head to head · open source
android vs better_thermostat
android has 4,021 GitHub stars, 1,132 forks, 458 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. better_thermostat has 1,543 stars, 192 forks, 56 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. android leads on adoption by 161% (4,021 vs 1,543 stars). android is written in Kotlin under Apache-2.0; better_thermostat is written in Python under AGPL-3.0. android has attracted 28% as many forks as stars, better_thermostat 12%. android was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 3 topic tags (hacktoberfest, home-assistant, home-automation), so they are genuine substitutes rather than adjacent tools.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| android | better_thermostat | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 4.0K | ★ 1.5K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Written in | Kotlin | Python |
| Last push | 2026-11-03 | 2026-11-03 |
| Forks | ⑂ 1.1K | ⑂ 192 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick android if
- You weight community size — 4.0K stars and counting
- You want the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Kotlin
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick better_thermostat if
- You want the better_thermostat feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the AGPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You evaluated both and better_thermostat fits your workflow better
About android
Home Assistant Companion for Android Welcome to the Home Assistant Companion for Android ! This is the official Android app for Home Assistant, a powerful open source home automation platform. Join us in building an app used by millions of users worldwide. Features Control Your Smart Home : Seamlessly interact with your Home Assistant instance. Native Android Experience : Leverage Android specific features like widgets, notifications, and location tracking. Customizable : Tailor the app to your needs with themes, dashboards, and more. Open Source : Contribute to a project that empowers users to take control of…
read the full android overview →
About better_thermostat
Better Thermostat For more info visit: Requirements Minimum required Home Assistant version: 2026.7.2 ( continuously tested against Home Assistant ) Companion UI We've created a companion UI element which can display more information than the default thermostat element in Home Assistant. Check it out via HACS: better thermostat ui card If you have a question or need help please create a new discussion or check if your question is already answered If you have a suggestion, found a bug, or want to add a new device or function create a new issue If you want to contribute to this project create a new pull request…
read the full better_thermostat overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is android or better_thermostat more popular?
android has 4,021 GitHub stars and better_thermostat has 1,543. android has the larger community by that measure.
Are android and better_thermostat free?
Both are open source. android is licensed under Apache-2.0 and better_thermostat under AGPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between android and better_thermostat?
android is written in Kotlin and better_thermostat in Python. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, android or better_thermostat?
Choose android if you want the larger community (4,021 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose better_thermostat if its feature set, stack or AGPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.