head to head · open source
homebridge vs button-card
homebridge has 25,497 GitHub stars, 2,011 forks, 21 open issues and last shipped 23 days ago. button-card has 2,502 stars, 281 forks, 31 open issues and last shipped 13 days ago. homebridge leads on adoption by 919% (25,497 vs 2,502 stars). homebridge is written in TypeScript under Apache-2.0; button-card is written in TypeScript under MIT. homebridge has attracted 8% as many forks as stars, button-card 11%. button-card 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 | button-card | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 25K | ★ 2.5K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Written in | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-08-30 | 2026-09-09 |
| Forks | ⑂ 2.0K | ⑂ 281 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick homebridge if
- You weight community size — 25K 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 button-card if
- You want the button-card feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You evaluated both and button-card fits your workflow better
About homebridge
Homebridge is a lightweight, free and open source Node.js server that emulates the HomeKit Accessory Protocol (HAP) on a home network, so that smart home devices without native HomeKit support can be controlled through Apple's Home app and Siri.
read the full homebridge overview →
About button-card
button card is a custom Lovelace card for Home Assistant. It presents entities as configurable buttons and supports many options for appearance, actions, and state display. It lives in the Home Assistant ecosystem, specifically the Lovelace UI, and is distributed as a community custom card with stable and development releases.
read the full button-card overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is homebridge or button-card more popular?
homebridge has 25,497 GitHub stars and button-card has 2,502. homebridge has the larger community by that measure.
Are homebridge and button-card free?
Both are open source. homebridge is licensed under Apache-2.0 and button-card under MIT. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between homebridge and button-card?
homebridge is written in TypeScript and button-card in TypeScript. 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 button-card?
Choose homebridge if you want the larger community (25,497 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose button-card if its feature set, stack or MIT licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.