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Homey vs OpenHAB

Homey logo

Homey

Software

Connect all your smart home devices in one app

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OpenHAB logo

OpenHAB

Software

Open source automation software for your home

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only OpenHAB has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Homey homey Cloud without a subscription connects at most 5 devices; OpenHAB requires a 64-bit Java 21 JVM to be installed and maintained separately
  • They diverge on capability: Homey covers Multi-protocol support, OpenHAB covers Vendor Agnostic.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Homey and OpenHAB actually diverge.

Attributes where Homey and OpenHAB differ
AttributeHomeyOpenHAB
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsIOS, Android, WebLinux, Windows, MacOS, Docker, Raspberry Pi
Founded20142010

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 Homey

  • Multi-protocol support
  • Advanced flows
  • Voice control
  • Energy insights
  • Timeline
  • Zones
  • Google Assistant
  • Amazon Alexa

Only in OpenHAB

  • Vendor Agnostic
  • Rule Engine
  • 200+ Bindings
  • Local Processing
  • Z-Wave
  • Zigbee
  • MQTT
  • REST API

What people use each for

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

Homey

  • Bringing Zigbee, Z-Wave, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices from different brands into one appnot OpenHAB
  • Building home automations visually with Flownot OpenHAB
  • Charting device and sensor history through Insightsnot OpenHAB

OpenHAB

  • Self-hosted vendor neutral home automation hubnot Homey
  • Bridging smart home devices from different manufacturers under one set of rulesnot Homey

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Homey

  • Homey Cloud without a subscription connects at most 5 devices
  • Unlimited devices require the Homey Premium subscription at $2.99 per month
  • Advanced Flow, Insights, and Logic and Variables are locked behind Homey Premium
  • The free month of Premium is only offered to new subscribers signing up through iOS or Android

OpenHAB

  • Requires a 64-bit Java 21 JVM to be installed and maintained separately
  • Oracle Java is explicitly not recommended by the project because of potential licensing restrictions
  • The recommended hardware is a dedicated Raspberry Pi 4 or newer rather than shared hardware
  • Some version upgrades require additional manual steps run through a separate upgrade tool

Pricing, plan by plan

Homey

On request
  • Homey Pro$399/month
    • Local processing
    • 1000+ apps
    • Advanced flows
  • Homey Bridge$69/month
    • Cloud processing
    • 500+ apps
    • Basic flows

OpenHAB

Free
  • Community EditionFree
    • Unlimited devices
    • 200+ bindings
    • Local control

Which should you pick?

Choose Homey if

  • You need multi-protocol support.
  • You work on IOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want advanced flows.
Homey review

Choose OpenHAB if

  • You need vendor agnostic.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, MacOS, Docker, Raspberry Pi.
  • You also want rule engine.
OpenHAB review

Questions people ask

Is Homey or OpenHAB better?
Neither clearly leads. Homey starts at On request and OpenHAB at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Homey or OpenHAB?
OpenHAB has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Homey and Free for OpenHAB.
Does Homey or OpenHAB run on more platforms?
Homey runs on IOS, Android, Web. OpenHAB runs on Linux, Windows, MacOS, Docker, Raspberry Pi.
Can I use OpenHAB for free?
Yes. OpenHAB has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Homey starts at On request.
What is Homey best used for?
Homey is most often used for bringing zigbee, z-wave, wi-fi and bluetooth devices from different brands into one app, building home automations visually with flow, charting device and sensor history through insights. Of those, bringing zigbee, z-wave, wi-fi and bluetooth devices from different brands into one app and building home automations visually with flow are not what OpenHAB is typically brought in for.
What can Homey do that OpenHAB cannot?
Homey covers Multi-protocol support, Advanced flows, Voice control, Energy insights. OpenHAB covers Vendor Agnostic, Rule Engine, 200+ Bindings, Local Processing.
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