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Home Assistant vs Yeelight

Home Assistant logo

Home Assistant

Software

Open source home automation that puts local control and privacy first

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Yeelight logo

Yeelight

Software

Smart lighting for modern homes

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; Yeelight requires owning Yeelight-branded smart lighting hardware; the app itself is a controller with no standalone function
  • They diverge on capability: Home Assistant covers Local Control, Yeelight covers Color control.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Home Assistant and Yeelight differ
AttributeHome AssistantYeelight
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelopen-sourceone-time
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, Docker, Raspberry Pi, MacOS, WindowsIOS, Android
Founded20132012

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Yeelight

  • Color control
  • Brightness dimming
  • Schedules
  • Music sync
  • Sunrise/sunset
  • Scenes
  • Google Assistant
  • Amazon Alexa

What people use each for

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

Home Assistant

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

Yeelight

  • Ambient lightingnot Home Assistant
  • Entertainment syncnot Home Assistant
  • Automated schedulesnot Home Assistant
  • Energy savingnot 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

Yeelight

  • Requires owning Yeelight-branded smart lighting hardware; the app itself is a controller with no standalone function
  • Requires iOS 16.2 or later, per the App Store listing

Pricing, plan by plan

Home Assistant

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

Yeelight

On request
  • Smart Bulb$15/month
    • WiFi
    • 16M colors
    • Voice control
  • Light Strip$30/month
    • Music sync
    • Extendable
    • Scene modes

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 Yeelight if

  • You need color control.
  • You work on IOS, Android.
  • You also want brightness dimming.
Yeelight review

Questions people ask

Is Home Assistant or Yeelight better?
Neither clearly leads. Home Assistant starts at Free and Yeelight at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Home Assistant or Yeelight?
Home Assistant has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Home Assistant and On request for Yeelight.
Does Home Assistant or Yeelight run on more platforms?
Home Assistant runs on Linux, Docker, Raspberry Pi, MacOS, Windows. Yeelight 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. Yeelight 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 Yeelight is typically brought in for.
What can Home Assistant do that Yeelight cannot?
Home Assistant covers Local Control, Privacy First, Automation Engine, Custom Integrations. Yeelight covers Color control, Brightness dimming, Schedules, Music sync.
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