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OpenHAB vs Home Assistant

OpenHAB logo

OpenHAB

Software

Open source automation software for your home

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Home Assistant logo

Home Assistant

Software

Open source home automation that puts local control and privacy first

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: OpenHAB requires a 64-bit Java 21 JVM to be installed and maintained separately; Home Assistant add-ons run only on Home Assistant Operating System installations, and Container installations have no access to them
  • They diverge on capability: OpenHAB covers Vendor Agnostic, Home Assistant covers Local Control.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where OpenHAB and Home Assistant differ
AttributeOpenHABHome Assistant
PlatformsLinux, Windows, MacOS, Docker, Raspberry PiLinux, Docker, Raspberry Pi, MacOS, Windows
Founded20102013

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (open-source), free tier (Yes), 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 OpenHAB

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

Only in Home Assistant

  • Local Control
  • Privacy First
  • Automation Engine
  • Custom Integrations
  • 150+ integrations
  • Voice Control
  • Mobile App

Both cover

  • REST API
  • Linux support
  • Windows support
  • MacOS support
  • Docker support
  • Raspberry Pi support

What people use each for

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

OpenHAB

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

Home Assistant

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

Where each one falls short

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

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

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

Pricing, plan by plan

OpenHAB

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

Home Assistant

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

Which should you pick?

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

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

Questions people ask

Is OpenHAB or Home Assistant better?
Neither clearly leads. OpenHAB starts at Free and Home Assistant at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, OpenHAB or Home Assistant?
OpenHAB starts at Free and Home Assistant at Free.
Does OpenHAB or Home Assistant run on more platforms?
OpenHAB runs on Linux, Windows, MacOS, Docker, Raspberry Pi. Home Assistant runs on Linux, Docker, Raspberry Pi, MacOS, Windows.
Can I use OpenHAB for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is OpenHAB best used for?
OpenHAB is most often used for self-hosted vendor neutral home automation hub, bridging smart home devices from different manufacturers under one set of rules. Of those, self-hosted vendor neutral home automation hub and bridging smart home devices from different manufacturers under one set of rules are not what Home Assistant is typically brought in for.
What can OpenHAB do that Home Assistant cannot?
OpenHAB covers Vendor Agnostic, Rule Engine, 200+ Bindings, Local Processing. Home Assistant covers Local Control, Privacy First, Automation Engine, Custom Integrations. Both handle REST API, Linux support, Windows support, MacOS support.
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