Softwr

Smart Home · head to head

Homey vs Parabola

Homey logo

Homey

Smart Home

Connect all your smart home devices in one app

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Parabola logo

Parabola

Automation Integration

Visual flow automation for modern teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Parabola 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; Parabola the Basic plan allows 1 user and 1,000 credits with limited AI
  • They diverge on capability: Homey covers Multi-protocol support, Parabola covers Visual workflow builder.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Homey and Parabola actually diverge.

Attributes where Homey and Parabola differ
AttributeHomeyParabola
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsIOS, Android, WebWeb
CategorySmart HomeAutomation Integration
Founded20142015

Identical on both: 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 Homey

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

Only in Parabola

  • Visual workflow builder
  • Data transformation
  • Conditional logic
  • Looping
  • Error handling
  • Monitoring
  • Scheduling
  • 300+ apps

Both cover

  • Web support

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 Parabola
  • Building home automations visually with Flownot Parabola
  • Charting device and sensor history through Insightsnot Parabola

Parabola

  • Workflow automation for operations and finance teamsnot Homey
  • Data integration across 1,000+ sourcesnot Homey
  • Automation and reporting workflowsnot 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

Parabola

  • The Basic plan allows 1 user and 1,000 credits with limited AI
  • No price is published for either the self serve or the business tier
  • Credits are consumed when agents run, and further credits are bought pay as you go
  • Role based access control, SSO, version history and SLAs all sit on the unpriced business plan

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

Parabola

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Parabola review.

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 Parabola if

  • You need visual workflow builder.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want data transformation.
Parabola review

Questions people ask

Is Homey or Parabola better?
Neither clearly leads. Homey starts at On request and Parabola at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Homey or Parabola?
Parabola has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Homey and Free for Parabola.
Does Homey or Parabola run on more platforms?
Homey runs on IOS, Android, Web. Parabola runs on Web.
Can I use Parabola for free?
Yes. Parabola 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 Parabola is typically brought in for.
What can Homey do that Parabola cannot?
Homey covers Multi-protocol support, Advanced flows, Voice control, Energy insights. Parabola covers Visual workflow builder, Data transformation, Conditional logic, Looping. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Homey: Is there a monthly subscription for Homey Pro or just a one-time payment?

Homey Pro costs 449 euros as a one-time purchase with no recurring monthly fees. The only optional recurring cost is 10 euros per year for cloud backups.

Source
Parabola: How much does Parabola cost?

Parabola does not publish specific pricing rates. The service uses a credit-based system where credits are consumed when agents run. Self-serve plans include a monthly credit allotment, and Business plans require a custom quote.

Source
Homey: What are the limits for Homey Cloud's free tier?

The free tier of Homey Cloud supports up to 5 connected devices. To add more devices, you need to upgrade to the paid subscription at 2.99 euros per month.

Source
Parabola: Does Parabola offer a free plan?

Yes, Parabola offers a free tier indefinitely for self-serve users with limited credits and basic features including the Prowork agent builder and pre-built integrations.

Source
Homey: What's the cost difference between Homey Cloud and Homey Pro over a year?

Homey Cloud costs 35.88 euros per year (2.99 euros per month). Homey Pro costs 449 euros upfront with no monthly fees, but includes all features and is a one-time purchase.

Source
Parabola: What features are included in Parabola's Business plan?

Business plans include all self-serve features plus automation engineer enablement, deployment support, proof of concept on production data, enterprise security with SSO, service level agreements, and a dedicated account manager.

Source
Homey: How long will Homey Pro receive software updates?

Homey Pro will receive software updates until at least June 2031, ensuring continued improvements and security patches.

Source
Parabola: Can I upgrade from free to Business later?

Yes, customers can start on free or self-serve plans and upgrade to Business plans at any time.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Homey

More on Parabola

Keep looking

Other head to heads