head to head · open source
homebridge vs espectre
homebridge has 25,541 GitHub stars, 2,012 forks, 21 open issues and last shipped 5 days ago. espectre has 9,747 stars, 741 forks, 13 open issues and last shipped 3 days ago. homebridge leads on adoption by 162% (25,541 vs 9,747 stars). homebridge is written in TypeScript under Apache-2.0; espectre is written in Python under GPL-3.0. homebridge has attracted 8% as many forks as stars, espectre 8%. espectre 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.
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Side by side
| homebridge | espectre | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 26K | ★ 9.7K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Written in | TypeScript | Python |
| Last push | 2026-11-01 | 2026-11-03 |
| Forks | ⑂ 2.0K | ⑂ 741 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick homebridge if
- You weight community size — 26K stars and counting
- You want the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick espectre if
- You want the espectre feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the GPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You evaluated both and espectre fits your workflow better
About homebridge
Homebridge Homebridge is a lightweight Node.js server you can run on your home network to emulate the HomeKit Accessory Protocol (HAP). It supports plugins, which are community contributed modules that provide a basic bridge from HomeKit to various 3rd party APIs provided by manufacturers of "smart home" devices. From v2, plugins can also expose accessories over Matter for use with Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, SmartThings and other Matter capable controllers. Homebridge is a free, non commercial, community driven open source project. It is not affiliated with Apple, Google, Amazon, or the Connectivity…
read the full homebridge overview →
About espectre
ESPectre Turn an ESP32 into a private, local Wi Fi motion sensor. When someone moves through a room, they change the way Wi Fi signals travel through it. ESPectre reads those changes and reports motion in real time. No camera, no microphone, no wearable, and no dedicated radar hardware: just a supported ESP32 and the Wi Fi network already in the room. ESPectre is an open source platform that brings together ready to flash firmware, an embeddable C++ SDK, a MicroPython implementation, browser tools, a host CLI, an open dataset, open model weights, and the research workflow used to build and validate the…
read the full espectre overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is homebridge or espectre more popular?
homebridge has 25,541 GitHub stars and espectre has 9,747. homebridge has the larger community by that measure.
Are homebridge and espectre free?
Both are open source. homebridge is licensed under Apache-2.0 and espectre under GPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between homebridge and espectre?
homebridge is written in TypeScript and espectre 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, homebridge or espectre?
Choose homebridge if you want the larger community (25,541 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose espectre if its feature set, stack or GPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.