Zigbee2MQTT Assistant vs OpenMQTTGateway
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted home automation options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Zigbee2MQTT Assistant | OpenMQTTGateway |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 12 · At risk | 73 · Good |
| Category | Home Automation | Home Automation |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | C# | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker | bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 449 | ★ 4,096 |
| First released | 2019 | 2016 |
| Replaces | SmartThings Hub | SmartThings Hub |
What are Zigbee2MQTT Assistant and OpenMQTTGateway?
Zigbee2MQTT Assistant
Zigbee2MQTT Assistant is a companion web UI that helps manage and visualize a Zigbee2MQTT network, including device pairing and network maps. It complements the bridge with friendlier tooling.
- Zigbee network map
- Device pairing UI
- Status overview
- MQTT integration
OpenMQTTGateway
OpenMQTTGateway is firmware that turns inexpensive microcontrollers into bridges between MQTT and protocols like 433MHz RF, infrared, BLE, and LoRa. It integrates a wide range of cheap sensors into home automation.
- RF, IR, BLE bridging
- MQTT integration
- Cheap sensor support
- Home Assistant ready
Zigbee2MQTT Assistant vs OpenMQTTGateway: key differences
Zigbee2MQTT Assistant is written in C#, while OpenMQTTGateway is built with C++. Licensing differs — MIT for Zigbee2MQTT Assistant versus GPL-3.0 for OpenMQTTGateway. OpenMQTTGateway is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 128 MB for Zigbee2MQTT Assistant. OpenMQTTGateway is the more established project (first released 2016), while Zigbee2MQTT Assistant arrived in 2019. OpenMQTTGateway has the considerably larger community, at 4,096 GitHub stars versus 449. Zigbee2MQTT Assistant lists first-class Docker deployment; OpenMQTTGateway does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Zigbee2MQTT Assistant if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in C#
Choose OpenMQTTGateway if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Active community (4.1k GitHub stars)
- Written in C++
- Tiny footprint — runs in 64 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Zigbee2MQTT Assistant or OpenMQTTGateway better?
Neither is universally better. OpenMQTTGateway has the larger community, while Zigbee2MQTT Assistant is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Zigbee2MQTT Assistant and OpenMQTTGateway free and open-source?
Yes. Zigbee2MQTT Assistant is licensed under MIT and OpenMQTTGateway under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Zigbee2MQTT Assistant and OpenMQTTGateway with Docker?
Zigbee2MQTT Assistant: yes. OpenMQTTGateway: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Zigbee2MQTT Assistant or OpenMQTTGateway?
OpenMQTTGateway has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for Zigbee2MQTT Assistant. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.