Sonoff DIY Tools vs Zigbee2MQTT
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted home automation options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Sonoff DIY Tools
Local control toolkit for Sonoff smart switches
VS
Zigbee2MQTT
Bridge Zigbee devices to MQTT without vendor hubs
| Feature | Sonoff DIY Tools | Zigbee2MQTT |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Home Automation | Home Automation |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | source, docker | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,290 | ★ 15,477 |
| First released | 2019 | 2018 |
| Replaces | eWeLink Cloud | SmartThings |
Why pick each one
Choose Zigbee2MQTT if…
- Frees devices from vendor hubs
- Wide device support
- Local control
Frequently asked questions
Is Sonoff DIY Tools 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 Sonoff DIY Tools and Zigbee2MQTT free and open-source?
Yes. Sonoff DIY Tools is licensed under MIT and Zigbee2MQTT under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Sonoff DIY Tools and Zigbee2MQTT with Docker?
Sonoff DIY Tools: yes. Zigbee2MQTT: yes.