OpenHAB.
Does Crestron or OpenHAB run on more platforms?
Crestron runs on Control systems, Mobile apps, Web interfaces, Touch screens. OpenHAB runs on Linux, Windows, MacOS, Docker, Raspberry Pi.
Can I use OpenHAB for free?
Yes. OpenHAB 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 OpenHAB is typically brought in for.
What can Crestron do that OpenHAB cannot?
Crestron covers Enterprise Control, Powerful Programming, Extensive Integration, Reliability. OpenHAB covers Vendor Agnostic, Rule Engine, 200+ Bindings, Local Processing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Crestron: How much do Crestron products cost?

Crestron does not publish specific product pricing or pricing tiers on their website. Customers must contact Crestron directly for pricing information on AV control systems and related products.

Source
OpenHAB: How much does openHAB cost?

openHAB is 100% open source and completely free to download, install, and use across all supported platforms.

Source
Crestron: What was Crestron's most recent price change?

Crestron implemented a 10% global price increase effective March 1, 2022 on all products and services. Orders placed before March 1, 2022 that shipped by December 31, 2022 were honored at prior pricing. No retroactive increases applied to existing orders.

Source
OpenHAB: Are there any subscription fees for openHAB?

No, openHAB has no subscription fees. The software is free and released under an open source license for unlimited use.

Source
OpenHAB: How can I support openHAB?

While openHAB is free to use, the project accepts voluntary donations through the openHAB Foundation to support development and maintenance.

Source
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