Mozilla WebThings Gateway 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?
Mozilla WebThings Gateway
Open gateway for the decentralized web of things
VS
WLED
Firmware for controlling addressable LED strips
| Feature | Mozilla WebThings Gateway | WLED |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Home Automation | Home Automation |
| License | MPL-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 16 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, docker | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,643 | ★ 18,518 |
| First released | 2018 | 2016 |
| Replaces | SmartThings, Google Home | Philips Hue |
Why pick each one
Choose Mozilla WebThings Gateway if…
- Open standards-based
- Privacy-focused
Frequently asked questions
Is Mozilla WebThings Gateway or WLED better?
WLED is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Mozilla WebThings Gateway if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Mozilla WebThings Gateway and WLED free and open-source?
Yes. Mozilla WebThings Gateway is licensed under MPL-2.0 and WLED under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Mozilla WebThings Gateway and WLED with Docker?
Mozilla WebThings Gateway: yes. WLED: check the project docs for container support.