Home Assistant Supervisor vs openHAB
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted home automation options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
openHAB
Vendor-neutral open-source home automation
| Feature | Home Assistant Supervisor | openHAB |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 86 · Excellent | 79 · Good |
| Category | Home Automation | Home Automation |
| License | Apache-2.0 | EPL-2.0 |
| Language | Python | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,226 | ★ 1,142 |
| First released | 2017 | 2010 |
| Replaces | SmartThings | SmartThings, Google Home |
What are Home Assistant Supervisor and openHAB?
Home Assistant Supervisor
Home Assistant Supervisor is the component that manages the Home Assistant Core installation, add-ons, backups, and updates. It enables the add-on store that extends a Home Assistant system.
- Add-on store management
- Automated backups
- Update orchestration
- System health checks
openHAB
openHAB is a vendor-neutral, open-source home automation platform that integrates many devices and technologies behind one system. It targets smart home enthusiasts wanting deep configurability. It is deployed via Docker or native packages.
- Hundreds of device bindings
- Powerful rule engine
- Runs fully offline
- Cross-platform
Home Assistant Supervisor vs openHAB: key differences
Home Assistant Supervisor is written in Python, while openHAB is built with Java. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for Home Assistant Supervisor versus EPL-2.0 for openHAB. Home Assistant Supervisor is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for openHAB. OpenHAB is the more established project (first released 2010), while Home Assistant Supervisor arrived in 2017.
Why pick each one
Choose Home Assistant Supervisor if…
- Enables one-click add-ons
- Simplifies maintenance
Watch out for
- Tied to supervised installs
- Not standalone
Choose openHAB if…
- Very flexible
- Vendor neutral
- Mature project
Watch out for
- Steep learning curve
- Heavier Java runtime
Frequently asked questions
Is Home Assistant Supervisor or openHAB better?
Home Assistant Supervisor is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider openHAB if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Home Assistant Supervisor and openHAB free and open-source?
Yes. Home Assistant Supervisor is licensed under Apache-2.0 and openHAB under EPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Home Assistant Supervisor and openHAB with Docker?
Home Assistant Supervisor: yes. openHAB: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Home Assistant Supervisor or openHAB?
Home Assistant Supervisor has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for openHAB. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.