Domoticz vs Pimatic
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted home automation options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Domoticz | Pimatic |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 88 · Excellent | 11 · At risk |
| Category | Home Automation | Home Automation |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | C++ | CoffeeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,811 | ★ 598 |
| First released | 2012 | 2013 |
| Replaces | SmartThings | SmartThings |
What are Domoticz and Pimatic?
Domoticz
Domoticz is a lightweight home automation system for monitoring and configuring various devices like sensors, switches, and meters. It targets users wanting an efficient automation hub on modest hardware. It is deployed via Docker or packages.
- Runs well on low-power hardware
- Supports many sensor protocols
- Scripting and events
- Mobile-friendly UI
Pimatic
Pimatic is an open-source home automation framework built on Node.js that runs on low-power devices such as the Raspberry Pi. Plugins add device support, and a rule engine plus a mobile-friendly web UI handle control and automation.
- Plugin-based device support
- Rule engine
- Mobile-friendly web UI
- Runs on Raspberry Pi
Domoticz vs Pimatic: key differences
Domoticz is written in C++, while Pimatic is built with CoffeeScript. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Domoticz versus GPL-2.0 for Pimatic. Domoticz has the considerably larger community, at 3,811 GitHub stars versus 598. Domoticz lists first-class Docker deployment; Pimatic does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Domoticz if…
- Very lightweight
- Good on Raspberry Pi
- Stable
Watch out for
- Dated interface
- Smaller community than Home Assistant
Choose Pimatic if…
- Lightweight
- Simple rule system
Watch out for
- Development has slowed
- Smaller community
Frequently asked questions
Is Domoticz or Pimatic better?
Neither is universally better. Domoticz has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Domoticz and Pimatic free and open-source?
Yes. Domoticz is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Pimatic under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Domoticz and Pimatic with Docker?
Domoticz: yes. Pimatic: check the project docs for container support.