head to head · open source
homebridge vs HomeSpan
homebridge has 25,541 GitHub stars, 2,012 forks, 21 open issues and last shipped 5 days ago. HomeSpan has 2,205 stars, 205 forks, 9 open issues and last shipped 2 months ago. homebridge leads on adoption by 1,058% (25,541 vs 2,205 stars). homebridge is written in TypeScript under Apache-2.0; HomeSpan is written in C++ under MIT. homebridge has attracted 8% as many forks as stars, HomeSpan 9%. homebridge was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 1 topic tag (homekit), 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.
← all 20902 open source comparisons
Side by side
| homebridge | HomeSpan | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 26K | ★ 2.2K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Written in | TypeScript | C++ |
| Last push | 2026-11-01 | 2026-09-15 |
| Forks | ⑂ 2.0K | ⑂ 205 |
| 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 HomeSpan if
- You want the HomeSpan feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches C++
- You evaluated both and HomeSpan 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 HomeSpan
Welcome! Welcome to HomeSpan a robust and extremely easy to use Arduino library for creating your own ESP32 based HomeKit devices entirely within the Arduino IDE. HomeSpan provides a microcontroller focused implementation of Apple's HomeKit Accessory Protocol Specification Release R2 (HAP R2) designed specifically for the Espressif ESP32 microcontroller running within the Arduino IDE. HomeSpan pairs directly to HomeKit via your home WiFi network without the need for any external bridges or components. With HomeSpan you can use the full power of the ESP32's I/O functionality to create custom control software…
read the full HomeSpan overview →
More in Miscellaneous
Related comparisons
More Internet of Things (IoT) projects
Compare either of these against the rest of the Internet of Things (IoT) field.
Frequently asked questions
Is homebridge or HomeSpan more popular?
homebridge has 25,541 GitHub stars and HomeSpan has 2,205. homebridge has the larger community by that measure.
Are homebridge and HomeSpan free?
Both are open source. homebridge is licensed under Apache-2.0 and HomeSpan under MIT. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between homebridge and HomeSpan?
homebridge is written in TypeScript and HomeSpan 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, homebridge or HomeSpan?
Choose homebridge if you want the larger community (25,541 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose HomeSpan if its feature set, stack or MIT licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.