Softwr

Smart Home · head to head

Home Assistant vs Hubitat Elevation

Home Assistant logo

Home Assistant

Smart Home

Open source home automation that puts local control and privacy first

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Hubitat Elevation logo

Hubitat Elevation

Smart Home

Local home automation hub for advanced users

From
$189.95/one-time
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; Hubitat Elevation limited app ecosystem compared to Amazon Alexa or Google Home platforms
  • They diverge on capability: Home Assistant covers Local Control, Hubitat Elevation covers Local Processing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Home Assistant and Hubitat Elevation actually diverge.

Attributes where Home Assistant and Hubitat Elevation differ
AttributeHome AssistantHubitat Elevation
Starting priceFree$189.95/one-time
Pricing modelopen-sourceUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, Docker, Raspberry Pi, MacOS, WindowsLocal hub (Model C-8), Local hub (Model C-7), Mobile app (iOS and Android)
Founded20132016

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
  • REST API

Only in Hubitat Elevation

  • Local Processing
  • Rule Machine
  • Z-Wave Plus
  • Zigbee 3.0
  • Dashboard
  • Voice assistants
  • Custom apps
  • MQTT

What people use each for

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

Home Assistant

  • Home automationnot Hubitat Elevation
  • Energy monitoringnot Hubitat Elevation
  • Security systemsnot Hubitat Elevation
  • Device integrationnot Hubitat Elevation

Hubitat Elevation

  • Advanced automationnot Home Assistant
  • Local controlnot Home Assistant
  • Complex rulesnot Home Assistant
  • Multi-protocol integrationnot 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

Hubitat Elevation

  • Limited app ecosystem compared to Amazon Alexa or Google Home platforms
  • Requires purchase of hub hardware; no free tier

Pricing, plan by plan

Home Assistant

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

Hubitat Elevation

$189.95/one-time
  • Hub Hardware$189.95/one-time
    • Z-Wave Plus 800 and Zigbee 3.0
    • Matter 1.5 support
    • Local automation engine
  • Cloud Backup (optional)$30/year
    • Cloud backup of automations
    • Automatic backups
  • Remote Admin (optional)$36/year
    • Remote access via cloud
    • Mobile app remote control

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 Hubitat Elevation if

  • You need local processing.
  • You work on Local hub (Model C-8), Local hub (Model C-7), Mobile app (iOS and Android).
  • You also want rule machine.
Hubitat Elevation review

Questions people ask

Is Home Assistant or Hubitat Elevation better?
Neither clearly leads. Home Assistant starts at Free and Hubitat Elevation at $189.95/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Home Assistant or Hubitat Elevation?
Home Assistant has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Home Assistant and $189.95/one-time for Hubitat Elevation.
Does Home Assistant or Hubitat Elevation run on more platforms?
Home Assistant runs on Linux, Docker, Raspberry Pi, MacOS, Windows. Hubitat Elevation runs on Local hub (Model C-8), Local hub (Model C-7), Mobile app (iOS and Android).
Can I use Home Assistant for free?
Yes. Home Assistant has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Hubitat Elevation starts at $189.95/one-time.
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 Hubitat Elevation is typically brought in for.
What can Home Assistant do that Hubitat Elevation cannot?
Home Assistant covers Local Control, Privacy First, Automation Engine, Custom Integrations. Hubitat Elevation covers Local Processing, Rule Machine, Z-Wave Plus, Zigbee 3.0.

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
Hubitat Elevation: Does Hubitat require a cloud connection or subscription?

No. All automations and device control run locally without cloud dependency. Hubitat does not require subscriptions for core features; optional cloud backup ($30/year) and remote admin ($36/year) are available.

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
Hubitat Elevation: How many devices can Hubitat control?

The Hubitat Elevation Model C-8 supports 1,000+ devices across 100+ brands through Zigbee, Z-Wave 800 Long Range, Matter 1.5, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi protocols.

Source
Hubitat Elevation: Does Hubitat work with Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Apple HomeKit?

Yes. Hubitat integrates with Alexa and Google Home for voice control, and also supports Apple HomeKit via direct integration for HomeKit devices.

Source
Hubitat Elevation: What is the difference between the C-7 and C-8 models?

The C-8 ($189.95) features Z-Wave Plus 800, Zigbee 3.0, and expanded memory for handling complex automation. The C-7 is an older model with fewer protocol options and lower performance.

Source
Hubitat Elevation: Can I access my hub remotely?

Yes. Local area network (LAN) access is always available. Remote access via the Hubitat mobile app and cloud services requires an optional subscription ($36/year for remote admin).

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Home Assistant

More on Hubitat Elevation

Keep looking

Other head to heads