SHSelfHostIndex

Calaos vs SmartHomeNG

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?
CA Calaos Free home automation platform with touchscreen UI VS SM SmartHomeNG Modular home automation framework with KNX focus
FeatureCalaosSmartHomeNG
Deploy effortRead-the-docs projectUnder-an-hour setup
Health score2 · At risk73 · Good
CategoryHome AutomationHome Automation
LicenseGPL-3.0GPL-3.0
LanguageShellPython
Setup difficultyHardHard
Min. RAM512 MB512 MB
Deploymentbare-metalbare-metal, docker
GitHub stars★ 73★ 127
First released20132013
ReplacesLoxoneLoxone

What are Calaos and SmartHomeNG?

Calaos

Calaos is a free and open-source home automation platform that includes a server, touchscreen interface, and mobile apps. It targets wired installations and offers a complete local stack.

  • Complete local automation stack
  • Touchscreen interface
  • Mobile apps
  • Wired installation focus

SmartHomeNG

SmartHomeNG is a modular home automation framework written in Python with strong support for KNX, plus many other protocols through plugins. It offers logic scripting, visualizations, and database-backed history.

  • KNX integration
  • Logic scripting engine
  • Plugin system
  • Visu web frontend

Calaos vs SmartHomeNG: key differences

Calaos is written in Shell, while SmartHomeNG is built with Python. SmartHomeNG lists first-class Docker deployment; Calaos does not.

Why pick each one

Choose Calaos if…

  • Polished native UIs
  • Fully self-contained

Watch out for

  • Small community
  • Best suited to wired homes
Calaos details

Choose SmartHomeNG if…

  • Released under the GPL-3.0 license
  • First-class Docker support for quick deployment
  • Written in Python
  • Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM

Watch out for

  • Steep learning curve
  • Mostly German-speaking community
SmartHomeNG details

Frequently asked questions

Is Calaos or SmartHomeNG better?

Neither is universally better. SmartHomeNG has the larger community; both share a hard setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.

Are Calaos and SmartHomeNG free and open-source?

Yes. Calaos is licensed under GPL-3.0 and SmartHomeNG under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Calaos and SmartHomeNG with Docker?

Calaos: check the project docs for container support. SmartHomeNG: yes.