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Smart Home · head to head

Tasmota vs Yeelight

Tasmota logo

Tasmota

Smart Home

Open-source firmware for ESP8266/ESP32 based devices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Yeelight logo

Yeelight

Smart Home

Smart lighting for modern homes

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Tasmota has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Tasmota tasmota only runs on Espressif ESP8266, ESP8285, ESP32, ESP32-S and ESP32-C3 chipsets, so devices built on other silicon cannot use it; Yeelight requires owning Yeelight-branded smart lighting hardware; the app itself is a controller with no standalone function
  • They diverge on capability: Tasmota covers Local Control, Yeelight covers Color control.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Tasmota and Yeelight actually diverge.

Attributes where Tasmota and Yeelight differ
AttributeTasmotaYeelight
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelopen-sourceone-time
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsESP8266, ESP32, Compatible devicesIOS, Android
Founded20172012

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 Tasmota

  • Local Control
  • MQTT Support
  • Web Interface
  • OTA Updates
  • Domoticz
  • OpenHAB
  • Node-RED
  • ESP8266 support

Only in Yeelight

  • Color control
  • Brightness dimming
  • Schedules
  • Music sync
  • Sunrise/sunset
  • Scenes
  • Google Assistant
  • Amazon Alexa

Both cover

  • Home Assistant

What people use each for

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

Tasmota

  • Replacing vendor cloud firmware on ESP based smart plugs and switchesnot Yeelight
  • Controlling smart home devices locally over MQTT or HTTPnot Yeelight
  • Integrating off the shelf Wi-Fi devices with Home Assistant without a cloud accountnot Yeelight

Yeelight

  • Ambient lightingnot Tasmota
  • Entertainment syncnot Tasmota
  • Automated schedulesnot Tasmota
  • Energy savingnot Tasmota

Where each one falls short

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

Tasmota

  • Tasmota only runs on Espressif ESP8266, ESP8285, ESP32, ESP32-S and ESP32-C3 chipsets, so devices built on other silicon cannot use it
  • Initial installation requires opening the device, bridging GPIO0 to ground during boot and using a 3.3V serial programmer; a 5V programmer damages the chip
  • The ESP chip needs at least 150mA at 3.3V, so an underpowered supply causes flashing and stability failures
  • The Wi-Fi setup access point stays active for only 3 minutes, after which the device must be power cycled to try again
  • The Power Cycle Recovery feature can reset a device to firmware defaults where mains power fluctuates, and the docs advise disabling it in that case

Yeelight

  • Requires owning Yeelight-branded smart lighting hardware; the app itself is a controller with no standalone function
  • Requires iOS 16.2 or later, per the App Store listing

Pricing, plan by plan

Tasmota

Free
  • CommunityFree
    • Full firmware
    • MQTT
    • Web UI

Yeelight

On request
  • Smart Bulb$15/month
    • WiFi
    • 16M colors
    • Voice control
  • Light Strip$30/month
    • Music sync
    • Extendable
    • Scene modes

Which should you pick?

Choose Tasmota if

  • You need local control.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on ESP8266, ESP32, Compatible devices.
  • You also want mqtt support.
Tasmota review

Choose Yeelight if

  • You need color control.
  • You work on IOS, Android.
  • You also want brightness dimming.
Yeelight review

Questions people ask

Is Tasmota or Yeelight better?
Neither clearly leads. Tasmota starts at Free and Yeelight at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Tasmota or Yeelight?
Tasmota has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Tasmota and On request for Yeelight.
Does Tasmota or Yeelight run on more platforms?
Tasmota runs on ESP8266, ESP32, Compatible devices. Yeelight runs on IOS, Android.
Can I use Tasmota for free?
Yes. Tasmota has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Yeelight starts at On request.
What is Tasmota best used for?
Tasmota is most often used for replacing vendor cloud firmware on esp based smart plugs and switches, controlling smart home devices locally over mqtt or http, integrating off the shelf wi-fi devices with home assistant without a cloud account. Of those, replacing vendor cloud firmware on esp based smart plugs and switches and controlling smart home devices locally over mqtt or http are not what Yeelight is typically brought in for.
What can Tasmota do that Yeelight cannot?
Tasmota covers Local Control, MQTT Support, Web Interface, OTA Updates. Yeelight covers Color control, Brightness dimming, Schedules, Music sync. Both handle Home Assistant.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Tasmota: What is the cost of Tasmota?

Tasmota is completely free as open-source firmware for ESP devices. Source code is available on GitHub, and the project accepts donations for continued development.

Source
Yeelight: Where can I find Yeelight pricing?

The main Yeelight website redirects to a Chinese regional site (cn.yeelight.com) which does not display pricing information. Specific pricing details would need to be found through product pages or local retailers.

Source
Tasmota: Can Tasmota be modified and redistributed?

Yes, Tasmota is open-source software allowing users to access, compile, modify, and redistribute builds according to the project LICENSE.

Source
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