Best Open-Source Home Automation Software 2026: 6 Options Compared

Open-source home automation keeps your lights, sensors and thermostats working without a vendor cloud, which also means the system keeps running if a company closes a service. Home Assistant is the largest project, Apache-2.0 licensed, with a very large list of integrations and mobile apps. openHAB (EPL-2.0) is older and favors rules and a powerful configuration model. Domoticz (GPL-3.0) is lighter and runs happily on a small board. ioBroker (MIT) suits tinkerers who like adapters for many protocols. Homebridge makes devices without Apple support show up in Apple Home. Node-RED is a visual flow tool that many people run beside one of the hubs to build custom rules. Whichever you choose, plan the hardware: a Raspberry Pi or small mini PC, a Zigbee or Z-Wave radio if your devices use those protocols, and a backup routine, because a failed memory card takes your configuration with it. Expect to spend a weekend on setup and occasional time on updates. Pick the project whose community covers your devices, since integration quality decides daily happiness more than any feature list.

Home Assistant

Apache-2.0 hub with the broadest device support and official mobile apps. Runs on a Raspberry Pi, Docker or a mini PC.

Price: Free (Free open-source software; you run it on your own hardware) (Home Assistant pricing, checked 2026-10-24).

Platforms and license: Self-hosted (Linux, Docker, Raspberry Pi), Web browser, Android, iOS. Apache-2.0 (open source) (license source).

Project activity: 91.8k GitHub stars · latest release 2026.10.4 (Oct 24, 2026) · last commit Oct 27, 2026

Best for: Most people starting out.

Worth knowing: License verified from the repository LICENSE/COPYING file on GitHub on 2026-10-24; platforms listed from project knowledge, not re-verified on the project site.

openHAB

EPL-2.0 platform with a strong rules engine and a long history, running on Linux, Windows, macOS or Docker.

Price: Free (Free open-source software; you run it on your own hardware) (openHAB pricing, checked 2026-10-24).

Platforms and license: Self-hosted (Linux, Windows, macOS, Docker), Web browser, Android, iOS. EPL-2.0 (open source) (license source).

Project activity: 1.2k GitHub stars · last commit Oct 27, 2026

Best for: Rule-heavy setups.

Worth knowing: License verified from the repository LICENSE/COPYING file on GitHub on 2026-10-24; platforms listed from project knowledge, not re-verified on the project site.

Domoticz

GPL-3.0 lightweight system for Linux, Windows and Raspberry Pi, with a simple web interface and fewer integrations than larger projects.

Price: Free (Free open-source software; you run it on your own hardware) (Domoticz pricing, checked 2026-10-24).

Platforms and license: Self-hosted (Linux, Windows, Raspberry Pi), Web browser. GPL-3.0 (open source) (license source).

Project activity: 3.8k GitHub stars · latest release 2026.4 (Oct 1, 2026) · last commit Oct 19, 2026

Best for: Small boards and simple homes.

Worth knowing: License verified from the repository LICENSE/COPYING file on GitHub on 2026-10-24; platforms listed from project knowledge, not re-verified on the project site.

ioBroker

MIT-licensed controller with adapters for many protocols and brands, running on Linux, Windows, macOS or Docker.

Price: Free (Free open-source software; you run it on your own hardware) (ioBroker pricing, checked 2026-10-24).

Platforms and license: Self-hosted (Linux, Windows, macOS, Docker), Web browser. MIT (open source) (license source).

Project activity: 292 GitHub stars · latest release v7.2.5 (Oct 5, 2026) · last commit Oct 27, 2026

Best for: Tinkerers who mix protocols.

Worth knowing: License verified from the repository LICENSE/COPYING file on GitHub on 2026-10-24; platforms listed from project knowledge, not re-verified on the project site.

Homebridge

Apache-2.0 server that exposes non-HomeKit devices to Apple Home. It extends HomeKit rather than replacing a hub.

Price: Free (Free open-source software that exposes non-HomeKit devices to Apple Home) (Homebridge pricing, checked 2026-10-24).

Platforms and license: Self-hosted (Linux, Windows, macOS, Docker, Raspberry Pi), Web browser. Apache-2.0 (open source) (license source).

Project activity: 25.5k GitHub stars · latest release v2.4.0 (Aug 16, 2026) · last commit Oct 26, 2026

Best for: Apple Home users with unsupported devices.

Worth knowing: License verified from the repository LICENSE/COPYING file on GitHub on 2026-10-24; platforms listed from project knowledge, not re-verified on the project site.

Node-RED

Apache-2.0 flow editor for wiring devices, services and APIs. Pair it with a hub to build custom automations.

Price: Free (Node-RED pricing, checked 2026-10-23).

Platforms and license: Self-hosted (Node.js). Apache-2.0 (open source) (license source).

Project activity: 23.8k GitHub stars · latest release 5.0.9 (Oct 21, 2026) · last commit Oct 26, 2026

Best for: Visual custom rules.

Worth knowing: Browser-based flow editor on Node.js. Free under Apache-2.0 and self-hosted only, with no managed plan in the repo.

Which one to pick

• You are new and want the biggest device list: Home Assistant
• You use Apple Home but own unsupported gear: Homebridge
• You want to draw automations as flows: Node-RED
• You run a small board and want something light: Domoticz