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Smart Home · head to head

Home Assistant vs Tray.io

Home Assistant logo

Home Assistant

Smart Home

Open source home automation that puts local control and privacy first

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tray.io logo

Tray.io

Automation Integration

The intelligent integration platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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; Tray.io now rebranded Tray.ai; pricing page names three tiers, Pro (3 workspaces, 7 day insights), Team (20 workspaces, 30 day insights) and Enterprise (unlimited workspaces, 180 day insights, SSO, HIPAA), but publishes no figures and requires a demo or sales call for a quote
  • They diverge on capability: Home Assistant covers Local Control, Tray.io covers Low-code workflow builder.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Home Assistant and Tray.io actually diverge.

Attributes where Home Assistant and Tray.io differ
AttributeHome AssistantTray.io
Pricing modelopen-sourcesubscription
PlatformsLinux, Docker, Raspberry Pi, MacOS, WindowsWeb, Api
CategorySmart HomeAutomation Integration
Founded20132015

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Tray.io

  • Low-code workflow builder
  • API integrations
  • Webhooks
  • Conditional logic
  • Error handling
  • Rate limiting
  • Data transformation
  • Authentication

Both cover

  • REST API

What people use each for

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

Home Assistant

  • Home automationnot Tray.io
  • Energy monitoringnot Tray.io
  • Security systemsnot Tray.io
  • Device integrationnot Tray.io

Tray.io

  • Workflow Automationnot Home Assistant
  • Data Integrationnot Home Assistant
  • Process Automationnot Home Assistant
  • App Integrationnot Home Assistant
  • API Connectivitynot 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

Tray.io

  • Now rebranded Tray.ai; pricing page names three tiers, Pro (3 workspaces, 7 day insights), Team (20 workspaces, 30 day insights) and Enterprise (unlimited workspaces, 180 day insights, SSO, HIPAA), but publishes no figures and requires a demo or sales call for a quote

Pricing, plan by plan

Home Assistant

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

Tray.io

Free
  • Starter$50/month
    • 20 workflows
    • 50 integrations
    • Community support
  • Professional$150/month
    • Unlimited workflows
    • 500+ integrations
    • Email support
  • Enterprise$500/month
    • Custom workflows
    • Dedicated support
    • Advanced security

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 Tray.io if

  • You need low-code workflow builder.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want api integrations.
Tray.io review

Questions people ask

Is Home Assistant or Tray.io better?
Neither clearly leads. Home Assistant starts at Free and Tray.io at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Home Assistant or Tray.io?
Home Assistant starts at Free and Tray.io at Free.
Does Home Assistant or Tray.io run on more platforms?
Home Assistant runs on Linux, Docker, Raspberry Pi, MacOS, Windows. Tray.io runs on Web, Api.
Can I use Home Assistant for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Tray.io is typically brought in for.
What can Home Assistant do that Tray.io cannot?
Home Assistant covers Local Control, Privacy First, Automation Engine, Custom Integrations. Tray.io covers Low-code workflow builder, API integrations, Webhooks, Conditional logic. 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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