Home Assistant vs openHAB: Which to Self-Host?
Quick Verdict
Home Assistant is the better choice for most people. It has a dramatically larger integration library (2,000+ vs 400+), a more intuitive UI, a larger community, and faster monthly release cycles. openHAB is worth considering if you need deep protocol-level customization or prefer Java-based rule engines, but for the vast majority of self-hosters, Home Assistant wins on every metric that matters.
Overview
Home Assistant is a Python-based open-source home automation platform backed by Nabu Casa. It’s the most popular self-hosted smart home platform by a wide margin, with monthly releases, a massive add-on ecosystem, and native mobile apps for iOS and Android.
openHAB (open Home Automation Bus) is a Java-based open-source platform maintained by the openHAB Foundation. It takes a more technical, protocol-oriented approach to home automation, with a strong focus on vendor neutrality and rule-based configuration.
Both run locally with no cloud dependency, but they differ significantly in philosophy, ease of use, and community size.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Home Assistant | openHAB |
|---|---|---|
| Integrations | 2,000+ | 400+ (bindings) |
| UI | Lovelace dashboards (drag-and-drop) | MainUI + sitemaps |
| Mobile app | Native iOS/Android (excellent) | Basic app (limited) |
| Automation engine | YAML, visual editor, Node-RED add-on | DSL rules, Blockly, JavaScript |
| Language | Python | Java (OSGi) |
| Add-ons/extensions | 1,500+ add-ons via Supervisor | 400+ bindings via marketplace |
| Voice assistants | Built-in Assist + Alexa/Google integrations | Basic voice support via HABot |
| Energy management | Built-in energy dashboard | Via third-party bindings |
| Zigbee/Z-Wave | ZHA, Zigbee2MQTT, Z-Wave JS | Native bindings |
| Configuration | YAML + UI | Text files + UI |
| API | REST + WebSocket | REST + SSE |
| License | Apache 2.0 | Eclipse Public License 2.0 |
Installation Complexity
Home Assistant is significantly easier to set up. The Docker Compose config is straightforward — a single container with a /config volume mount. The onboarding wizard walks you through account creation, location setup, and device discovery. Most integrations are configured through the UI with auto-discovery.
openHAB requires more upfront configuration. The Docker setup needs careful attention to volume mounts (/openhab/conf, /openhab/userdata, /openhab/addons) and environment variables for timezone and crypto policy. Adding devices means installing bindings, creating Things, linking Items, and configuring channels — a multi-step process that’s powerful but verbose.
If you want something running in 15 minutes, Home Assistant. If you’re comfortable with a longer setup for more granular control, openHAB can work.
Performance and Resource Usage
| Resource | Home Assistant | openHAB |
|---|---|---|
| RAM (idle) | ~300 MB | ~500 MB |
| RAM (loaded) | 500-800 MB | 600 MB - 1 GB |
| CPU (idle) | Low | Low-Medium |
| Startup time | 30-60 seconds | 60-120 seconds |
| Disk space | ~1 GB | ~1.5 GB |
| Minimum hardware | Raspberry Pi 4 | Raspberry Pi 4 (Pi 3 marginal) |
openHAB’s Java runtime (JVM) consumes more memory at baseline. Home Assistant is lighter, especially on constrained hardware like a Raspberry Pi. Both perform well on any modern mini PC or server.
Community and Support
Home Assistant dominates here. It has 70,000+ GitHub stars, an extremely active forum, a large Discord, and a yearly conference. Monthly releases add features rapidly. The documentation is comprehensive and community-maintained.
openHAB has a dedicated community (~13,000 GitHub stars), active forums, and solid documentation, but it’s an order of magnitude smaller. Updates are less frequent (quarterly releases). Finding answers to specific problems takes longer because fewer people post about openHAB configurations.
Use Cases
Choose Home Assistant If…
- You want the largest integration library available
- You prefer UI-based configuration over text files
- You want native mobile apps with push notifications
- You’re new to home automation and want a gentle learning curve
- You want an active community with frequent updates
- You need energy monitoring built in
- You want voice assistant capabilities (local or cloud)
Choose openHAB If…
- You need deep protocol-level customization
- You prefer Java and want to write complex rule logic in a JVM language
- You’re integrating industrial or niche protocols (KNX, EnOcean, Modbus)
- You want Eclipse SmartHome compatibility
- You prefer text-based configuration files for version control
- You’re already comfortable with OSGi and Java ecosystems
Final Verdict
Home Assistant is the clear winner for most self-hosters. The integration count alone (2,000+ vs 400+) means you’re far more likely to find native support for your devices. The UI is more polished, the mobile apps are better, and the community is 5x larger, which means better documentation, faster bug fixes, and more tutorials.
openHAB isn’t bad — it’s a solid, mature platform. But it’s harder to set up, heavier on resources, and has a smaller ecosystem. The only scenario where openHAB clearly wins is if you need specific industrial protocol bindings (KNX, Modbus, EnOcean) or strongly prefer Java-based rule engines.
For everyone else: start with Home Assistant.
Related
Get self-hosting tips in your inbox
New guides, comparisons, and setup tutorials — delivered weekly. No spam.