EMQX vs Find My Device
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?
| Feature | EMQX | Find My Device |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Home Automation | Home Automation |
| License | Apache-2.0 | GPL-3.0-or-later |
| Language | Erlang | |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 70 MB |
| Deployment | docker | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 16,599 | — |
| First released | 2026 | 2024 |
| Replaces | — | Googles FindMyDevice |
Why pick each one
Choose EMQX if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 16.6k GitHub stars
- Written in Erlang
Choose Find My Device if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0-or-later license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Tiny footprint — runs in 70 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is EMQX or Find My Device better?
Neither is universally better. EMQX has the larger community, while Find My Device is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are EMQX and Find My Device free and open-source?
Yes. EMQX is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Find My Device under GPL-3.0-or-later. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run EMQX and Find My Device with Docker?
EMQX: yes. Find My Device: check the project docs for container support.