head to head · open source
Browser Use vs HomeKey-ESP32
Browser Use has 115,022 GitHub stars, 12,661 forks, 421 open issues and last shipped 3 days ago. HomeKey-ESP32 has 1,079 stars, 94 forks, 47 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. Browser Use leads on adoption by 10,560% (115,022 vs 1,079 stars). Browser Use is written in Python under MIT; HomeKey-ESP32 is written in C++ under MIT. Browser Use has attracted 11% as many forks as stars, HomeKey-ESP32 9%. HomeKey-ESP32 was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
← all 8884 open source comparisons
Side by side
| Browser Use | HomeKey-ESP32 | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 115K | ★ 1.1K |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Written in | Python | C++ |
| Last push | 2026-09-15 | 2026-09-16 |
| Forks | ⑂ 13K | ⑂ 94 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick Browser Use if
- You weight community size — 115K stars and counting
- You want the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick HomeKey-ESP32 if
- You want the HomeKey-ESP32 feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches C++
- You evaluated both and HomeKey-ESP32 fits your workflow better
About Browser Use
Browser Use is an open source Python library and hosted platform that enables AI agents to control web browsers programmatically. It lives in the AI agent and browser automation ecosystem, built on Playwright and designed to let LLMs interact with websites as a human would—clicking, filling forms, solving CAPTCHAs, and navigating dynamic interfaces. The project provides three deployment paths: a fully hosted cloud service, a command line interface for existing agents, and a local Python library for custom integrations.
read the full Browser Use overview →
About HomeKey-ESP32
HomeKey ESP32 Apple HomeKey functionality for the rest of us Documentation What is HomeKey ESP32? The project aims to be the easy DIY solution for using Apple's HomeKey feature without the need to purchase a compatible smart lock that you probably don't want. HomeKey ESP32 brings Apple's secure NFC based unlocking to an ESP32 module near you, enabling you to unlock doors and whatnot with a simple tap of your iPhone or Apple Watch. No proprietary hardware required – just an ESP32 and one of the supported NFC modules [!WARNING] The flash memory is not encrypted as this kinda started as a pet project of mine but a l…
read the full HomeKey-ESP32 overview →
More in Productivity & Utilities
Related comparisons
More Automation projects
Compare either of these against the rest of the Automation field.
Frequently asked questions
Is Browser Use or HomeKey-ESP32 more popular?
Browser Use has 115,022 GitHub stars and HomeKey-ESP32 has 1,079. Browser Use has the larger community by that measure.
Are Browser Use and HomeKey-ESP32 free?
Both are open source. Browser Use is licensed under MIT and HomeKey-ESP32 under MIT. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Browser Use and HomeKey-ESP32?
Browser Use is written in Python and HomeKey-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, Browser Use or HomeKey-ESP32?
Choose Browser Use if you want the larger community (115,022 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose HomeKey-ESP32 if its feature set, stack or MIT licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.