Softwr

Smart Home · head to head

OpenHAB vs Savant

OpenHAB logo

OpenHAB

Smart Home

Open source automation software for your home

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Savant logo

Savant

Smart Home

Premium customizable automation and control system

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only OpenHAB has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: OpenHAB requires a 64-bit Java 21 JVM to be installed and maintained separately; Savant no pricing published on website or pricing page
  • They diverge on capability: OpenHAB covers Vendor Agnostic, Savant covers Customizable.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which OpenHAB and Savant actually diverge.

Attributes where OpenHAB and Savant differ
AttributeOpenHABSavant
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelopen-sourcequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, Windows, MacOS, Docker, Raspberry PiWeb, Mobile
Founded20102005

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 OpenHAB

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

Only in Savant

  • Customizable
  • Multi-Room Control
  • Beautiful Interface
  • Premium Build
  • 1500+ devices
  • Voice Control
  • Mobile app
  • Touchscreens

What people use each for

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

OpenHAB

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

Savant

  • Smart home automationnot OpenHAB
  • Climate controlnot OpenHAB
  • Lighting and audio-visual managementnot OpenHAB
  • Energy management and monitoringnot 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

Savant

  • No pricing published on website or pricing page
  • Requires contacting sales or using dealer locator for quotes
  • Business model not clearly specified (appears to be premium consumer product)

Pricing, plan by plan

OpenHAB

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

Savant

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Savant review.

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 Savant if

  • You need customizable.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want multi-room control.
Savant review

Questions people ask

Is OpenHAB or Savant better?
Neither clearly leads. OpenHAB starts at Free and Savant at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, OpenHAB or Savant?
OpenHAB has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for OpenHAB and On request for Savant.
Does OpenHAB or Savant run on more platforms?
OpenHAB runs on Linux, Windows, MacOS, Docker, Raspberry Pi. Savant runs on Web, Mobile.
Can I use OpenHAB for free?
Yes. OpenHAB has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Savant starts at On request.
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 Savant is typically brought in for.
What can OpenHAB do that Savant cannot?
OpenHAB covers Vendor Agnostic, Rule Engine, 200+ Bindings, Local Processing. Savant covers Customizable, Multi-Room Control, Beautiful Interface, Premium Build.

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
Savant: How much does Savant cost?

Savant does not publish pricing on its website. Customers must contact the sales team or use the dealer locator to request quotes.

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
Savant: How does Savant pricing work?

Savant appears to use a custom quote model. Interested customers are directed to a 'Get Smart Consultation' or dealer locator rather than self-serve purchasing.

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
Share

Related pages

More on OpenHAB

More on Savant

Keep looking

Other head to heads