AppDaemon vs openHAB
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?
AppDaemon
Python apps and automation framework for Home Assistant
VS
openHAB
Vendor-neutral open-source home automation
| Feature | AppDaemon | openHAB |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Home Automation | Home Automation |
| License | Apache-2.0 | EPL-2.0 |
| Language | Python | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 962 | ★ 1,134 |
| First released | 2016 | 2010 |
| Replaces | SmartThings | SmartThings, Google Home |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is AppDaemon or openHAB better?
Neither is universally better. openHAB has the larger community, while AppDaemon is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are AppDaemon and openHAB free and open-source?
Yes. AppDaemon is licensed under Apache-2.0 and openHAB under EPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run AppDaemon and openHAB with Docker?
AppDaemon: yes. openHAB: yes.