Calaos vs WLED
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted home automation options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Calaos
Free home automation platform with touchscreen UI
VS
WLED
Firmware for controlling addressable LED strips
| Feature | Calaos | WLED |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Home Automation | Home Automation |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | Shell | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 16 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 73 | ★ 18,518 |
| First released | 2013 | 2016 |
| Replaces | Loxone | Philips Hue |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is Calaos or WLED better?
WLED is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Calaos if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Calaos and WLED free and open-source?
Yes. Calaos is licensed under GPL-3.0 and WLED under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Calaos and WLED with Docker?
Calaos: check the project docs for container support. WLED: check the project docs for container support.