Jeedom vs Zigbee2MQTT
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
Zigbee2MQTT
Bridge Zigbee devices to MQTT without vendor hubs
| Feature | Jeedom | Zigbee2MQTT |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 78 · Good | 95 · Excellent |
| Category | Home Automation | Home Automation |
| License | GPL-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, docker | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 415 | ★ 15,661 |
| First released | 2013 | 2018 |
| Replaces | SmartThings, Hubitat | SmartThings |
What are Jeedom and Zigbee2MQTT?
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
Zigbee2MQTT
Zigbee2MQTT bridges Zigbee devices to MQTT, allowing them to be used without proprietary vendor hubs or bridges. It targets smart home users wanting vendor-neutral Zigbee control. It is deployed via Docker.
- Supports thousands of Zigbee devices
- No vendor hub required
- MQTT integration
- Web-based control panel
Jeedom vs Zigbee2MQTT: key differences
Jeedom is written in PHP, while Zigbee2MQTT is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for Jeedom versus GPL-3.0 for Zigbee2MQTT. Zigbee2MQTT is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Jeedom. Jeedom is the more established project (first released 2013), while Zigbee2MQTT arrived in 2018. Zigbee2MQTT has the considerably larger community, at 15,661 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 Zigbee2MQTT if…
- Frees devices from vendor hubs
- Wide device support
- Local control
Watch out for
- Needs a Zigbee coordinator
- Pairing can be finicky
Frequently asked questions
Is Jeedom or Zigbee2MQTT better?
Neither is universally better. Zigbee2MQTT has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Jeedom and Zigbee2MQTT free and open-source?
Yes. Jeedom is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Zigbee2MQTT under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Jeedom and Zigbee2MQTT with Docker?
Jeedom: yes. Zigbee2MQTT: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Jeedom or Zigbee2MQTT?
Zigbee2MQTT 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.