EMQX vs OpenRemote
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 | OpenRemote |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Home Automation | Home Automation |
| License | Apache-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Erlang | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 16,599 | ★ 1,835 |
| First released | 2026 | 2026 |
| Replaces | — | — |
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 OpenRemote if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Active community (1.8k GitHub stars)
- Written in Java
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is EMQX or OpenRemote better?
Neither is universally better. EMQX has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are EMQX and OpenRemote free and open-source?
Yes. EMQX is licensed under Apache-2.0 and OpenRemote under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run EMQX and OpenRemote with Docker?
EMQX: yes. OpenRemote: check the project docs for container support.