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Smart Home · head to head

Home Assistant vs Nest

Home Assistant logo

Home Assistant

Smart Home

Open source home automation that puts local control and privacy first

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Nest logo

Nest

Smart Home

Google's smart home hardware and software ecosystem

From
On request
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: Home Assistant add-ons run only on Home Assistant Operating System installations, and Container installations have no access to them; Nest pricing not published in support documentation; individual product prices vary significantly
  • They diverge on capability: Home Assistant covers Local Control, Nest covers Learning Thermostat.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Home Assistant and Nest differ
AttributeHome AssistantNest
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelopen-sourceone-time
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, Docker, Raspberry Pi, MacOS, WindowsHardware, Mobile, Web
Founded20132010

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 Home Assistant

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

Only in Nest

  • Learning Thermostat
  • HD Cameras
  • Smart Alerts
  • Energy Savings
  • Google Home
  • Google Assistant
  • Third-party apps
  • Works with Nest

What people use each for

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

Home Assistant

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

Nest

  • Households already invested in Google Home ecosystem seeking integrated smart thermostat, camera, and door locknot Home Assistant
  • Users wanting unified control of temperature, security, and entertainment across multiple devicesnot Home Assistant
  • Organisations deploying Google-based smart building solutions with Nest hardwarenot Home Assistant

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

Nest

  • Pricing not published in support documentation; individual product prices vary significantly
  • All Nest products require Google Home ecosystem integration for full functionality
  • Smart home devices operate only within the Google Nest ecosystem; limited third-party interoperability
  • Support and product documentation dispersed across Google support rather than centralised Nest site

Pricing, plan by plan

Home Assistant

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

Nest

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Nest review.

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.
Home Assistant review

Choose Nest if

  • You need learning thermostat.
  • You work on Hardware, Mobile, Web.
  • You also want hd cameras.
Nest review

Questions people ask

Is Home Assistant or Nest better?
Neither clearly leads. Home Assistant starts at Free and Nest at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Home Assistant or Nest?
Home Assistant has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Home Assistant and On request for Nest.
Does Home Assistant or Nest run on more platforms?
Home Assistant runs on Linux, Docker, Raspberry Pi, MacOS, Windows. Nest runs on Hardware, Mobile, Web.
Can I use Home Assistant for free?
Yes. Home Assistant has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Nest 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 energy monitoring are not what Nest is typically brought in for.
What can Home Assistant do that Nest cannot?
Home Assistant covers Local Control, Privacy First, Automation Engine, Custom Integrations. Nest covers Learning Thermostat, HD Cameras, Smart Alerts, Energy Savings.

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
Nest: Where can I find Google Nest pricing?

Google Nest pricing is available on the Google Store website (store.google.com), but the main category page requires first selecting your region and language. Specific product prices appear on individual product pages after region selection.

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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