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Smart Home · head to head

Home Assistant vs ThingWorx

Home Assistant logo

Home Assistant

Smart Home

Open source home automation that puts local control and privacy first

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ThingWorx logo

ThingWorx

Smart Home

Enterprise IoT platform by PTC for industrial and smart solutions

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; ThingWorx thingWorx is now part of Velotic, a separate industrial software company spun out from PTC
  • They diverge on capability: Home Assistant covers Local Control, ThingWorx covers Rapid App Development.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Home Assistant and ThingWorx differ
AttributeHome AssistantThingWorx
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelopen-sourcequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, Docker, Raspberry Pi, MacOS, WindowsCloud, On-premise, Hybrid, Edge computing
Founded20131985

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
  • Linux support

Only in ThingWorx

  • Rapid App Development
  • Real-Time Analytics
  • Device Connectivity
  • Scalable
  • Industrial protocols
  • Mobile app
  • Third-party systems
  • Cloud support

Both cover

  • REST API

What people use each for

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

Home Assistant

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

ThingWorx

  • Connecting industrial equipment and machines to an IIoT platformnot Home Assistant
  • Building operator dashboards and digital work instructions for manufacturingnot Home Assistant
  • Remote monitoring and service of connected productsnot 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

ThingWorx

  • ThingWorx is now part of Velotic, a separate industrial software company spun out from PTC
  • No pricing is published; the product page routes to Contact Us with no published rate, minimum or cost driver
  • The platform is sold as an industrial IIoT suite to enterprises rather than being self-serve

Pricing, plan by plan

Home Assistant

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

ThingWorx

On request
  • Professional$5000/month
    • App development
    • Analytics
    • Connectivity
  • Enterprise$25000/month
    • Advanced features
    • 24/7 support
    • Custom solutions

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 ThingWorx if

  • You need rapid app development.
  • You work on Cloud, On-premise, Hybrid, Edge computing.
  • You also want real-time analytics.
ThingWorx review

Questions people ask

Is Home Assistant or ThingWorx better?
Neither clearly leads. Home Assistant starts at Free and ThingWorx at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Home Assistant or ThingWorx?
Home Assistant has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Home Assistant and On request for ThingWorx.
Does Home Assistant or ThingWorx run on more platforms?
Home Assistant runs on Linux, Docker, Raspberry Pi, MacOS, Windows. ThingWorx runs on Cloud, On-premise, Hybrid, Edge computing.
Can I use Home Assistant for free?
Yes. Home Assistant has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ThingWorx 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 ThingWorx is typically brought in for.
What can Home Assistant do that ThingWorx cannot?
Home Assistant covers Local Control, Privacy First, Automation Engine, Custom Integrations. ThingWorx covers Rapid App Development, Real-Time Analytics, Device Connectivity, Scalable. Both handle REST API.

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
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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