Software · head to head
SwitchBot vs Home Assistant
Home Assistant
Software
Open source home automation that puts local control and privacy first
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Home Assistant has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: SwitchBot switchBot Lock Ultra is priced at 139.99 USD standalone, rising to 299.99 USD bundled with the Touch Doorbell combo; Home Assistant add-ons run only on Home Assistant Operating System installations, and Container installations have no access to them
- They diverge on capability: SwitchBot covers Button automation, Home Assistant covers Local Control.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which SwitchBot and Home Assistant actually diverge.
| Attribute | SwitchBot | Home Assistant |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | On request | Free |
| Pricing model | one-time | open-source |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | IOS, Android | Linux, Docker, Raspberry Pi, MacOS, Windows |
| Founded | 2015 | 2013 |
Identical on both: 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 SwitchBot
- Button automation
- IR control
- Schedules
- Sensors
- Scene automation
- Voice control
- Amazon Alexa
- Google Assistant
Only in Home Assistant
- Local Control
- Privacy First
- Automation Engine
- Custom Integrations
- 150+ integrations
- Voice Control
- Mobile App
- REST API
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
SwitchBot
- Retrofit automationnot Home Assistant
- Curtain controlnot Home Assistant
- AC controlnot Home Assistant
- Simple automationnot Home Assistant
Home Assistant
- Home automationnot SwitchBot
- Energy monitoringnot SwitchBot
- Security systemsnot SwitchBot
- Device integrationnot SwitchBot
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
SwitchBot
- SwitchBot Lock Ultra is priced at 139.99 USD standalone, rising to 299.99 USD bundled with the Touch Doorbell combo
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
SwitchBot
On request- Bot$29/month
- Button pusher
- Schedule
- Voice control
- Curtain$89/month
- Solar powered option
- Light sensor
- Schedule
- Hub Mini$39/month
- IR control
- Cloud access
- Voice assistants
Home Assistant
Free- Community EditionFree
- Unlimited devices
- Full automation
- Local control
Which should you pick?
Choose SwitchBot if
- You need button automation.
- You work on IOS, Android.
- You also want ir control.
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.
Questions people ask
- Is SwitchBot or Home Assistant better?
- Neither clearly leads. SwitchBot starts at On request and Home Assistant at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, SwitchBot or Home Assistant?
- Home Assistant has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for SwitchBot and Free for Home Assistant.
- Does SwitchBot or Home Assistant run on more platforms?
- SwitchBot runs on IOS, Android. Home Assistant runs on Linux, Docker, Raspberry Pi, MacOS, Windows.
- Can I use Home Assistant for free?
- Yes. Home Assistant has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SwitchBot starts at On request.
- What is SwitchBot best used for?
- SwitchBot is most often used for retrofit automation, curtain control, ac control, simple automation. Of those, retrofit automation and curtain control are not what Home Assistant is typically brought in for.
- What can SwitchBot do that Home Assistant cannot?
- SwitchBot covers Button automation, IR control, Schedules, Sensors. Home Assistant covers Local Control, Privacy First, Automation Engine, Custom Integrations.