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10 top picks · 1 audience ranking

Best open source home automation software

The best open source home automation platform is Home Assistant (Apache-2.0, 91,788 GitHub stars, Docker image). Node RED stands out for a permissive Apache-2.0 license, and Tasmota stands out for its C codebase.

This page also breaks the picks down by team size and use: Home Assistant leads for home use.

Updated · data from GitHub, refreshed daily

Top picks

  1. Rank 1:

    Home Assistant

    home-assistant/core

    Home automation platform.

    Active · last commit Oct 28, 2026

    FeaturedHome Automation & IoTPythonDocker

    Stands out for the most GitHub stars. Home Assistant has 91,788 GitHub stars, uses the Apache-2.0 license, ships a Docker image and had 21,554 commits in the last year; it replaces Nest / SmartThings and Google Home.

  2. Rank 2:

    Node RED

    node-red/node-red

    Browser-based flow editor that helps you wiring hardware devices, APIs and online services to create IoT solutions.

    Active · last commit Oct 26, 2026

    Home Automation & IoTJavaScriptDocker

    Stands out for a permissive Apache-2.0 license. Node RED has 23,789 GitHub stars, uses the Apache-2.0 license, ships a Docker image and had 985 commits in the last year; it replaces Nest / SmartThings and Google Home.

  3. Rank 3:

    Tasmota

    arendst/Tasmota

    Open source firmware for ESP devices. Total local control with quick setup and updates. Control using MQTT, Web UI, HTTP or serial. Automate using timers, rules or scripts. Integration with home…

    Active · last commit Oct 27, 2026

    Home Automation & IoTC

    Stands out for its C codebase. Tasmota has 24,936 GitHub stars, uses the GPL-3.0 license and had 859 commits in the last year; it replaces Nest / SmartThings.

At a glance

Open source home automation software compared

Ranked on GitHub stars, commits in the last year, Docker images, open-source licenses and recent commits across the 19 apps in the home automation & IoT category. Projects with fewer than 12 commits in the last 12 months rank below every more active project.

Top 10 picks compared, data as of Oct 28, 2026
AppStands out forLicenseGitHub starsCommits (12 mo)Last commitDocker image
Home Assistantthe most GitHub starsApache-2.091,78821,554Oct 28, 2026Yes
Node REDa permissive Apache-2.0 licenseApache-2.023,789985Oct 26, 2026Yes
Tasmotaits C codebaseGPL-3.024,936859Oct 27, 2026No
Thingsboardits Java codebasesource-available, BSL 1.122,6154,239Oct 27, 2026Yes
EMQXits Erlang codebasesource-available, BSL 1.116,8657,831Oct 28, 2026Yes
evcc–MIT7,4362,885Oct 28, 2026Yes
Domoticz–GPL-3.03,8261,643Oct 28, 2026Yes
Gladys–Apache-2.03,263658Oct 26, 2026Yes
Scrypted–license unverified6,023312Oct 27, 2026Yes
OpenRemote–AGPL-3.01,938709Oct 28, 2026No

1 of 2 · 10 picks

Top picks

10 of the 19 apps in the home automation & IoT category.

  1. 1

    Home Assistant

    Home automation platform.

    Stands out for the most GitHub stars. Home Assistant has 91,788 GitHub stars, uses the Apache-2.0 license, ships a Docker image and had 21,554 commits in the last year; it replaces Nest / SmartThings and Google Home.

  2. 2

    Node RED

    Browser-based flow editor that helps you wiring hardware devices, APIs and online services to create IoT solutions.

    Stands out for a permissive Apache-2.0 license. Node RED has 23,789 GitHub stars, uses the Apache-2.0 license, ships a Docker image and had 985 commits in the last year; it replaces Nest / SmartThings and Google Home.

  3. 3

    Tasmota

    Open source firmware for ESP devices. Total local control with quick setup and updates. Control using MQTT, Web UI, HTTP or serial. Automate using timers, rules or scripts. Integration with home…

    Stands out for its C codebase. Tasmota has 24,936 GitHub stars, uses the GPL-3.0 license and had 859 commits in the last year; it replaces Nest / SmartThings.

  4. 4

    Thingsboard

    IoT Platform - Device management, data collection, processing and visualization.

    Stands out for its Java codebase. Thingsboard has 22,615 GitHub stars, is source-available under the BSL 1.1 (not an open-source license), ships a Docker image and had 4,239 commits in the last year.

  5. 5

    EMQX

    Scalable MQTT broker. Connect 100M+ IoT devices in one single cluster, move and process real-time IoT data with 1M msg/s throughput at 1ms latency.

    Stands out for its Erlang codebase. EMQX has 16,865 GitHub stars, is source-available under the BSL 1.1 (not an open-source license), ships a Docker image and had 7,831 commits in the last year.

  6. 6

    evcc

    Extensible Electric Vehicle Charge Controller and home energy management system.

    evcc has 7,436 GitHub stars, uses the MIT license, ships a Docker image and had 2,885 commits in the last year.

  7. 7

    Domoticz

    Home Automation System that lets you monitor and configure various devices like: Lights, Switches, various sensors/meters like Temperature, Rain, Wind, UV, Electra, Gas, Water and much more.

    Domoticz has 3,826 GitHub stars, uses the GPL-3.0 license, ships a Docker image and had 1,643 commits in the last year; it replaces Nest / SmartThings and Google Home.

  8. 8

    Gladys

    Privacy-first home assistant.

    Gladys has 3,263 GitHub stars, uses the Apache-2.0 license, ships a Docker image and had 658 commits in the last year; it replaces Google Home.

  9. 9

    Scrypted

    Home video integration platform that connects cameras to HomeKit, Google Home and Alexa.

    Scrypted has 6,023 GitHub stars, uses a license appsgit could not verify, ships a Docker image and had 312 commits in the last year.

  10. 10

    OpenRemote

    IoT Asset management, Flow Rules and WHEN-THEN rules, Data visualization, Edge Gateway.

    OpenRemote has 1,938 GitHub stars, uses the AGPL-3.0 license and had 709 commits in the last year; it replaces Nest / SmartThings.

2 of 2 · 5 picks

Which open source home automation platform is best for home use?

For home use, Home Assistant ranks first (Apache-2.0, 91,788 GitHub stars), followed by Node RED and Thingsboard (source-available). Ranked for home use on GitHub stars, commits in the last year, Docker images, open-source licenses and recent commits.

  1. 1

    Home Assistant

    Home automation platform.

    Home Assistant has 91,788 GitHub stars, uses the Apache-2.0 license, ships a Docker image and had 21,554 commits in the last year; it replaces Nest / SmartThings and Google Home. For home use it also scores on a Docker image, an open-source license and a commit in the last 90 days.

  2. 2

    Node RED

    Browser-based flow editor that helps you wiring hardware devices, APIs and online services to create IoT solutions.

    Node RED has 23,789 GitHub stars, uses the Apache-2.0 license, ships a Docker image and had 985 commits in the last year; it replaces Nest / SmartThings and Google Home. For home use it also scores on a Docker image, an open-source license and a commit in the last 90 days.

  3. 3

    Thingsboard

    IoT Platform - Device management, data collection, processing and visualization.

    Thingsboard has 22,615 GitHub stars, is source-available under the BSL 1.1 (not an open-source license), ships a Docker image and had 4,239 commits in the last year. For home use it also scores on a Docker image and a commit in the last 90 days.

  4. 4

    EMQX

    Scalable MQTT broker. Connect 100M+ IoT devices in one single cluster, move and process real-time IoT data with 1M msg/s throughput at 1ms latency.

    EMQX has 16,865 GitHub stars, is source-available under the BSL 1.1 (not an open-source license), ships a Docker image and had 7,831 commits in the last year. For home use it also scores on a Docker image and a commit in the last 90 days.

  5. 5

    evcc

    Extensible Electric Vehicle Charge Controller and home energy management system.

    evcc has 7,436 GitHub stars, uses the MIT license, ships a Docker image and had 2,885 commits in the last year. For home use it also scores on a Docker image, an open-source license and a commit in the last 90 days.

FAQ

Questions and answers

Still curious? Email info@appsgit.com.

Is Home Assistant free?

Yes. Home Assistant is open-source software released under the Apache-2.0 license, so you can self-host it at no cost. You only pay for the server it runs on, and some projects also offer an optional paid cloud plan.

Can I self-host these home automation software with Docker?

Yes, 8 of the 10 picks. Home Assistant, Node RED and Thingsboard publish Docker images, so you can run them on a VPS or home server with Docker Compose. The others install from their own packages or source; follow each project's install guide.

Are all of these home automation software open source?

7 of the 10 apps on this list are open source; 2 are source-available; 1 has a license appsgit could not verify. Source-available licenses add conditions, such as limits on hosted or commercial use, so read them before you deploy.

Which of these home automation software is the most actively developed?

Home Assistant, with 21,554 commits in the last 12 months and a latest release, 2026.10.4, from October 2026. Activity is a good sign that bugs and security issues get fixed.

How is this list ranked?

Ranked on GitHub stars, commits in the last year, Docker images, open-source licenses and recent commits across the 19 apps in the home automation & IoT category. Projects with fewer than 12 commits in the last 12 months rank below every more active project.

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