head to head · open source
android vs HomeSpan
android has 4,021 GitHub stars, 1,132 forks, 458 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. HomeSpan has 2,205 stars, 205 forks, 9 open issues and last shipped 2 months ago. android leads on adoption by 82% (4,021 vs 2,205 stars). android is written in Kotlin under Apache-2.0; HomeSpan is written in C++ under MIT. android has attracted 28% 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 | ★ 4.0K | ★ 2.2K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Written in | Kotlin | C++ |
| Last push | 2026-11-03 | 2026-09-15 |
| Forks | ⑂ 1.1K | ⑂ 205 |
| 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 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
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 HomeSpan
Welcome! Welcome to HomeSpan a robust and extremely easy to use Arduino library for creating your own ESP32 based HomeKit devices entirely within the Arduino IDE. HomeSpan provides a microcontroller focused implementation of Apple's HomeKit Accessory Protocol Specification Release R2 (HAP R2) designed specifically for the Espressif ESP32 microcontroller running within the Arduino IDE. HomeSpan pairs directly to HomeKit via your home WiFi network without the need for any external bridges or components. With HomeSpan you can use the full power of the ESP32's I/O functionality to create custom control software…
read the full HomeSpan overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is android or HomeSpan more popular?
android has 4,021 GitHub stars and HomeSpan has 2,205. 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 (4,021 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose HomeSpan if its feature set, stack or MIT licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.