IoT & Smart Home · head to head
Home Assistant vs Meross
Home Assistant
IoT & Smart Home
Open source home automation that puts local control and privacy first
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Meross
IoT & Smart Home
Affordable smart home devices with HomeKit support
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Home Assistant has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- They diverge on capability: Home Assistant covers Local Control, Meross covers Apple HomeKit.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Home Assistant and Meross actually diverge.
| Attribute | Home Assistant | Meross |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Pricing model | open-source | one-time |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Linux, Docker, Raspberry Pi, MacOS, Windows | IOS, Android |
| Founded | 2013 | 2016 |
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 Home Assistant
- Local Control
- Privacy First
- Automation Engine
- Custom Integrations
- 150+ integrations
- Voice Control
- Mobile App
- REST API
Only in Meross
- Apple HomeKit
- No hub required
- Energy monitoring
- Schedules
- Voice control
- Scene automation
- Apple HomeKit
- Amazon Alexa
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Home Assistant
- Home automationnot Meross
- Energy monitoring
- Security systemsnot Meross
- Device integrationnot Meross
Meross
- Smart plugsnot Home Assistant
- Lighting controlnot Home Assistant
- Garage automationnot Home Assistant
- Energy monitoring
Both are used for energy monitoring, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
Meross
Nothing recorded yet. See the Meross review.
Pricing, plan by plan
Home Assistant
Free- Community EditionFree
- Unlimited devices
- Full automation
- Local control
Meross
On request- Smart Plug$15/month
- WiFi
- Energy monitoring
- Voice control
- Smart Switch$25/month
- In-wall
- No neutral required option
- HomeKit
- Garage Opener$40/month
- Remote control
- Status alerts
- HomeKit
Which should you pick?
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.
Choose Meross if
- You need apple homekit.
- You work on IOS, Android.
- You also want no hub required.
Questions people ask
- Is Home Assistant or Meross better?
- Neither clearly leads. Home Assistant starts at Free and Meross at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Home Assistant or Meross?
- Home Assistant has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Home Assistant and On request for Meross.
- Does Home Assistant or Meross run on more platforms?
- Home Assistant runs on Linux, Docker, Raspberry Pi, MacOS, Windows. Meross runs on IOS, Android.
- Can I use Home Assistant for free?
- Yes. Home Assistant has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Meross starts at On request.
- What is Home Assistant best used for?
- Home Assistant is most often used for home automation, energy monitoring, security systems, device integration. Of those, home automation and security systems are not what Meross is typically brought in for.
- What can Home Assistant do that Meross cannot?
- Home Assistant covers Local Control, Privacy First, Automation Engine, Custom Integrations. Meross covers Apple HomeKit, No hub required, Energy monitoring, Schedules.