head to head · open source
android vs HomeSpan
android has 3,903 GitHub stars, 1,067 forks, 458 open issues and last shipped yesterday. HomeSpan has 2,166 stars, 199 forks, 9 open issues and last shipped 5 days ago. android leads on adoption by 80% (3,903 vs 2,166 stars). android is written in Kotlin under Apache-2.0; HomeSpan is written in C++ under MIT. android has attracted 27% as many forks as stars, HomeSpan 9%. android was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 1 topic tag (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 | HomeSpan | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 3.9K | ★ 2.2K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Written in | Kotlin | C++ |
| Last push | 2026-09-19 | 2026-09-15 |
| Forks | ⑂ 1.1K | ⑂ 199 |
| 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 HomeSpan if
- You want the HomeSpan feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches C++
- You evaluated both and HomeSpan 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 HomeSpan
HomeSpan is an MIT licensed C++ Arduino library for the Arduino ESP32 ecosystem. It lets developers build HomeKit devices on Espressif ESP32 microcontrollers without external bridges or components. The project implements Apple's HomeKit Accessory Protocol Specification Release R2, called HAP R2, and pairs directly to HomeKit through a home WiFi network.
read the full HomeSpan overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is android or HomeSpan more popular?
android has 3,903 GitHub stars and HomeSpan has 2,166. android has the larger community by that measure.
Are android and HomeSpan free?
Both are open source. android is licensed under Apache-2.0 and HomeSpan under MIT. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between android and HomeSpan?
android is written in Kotlin and HomeSpan 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 HomeSpan?
Choose android if you want the larger community (3,903 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose HomeSpan if its feature set, stack or MIT licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.