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Smart Home · head to head

OpenHAB vs Particle

OpenHAB logo

OpenHAB

Smart Home

Open source automation software for your home

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Particle logo

Particle

Smart Home

Edge-to-cloud IoT platform for connected devices

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; Particle paid capacity is sold in blocks of 100 devices rather than per device, so 101 devices costs the same as 200
  • They diverge on capability: OpenHAB covers Vendor Agnostic, Particle covers Device OS.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which OpenHAB and Particle actually diverge.

Attributes where OpenHAB and Particle differ
AttributeOpenHABParticle
Pricing modelopen-sourcesubscription
PlatformsLinux, Windows, MacOS, Docker, Raspberry PiParticle devices, Custom hardware, Cloud, Mobile apps
Founded20102013

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 OpenHAB

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

Only in Particle

  • Device OS
  • Cloud Platform
  • Device Management
  • OTA Updates
  • WebHooks
  • Integration marketplace
  • 3rd party services
  • Particle devices support

Both cover

  • REST API

What people use each for

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

OpenHAB

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

Particle

  • Connecting cellular and wifi IoT devices to a managed cloud platformnot OpenHAB
  • Deploying firmware updates and collecting device telemetry at fleet scalenot 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

Particle

  • Paid capacity is sold in blocks of 100 devices rather than per device, so 101 devices costs the same as 200
  • The Basic block is $299 a month and the Plus block $599 a month
  • The free tier allows 100 devices and 100,000 data operations a month
  • Data operations are the billing unit, so chatty firmware costs more than the device count suggests
  • No overage rates are published at any tier, so exceeding an allowance has no stated cost

Pricing, plan by plan

OpenHAB

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

Particle

Free
  • MakerFree
    • 5 free devices
    • Cloud access
    • Basic features
  • Production$100/month
    • Unlimited devices
    • Advanced analytics
    • Enterprise support

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 Particle if

  • You need device os.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Particle devices, Custom hardware, Cloud, Mobile apps.
  • You also want cloud platform.
Particle review

Questions people ask

Is OpenHAB or Particle better?
Neither clearly leads. OpenHAB starts at Free and Particle at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, OpenHAB or Particle?
OpenHAB starts at Free and Particle at Free.
Does OpenHAB or Particle run on more platforms?
OpenHAB runs on Linux, Windows, MacOS, Docker, Raspberry Pi. Particle runs on Particle devices, Custom hardware, Cloud, Mobile apps.
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 Particle is typically brought in for.
What can OpenHAB do that Particle cannot?
OpenHAB covers Vendor Agnostic, Rule Engine, 200+ Bindings, Local Processing. Particle covers Device OS, Cloud Platform, Device Management, OTA Updates. Both handle REST API.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

OpenHAB: How much does openHAB cost?

openHAB is 100% open source and completely free to download, install, and use across all supported platforms.

Source
Particle: What are the Particle pricing tiers and their costs?

Particle offers Free ($0, 100 devices, 100K Data Operations/month), Basic ($299/month per block), Plus ($599/month per block), Professional (custom pricing), and Enterprise (custom pricing). Each block supports 100 devices.

Source
OpenHAB: Are there any subscription fees for openHAB?

No, openHAB has no subscription fees. The software is free and released under an open source license for unlimited use.

Source
Particle: What is a Data Operation and how is it charged?

A Data Operation is Particle's billing unit for user-controlled activities. One operation is charged per device-to-cloud message, cloud-to-device message, Location Fusion call, Ledger sync, or Logic function run. Network transmission and management tasks are included at no additional cost.

Source
OpenHAB: How can I support openHAB?

While openHAB is free to use, the project accepts voluntary donations through the openHAB Foundation to support development and maintenance.

Source
Particle: What location data retention does each tier provide?

Location data retention ranges from 3 days in the Free tier up to 6+ months in Professional and Enterprise tiers.

Source
Particle: Are there additional costs for support or single sign-on?

Premium support and SSO are available as optional add-ons to all Particle plans. The pricing page does not specify the cost of these add-ons.

Source
Particle: Is there a minimum contract length or can I cancel anytime?

The Particle pricing page does not specify a minimum contract length, suggesting monthly billing without long-term lock-in.

Source
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