IoT & Smart Home · head to head
Home Assistant vs Roomba
Home Assistant
IoT & Smart Home
Open source home automation that puts local control and privacy first
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Roomba
IoT & Smart Home
iRobot's intelligent robot vacuum series
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
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; Roomba robot vacuums list from $399.99 up to $999.99 for the top combo model, and Affirm financing on iRobot.com carries rates up to 36 percent APR
- They diverge on capability: Home Assistant covers Local Control, Roomba covers Smart Mapping.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Home Assistant and Roomba actually diverge.
| Attribute | Home Assistant | Roomba |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Pricing model | open-source | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Linux, Docker, Raspberry Pi, MacOS, Windows | IOS, Android, Web |
| Founded | 2013 | 1990 |
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 Roomba
- Smart Mapping
- Auto-Empty Base
- Multi-Room Navigation
- Dirt Detect
- Alexa
- Google Home
- IFTTT
- Smart schedules
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Home Assistant
- Home automationnot Roomba
- Energy monitoringnot Roomba
- Security systemsnot Roomba
- Device integrationnot Roomba
Roomba
- Automated vacuuming and mopping of home floorsnot Home Assistant
- Scheduled cleaning managed through a connected appnot 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
Roomba
- Robot vacuums list from $399.99 up to $999.99 for the top combo model, and Affirm financing on iRobot.com carries rates up to 36 percent APR
Pricing, plan by plan
Home Assistant
Free- Community EditionFree
- Unlimited devices
- Full automation
- Local control
Roomba
On request- iRobot Select$29/month
- Robot ownership
- Extended warranty
- Consumables
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 Roomba if
- You need smart mapping.
- You work on IOS, Android, Web.
- You also want auto-empty base.
Questions people ask
- Is Home Assistant or Roomba better?
- Neither clearly leads. Home Assistant starts at Free and Roomba at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Home Assistant or Roomba?
- Home Assistant has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Home Assistant and On request for Roomba.
- Does Home Assistant or Roomba run on more platforms?
- Home Assistant runs on Linux, Docker, Raspberry Pi, MacOS, Windows. Roomba runs on IOS, Android, Web.
- Can I use Home Assistant for free?
- Yes. Home Assistant has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Roomba 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 Roomba is typically brought in for.
- What can Home Assistant do that Roomba cannot?
- Home Assistant covers Local Control, Privacy First, Automation Engine, Custom Integrations. Roomba covers Smart Mapping, Auto-Empty Base, Multi-Room Navigation, Dirt Detect.