head to head · open source
homebridge vs itsyhome-macos
homebridge has 25,501 GitHub stars, 2,011 forks, 21 open issues and last shipped 26 days ago. itsyhome-macos has 992 stars, 36 forks, 19 open issues and last shipped 24 days ago. homebridge leads on adoption by 2,471% (25,501 vs 992 stars). homebridge is written in TypeScript under Apache-2.0; itsyhome-macos is written in Swift under MIT. homebridge has attracted 8% as many forks as stars, itsyhome-macos 4%. itsyhome-macos 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.
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Side by side
| homebridge | itsyhome-macos | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 26K | ★ 992 |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Written in | TypeScript | Swift |
| Last push | 2026-08-30 | 2026-09-01 |
| Forks | ⑂ 2.0K | ⑂ 36 |
| 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 itsyhome-macos if
- You want the itsyhome-macos feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches Swift
- You evaluated both and itsyhome-macos 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 itsyhome-macos
Itsyhome ( itsyhome macos ) is a native macOS menu bar app, written in Swift and published under the MIT licence, that controls HomeKit and Home Assistant smart homes from the Mac menu bar, and it is aimed at Mac users who want to operate their devices, scenes and sensors without leaving whatever they are working on.
read the full itsyhome-macos overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is homebridge or itsyhome-macos more popular?
homebridge has 25,501 GitHub stars and itsyhome-macos has 992. homebridge has the larger community by that measure.
Are homebridge and itsyhome-macos free?
Both are open source. homebridge is licensed under Apache-2.0 and itsyhome-macos under MIT. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between homebridge and itsyhome-macos?
homebridge is written in TypeScript and itsyhome-macos in Swift. 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 itsyhome-macos?
Choose homebridge if you want the larger community (25,501 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose itsyhome-macos if its feature set, stack or MIT licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.