head to head · open source
android vs pyatv
android has 4,021 GitHub stars, 1,132 forks, 458 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. pyatv has 1,202 stars, 166 forks, 258 open issues and last shipped 3 months ago. android leads on adoption by 235% (4,021 vs 1,202 stars). android is written in Kotlin under Apache-2.0; pyatv is written in Python under MIT. android has attracted 28% as many forks as stars, pyatv 14%. android was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 2 topic tags (hacktoberfest, 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 | pyatv | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 4.0K | ★ 1.2K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Written in | Kotlin | Python |
| Last push | 2026-11-03 | 2026-08-14 |
| Forks | ⑂ 1.1K | ⑂ 166 |
| 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 pyatv if
- You want the pyatv feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You evaluated both and pyatv 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 pyatv
A client library for Apple TV and AirPlay devices ================================================= This is an asyncio python library for interacting with Apple TV and AirPlay devices. It mainly targets Apple TVs (all generations, including tvOS 15 and later ), but also supports audio streaming via AirPlay to receivers like the HomePod, AirPort Express and third party speakers. It can act as remote control to the Music app/iTunes in macOS. All the documentation you need is available at pyatv.dev . What can it do? Some examples include: Remote control commands Metadata retrieval with push updates Stream files via…
read the full pyatv overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is android or pyatv more popular?
android has 4,021 GitHub stars and pyatv has 1,202. android has the larger community by that measure.
Are android and pyatv free?
Both are open source. android is licensed under Apache-2.0 and pyatv under MIT. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between android and pyatv?
android is written in Kotlin and pyatv 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 pyatv?
Choose android if you want the larger community (4,021 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose pyatv if its feature set, stack or MIT licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.