Jeedom vs Pimatic
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
Pimatic
Node.js home automation framework for the Raspberry Pi
| Feature | Jeedom | Pimatic |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 78 · Good | 11 · At risk |
| Category | Home Automation | Home Automation |
| License | GPL-2.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | PHP | CoffeeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, docker | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 415 | ★ 598 |
| First released | 2013 | 2013 |
| Replaces | SmartThings, Hubitat | SmartThings |
What are Jeedom and Pimatic?
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
Pimatic
Pimatic is an open-source home automation framework built on Node.js that runs on low-power devices such as the Raspberry Pi. Plugins add device support, and a rule engine plus a mobile-friendly web UI handle control and automation.
- Plugin-based device support
- Rule engine
- Mobile-friendly web UI
- Runs on Raspberry Pi
Jeedom vs Pimatic: key differences
Jeedom is written in PHP, while Pimatic is built with CoffeeScript. Pimatic is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Jeedom. Jeedom lists first-class Docker deployment; Pimatic does not.
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 Pimatic if…
- Lightweight
- Simple rule system
Watch out for
- Development has slowed
- Smaller community
Frequently asked questions
Is Jeedom or Pimatic better?
Neither is universally better. Pimatic has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Jeedom and Pimatic free and open-source?
Yes. Jeedom is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Pimatic under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Jeedom and Pimatic with Docker?
Jeedom: yes. Pimatic: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Jeedom or Pimatic?
Pimatic has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Jeedom. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.