head to head · open source
frigate vs better_thermostat
frigate has 37,160 GitHub stars, 3,782 forks, 95 open issues and last shipped yesterday. better_thermostat has 1,539 stars, 192 forks, 56 open issues and last shipped yesterday. frigate leads on adoption by 2,315% (37,160 vs 1,539 stars). frigate is written in Python under MIT; better_thermostat is written in Python under AGPL-3.0. frigate has attracted 10% as many forks as stars, better_thermostat 12%. better_thermostat was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 2 topic tags (home-assistant, 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
| frigate | better_thermostat | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 37K | ★ 1.5K |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Written in | Python | Python |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-11-02 |
| Forks | ⑂ 3.8K | ⑂ 192 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick frigate if
- You weight community size — 37K stars and counting
- You want the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick better_thermostat if
- You want the better_thermostat feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the AGPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You evaluated both and better_thermostat fits your workflow better
About frigate
Frigate NVR™ Realtime Object Detection for IP Cameras \[English\] 简体中文 A complete and local NVR designed for Home Assistant with AI object detection. Uses OpenCV and Tensorflow to perform realtime object detection locally for IP cameras. Use of a GPU or AI accelerator is highly recommended. AI accelerators will outperform even the best CPUs with very little overhead. See Frigate's supported object detectors. Tight integration with Home Assistant via a custom component Designed to minimize resource use and maximize performance by only looking for objects when and where it is necessary Leverages multiprocessing…
read the full frigate overview →
About better_thermostat
Better Thermostat For more info visit: Requirements Minimum required Home Assistant version: 2026.7.2 ( continuously tested against Home Assistant ) Companion UI We've created a companion UI element which can display more information than the default thermostat element in Home Assistant. Check it out via HACS: better thermostat ui card If you have a question or need help please create a new discussion or check if your question is already answered If you have a suggestion, found a bug, or want to add a new device or function create a new issue If you want to contribute to this project create a new pull request…
read the full better_thermostat overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is frigate or better_thermostat more popular?
frigate has 37,160 GitHub stars and better_thermostat has 1,539. frigate has the larger community by that measure.
Are frigate and better_thermostat free?
Both are open source. frigate is licensed under MIT and better_thermostat under AGPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between frigate and better_thermostat?
frigate is written in Python and better_thermostat 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, frigate or better_thermostat?
Choose frigate if you want the larger community (37,160 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose better_thermostat if its feature set, stack or AGPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.