SHSelfHostIndex

WLED vs SmartHomeNG

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?
WL WLED Firmware for controlling addressable LED strips VS SM SmartHomeNG Modular home automation framework with KNX focus
FeatureWLEDSmartHomeNG
CategoryHome AutomationHome Automation
LicenseMITGPL-3.0
LanguageC++Python
Setup difficultyEasyHard
Min. RAM16 MB512 MB
Deploymentbinary, sourcebare-metal, docker
GitHub stars★ 18,518★ 127
First released20162013
ReplacesPhilips HueLoxone

Why pick each one

Choose WLED if…

  • Easy to flash and use
  • Vibrant effects
WLED details

Choose SmartHomeNG if…

  • Released under the GPL-3.0 license
  • First-class Docker support for quick deployment
  • Written in Python
  • Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
SmartHomeNG details

Frequently asked questions

Is WLED or SmartHomeNG better?

WLED is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider SmartHomeNG if its specific feature set fits your needs better.

Are WLED and SmartHomeNG free and open-source?

Yes. WLED is licensed under MIT and SmartHomeNG under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run WLED and SmartHomeNG with Docker?

WLED: check the project docs for container support. SmartHomeNG: yes.

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