EMHASS 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?
EMHASS
Energy management optimization for Home Assistant
VS
Zigbee2MQTT
Bridge Zigbee devices to MQTT without vendor hubs
| Feature | EMHASS | Zigbee2MQTT |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Home Automation | Home Automation |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 655 | ★ 15,477 |
| First released | 2021 | 2018 |
| Replaces | Tesla Energy app | SmartThings |
Why pick each one
Choose EMHASS if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Python
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Choose Zigbee2MQTT if…
- Frees devices from vendor hubs
- Wide device support
- Local control
Frequently asked questions
Is EMHASS or Zigbee2MQTT better?
Zigbee2MQTT is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider EMHASS if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are EMHASS and Zigbee2MQTT free and open-source?
Yes. EMHASS is licensed under MIT and Zigbee2MQTT under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run EMHASS and Zigbee2MQTT with Docker?
EMHASS: yes. Zigbee2MQTT: yes.