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Home Assistant vs TP-Link Kasa

Home Assistant logo

Home Assistant

Smart Home

Open source home automation that puts local control and privacy first

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
TP-Link Kasa logo

TP-Link Kasa

Smart Home

Affordable smart home devices with easy setup

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Home Assistant add-ons run only on Home Assistant Operating System installations, and Container installations have no access to them; TP-Link Kasa plus plan only covers one camera per subscription
  • They diverge on capability: Home Assistant covers Local Control, TP-Link Kasa covers Affordable.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Home Assistant and TP-Link Kasa actually diverge.

Attributes where Home Assistant and TP-Link Kasa differ
AttributeHome AssistantTP-Link Kasa
Pricing modelopen-sourcefreemium
PlatformsLinux, Docker, Raspberry Pi, MacOS, WindowsIOS, Android, Web
Founded20131996

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 Home Assistant

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

Only in TP-Link Kasa

  • Affordable
  • No Hub Required
  • Energy Monitoring
  • Scheduling
  • Alexa
  • Google Home
  • SmartThings
  • IFTTT

What people use each for

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

Home Assistant

  • Home automationnot TP-Link Kasa
  • Energy monitoringnot TP-Link Kasa
  • Security systemsnot TP-Link Kasa
  • Device integrationnot TP-Link Kasa

TP-Link Kasa

  • Home security camera recording and playbacknot Home Assistant
  • Smart home automation monitoringnot Home Assistant
  • Pet and baby monitoringnot Home Assistant
  • Outdoor property surveillancenot Home Assistant

Where each one falls short

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

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

TP-Link Kasa

  • Plus plan only covers one camera per subscription
  • No free trial mentioned for paid tiers
  • Premium plan requires annual commitment discount to reach $100/year pricing
  • Video retention limited to 30 days even on paid plans

Pricing, plan by plan

Home Assistant

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

TP-Link Kasa

Free
  • Free TierFree
    • Live streaming
    • Push-to-talk
    • Activity zones
  • Plus$3/month
    • 30 days of video history
    • Manual clip recording
    • Video sharing
  • Premium$10/month
    • Covers up to 10 cameras
    • All Plus features
    • Snapshots with alerts

Which should you pick?

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

Choose TP-Link Kasa if

  • You need affordable.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on IOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want no hub required.
TP-Link Kasa review

Questions people ask

Is Home Assistant or TP-Link Kasa better?
Neither clearly leads. Home Assistant starts at Free and TP-Link Kasa at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Home Assistant or TP-Link Kasa?
Home Assistant starts at Free and TP-Link Kasa at Free.
Does Home Assistant or TP-Link Kasa run on more platforms?
Home Assistant runs on Linux, Docker, Raspberry Pi, MacOS, Windows. TP-Link Kasa runs on IOS, Android, Web.
Can I use Home Assistant for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Home Assistant best used for?
Home Assistant is most often used for home automation, energy monitoring, security systems, device integration. Of those, home automation and energy monitoring are not what TP-Link Kasa is typically brought in for.
What can Home Assistant do that TP-Link Kasa cannot?
Home Assistant covers Local Control, Privacy First, Automation Engine, Custom Integrations. TP-Link Kasa covers Affordable, No Hub Required, Energy Monitoring, Scheduling.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Home Assistant: Does Home Assistant software cost anything?

Home Assistant core software is completely free and open source. It is operated by the Open Home Foundation as a non-profit, which means it cannot be sold or acquired. Commercial products like Home Assistant hardware are sold separately.

Source
TP-Link Kasa: Does Kasa Care offer a free plan?

Yes, Kasa's free tier includes live streaming, push-to-talk, activity zones, and activity notifications at no cost.

Source
Home Assistant: Are there paid products from Home Assistant?

Home Assistant offers official hardware products including Home Assistant Green, Connect ZBT-2, Connect ZWA-2, and Voice Preview Edition, which have separate pricing. Nabu Casa provides commercial services as an official partner.

Source
TP-Link Kasa: What's the difference between Kasa Plus and Premium?

Plus costs $3/month and provides 30 days of video history per camera. Premium costs $10/month and covers up to 10 cameras with all Plus features. Premium is billed at $100/year vs Plus at $30/year per camera.

Source
TP-Link Kasa: Can Premium cover all my cameras?

Yes, Kasa Premium covers up to 10 cameras under one $10/month subscription, making it more economical than Plus for multiple devices.

Source
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