HA-Bridge vs Home Assistant
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?
HA-Bridge
Emulate Philips Hue to control devices by voice
VS
Home Assistant
Open-source home automation that puts privacy first
| Feature | HA-Bridge | Home Assistant |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Home Automation | Home Automation |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Java | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, binary | docker, bare-metal, one-click |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,477 | ★ 89,795 |
| First released | 2015 | 2013 |
| Replaces | Philips Hue Bridge | SmartThings, Google Home |
Why pick each one
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)
Choose Home Assistant if…
- Huge device support
- Local control and privacy
- Very active community
Frequently asked questions
Is HA-Bridge or Home Assistant better?
Neither is universally better. Home Assistant 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 HA-Bridge and Home Assistant free and open-source?
Yes. HA-Bridge is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Home Assistant under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run HA-Bridge and Home Assistant with Docker?
HA-Bridge: yes. Home Assistant: yes.