head to head · open source
android vs EMS-ESP32
android has 3,903 GitHub stars, 1,067 forks, 458 open issues and last shipped yesterday. EMS-ESP32 has 1,010 stars, 152 forks, 15 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. android leads on adoption by 286% (3,903 vs 1,010 stars). android is written in Kotlin under Apache-2.0; EMS-ESP32 is written in C++ under LGPL-3.0. android has attracted 27% as many forks as stars, EMS-ESP32 15%. android was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 2 topic tags (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 | EMS-ESP32 | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 3.9K | ★ 1.0K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | LGPL-3.0 |
| Written in | Kotlin | C++ |
| Last push | 2026-09-19 | 2026-09-18 |
| Forks | ⑂ 1.1K | ⑂ 152 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick android if
- You weight community size — 3.9K 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 EMS-ESP32 if
- You want the EMS-ESP32 feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the LGPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches C++
- You evaluated both and EMS-ESP32 fits your workflow better
About android
The Home Assistant Companion for Android is the official Android application for Home Assistant, an open source home automation platform. It is written in Kotlin, released under the Apache 2.0 license, and distributed as an open source app for Android devices. The project sits inside the Home Assistant ecosystem and connects a mobile client to a user's Home Assistant instance.
read the full android overview →
About EMS-ESP32
EMS ESP32 is an open source C++ firmware for the Espressif ESP32 microcontroller that reads and controls EMS and Heatronic compatible equipment such as boilers, thermostats, solar modules and heat pumps, built for technically confident home automation users who own Bosch, Buderus, Nefit, Junkers, Worcester, Sieger, elm.leblanc or iVT heating hardware.
read the full EMS-ESP32 overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is android or EMS-ESP32 more popular?
android has 3,903 GitHub stars and EMS-ESP32 has 1,010. android has the larger community by that measure.
Are android and EMS-ESP32 free?
Both are open source. android is licensed under Apache-2.0 and EMS-ESP32 under LGPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between android and EMS-ESP32?
android is written in Kotlin and EMS-ESP32 in C++. 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 EMS-ESP32?
Choose android if you want the larger community (3,903 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose EMS-ESP32 if its feature set, stack or LGPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.