EMQX vs HA-Bridge
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 | HA-Bridge |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Home Automation | Home Automation |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Erlang | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 16,599 | ★ 1,477 |
| First released | 2026 | 2015 |
| Replaces | — | Philips Hue Bridge |
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 HA-Bridge if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (1.5k GitHub stars)
Frequently asked questions
Is EMQX or HA-Bridge better?
Neither is universally better. EMQX has the larger community, while HA-Bridge is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are EMQX and HA-Bridge free and open-source?
Yes. EMQX is licensed under Apache-2.0 and HA-Bridge under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run EMQX and HA-Bridge with Docker?
EMQX: yes. HA-Bridge: yes.