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ESPHome vs Mozilla WebThings Gateway

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 MO Mozilla WebThings Gateway Open gateway for the decentralized web of things
FeatureESPHomeMozilla WebThings Gateway
Deploy effortUnder-an-hour setupUnder-an-hour setup
Health score93 · Excellent81 · Excellent
CategoryHome AutomationHome Automation
LicenseGPL-3.0MPL-2.0
LanguageC++TypeScript
Setup difficultyMediumMedium
Min. RAM512 MB512 MB
Deploymentdocker, bare-metalbare-metal, docker
GitHub stars★ 11,722★ 2,646
First released20182018
ReplacesSmartThingsSmartThings, Google Home

What are ESPHome and Mozilla WebThings Gateway?

ESPHome

ESPHome is a system to create custom firmware for ESP32 and ESP8266 microcontrollers using simple YAML configuration. It targets makers building DIY smart home sensors and devices. It is deployed via Docker or as a Home Assistant add-on.

  • YAML-defined device firmware
  • Tight Home Assistant integration
  • Over-the-air updates
  • Huge component library

Read the full ESPHome guide →

Mozilla WebThings Gateway

WebThings Gateway is an open-source gateway for monitoring and controlling smart home devices over the web using open standards. Originating at Mozilla, it now continues as a community project.

  • Web of Things standards
  • Add-on device support
  • Rules engine
  • Local web interface

Read the full Mozilla WebThings Gateway guide →

ESPHome vs Mozilla WebThings Gateway: key differences

ESPHome is written in C++, while Mozilla WebThings Gateway is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for ESPHome versus MPL-2.0 for Mozilla WebThings Gateway. ESPHome has the considerably larger community, at 11,722 GitHub stars versus 2,646.

Why pick each one

Choose ESPHome if…

  • No coding needed for devices
  • Great with Home Assistant
  • OTA updates

Watch out for

  • Hardware-focused
  • Requires ESP microcontrollers
ESPHome details

Choose Mozilla WebThings Gateway if…

  • Open standards-based
  • Privacy-focused

Watch out for

  • Smaller community after Mozilla
  • Fewer integrations than HA
Mozilla WebThings Gateway details

Frequently asked questions

Is ESPHome or Mozilla WebThings Gateway 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 Mozilla WebThings Gateway free and open-source?

Yes. ESPHome is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Mozilla WebThings Gateway under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run ESPHome and Mozilla WebThings Gateway with Docker?

ESPHome: yes. Mozilla WebThings Gateway: yes.

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