Jeedom vs SmartApp Bridge
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted home automation options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Jeedom
Flexible open-source home automation platform
VS
SmartApp Bridge
Self-hosted automation engine for IoT devices
| Feature | Jeedom | SmartApp Bridge |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 78 · Good | 82 · Excellent |
| Category | Home Automation | Home Automation |
| License | GPL-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | PHP | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, docker | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 415 | ★ 2,066 |
| First released | 2013 | 2014 |
| Replaces | SmartThings, Hubitat | SmartThings |
What are Jeedom and SmartApp Bridge?
Jeedom
Jeedom is an open-source home automation platform that runs locally and supports many protocols through plugins. It offers scenario design, mobile apps, and dashboards for controlling smart devices.
- Plugin-based protocol support
- Scenario designer
- Mobile apps and dashboards
- Runs fully locally
SmartApp Bridge
A self-hosted automation engine that connects IoT devices and runs event-driven rules across protocols. It targets users who want a lightweight alternative to large home automation hubs.
- Event-driven rules
- Multi-protocol IoT
- Lightweight runtime
- Large add-on catalog
Jeedom vs SmartApp Bridge: key differences
Jeedom is written in PHP, while SmartApp Bridge is built with Java. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for Jeedom versus Apache-2.0 for SmartApp Bridge. SmartApp Bridge is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Jeedom. SmartApp Bridge has the considerably larger community, at 2,066 GitHub stars versus 415.
Why pick each one
Choose Jeedom if…
- Flexible and extensible
- Strong in the French community
Watch out for
- Some plugins are paid
- Interface has a learning curve
Choose SmartApp Bridge if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (2.1k GitHub stars)
- Written in Java
Frequently asked questions
Is Jeedom or SmartApp Bridge better?
Neither is universally better. SmartApp Bridge has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Jeedom and SmartApp Bridge free and open-source?
Yes. Jeedom is licensed under GPL-2.0 and SmartApp Bridge under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Jeedom and SmartApp Bridge with Docker?
Jeedom: yes. SmartApp Bridge: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Jeedom or SmartApp Bridge?
SmartApp Bridge has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Jeedom. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.