ESPHome vs Hyperion
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?
ESPHome
Configure ESP devices with simple YAML
VS
Hyperion
Ambient lighting software for screens and media
| Feature | ESPHome | Hyperion |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Home Automation | Home Automation |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | C++ | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, binary, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 11,505 | ★ 3,824 |
| First released | 2018 | 2016 |
| Replaces | SmartThings | Philips Hue Sync, Govee Immersion |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is ESPHome or Hyperion better?
Neither is universally better. ESPHome has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are ESPHome and Hyperion free and open-source?
Yes. ESPHome is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Hyperion under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run ESPHome and Hyperion with Docker?
ESPHome: yes. Hyperion: yes.