head to head · open source
OpenMQTTGateway vs HomeSpan
OpenMQTTGateway has 4,094 GitHub stars, 906 forks, 48 open issues and last shipped today. HomeSpan has 2,166 stars, 199 forks, 9 open issues and last shipped 5 days ago. OpenMQTTGateway leads on adoption by 89% (4,094 vs 2,166 stars). OpenMQTTGateway is written in C++ under GPL-3.0; HomeSpan is written in C++ under MIT. OpenMQTTGateway has attracted 22% as many forks as stars, HomeSpan 9%. OpenMQTTGateway was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 2 topic tags (esp32, 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
| OpenMQTTGateway | HomeSpan | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 4.1K | ★ 2.2K |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Written in | C++ | C++ |
| Last push | 2026-09-20 | 2026-09-15 |
| Forks | ⑂ 906 | ⑂ 199 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick OpenMQTTGateway if
- You weight community size — 4.1K stars and counting
- You want the GPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches C++
- 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 OpenMQTTGateway
OpenMQTTGateway is an open source C++ gateway firmware for ESP8266 and ESP32 boards that connects local radio and sensor protocols to MQTT. It lives in the home automation ecosystem and is associated with Home Assistant, OpenHAB, NodeRed, and AWS IOT. The project aims to unify various technologies and protocols into a single firmware, reducing the need for multiple physical bridges.
read the full OpenMQTTGateway overview →
About HomeSpan
HomeSpan is an MIT licensed C++ Arduino library for the Arduino ESP32 ecosystem. It lets developers build HomeKit devices on Espressif ESP32 microcontrollers without external bridges or components. The project implements Apple's HomeKit Accessory Protocol Specification Release R2, called HAP R2, and pairs directly to HomeKit through a home WiFi network.
read the full HomeSpan overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is OpenMQTTGateway or HomeSpan more popular?
OpenMQTTGateway has 4,094 GitHub stars and HomeSpan has 2,166. OpenMQTTGateway has the larger community by that measure.
Are OpenMQTTGateway and HomeSpan free?
Both are open source. OpenMQTTGateway is licensed under GPL-3.0 and HomeSpan under MIT. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between OpenMQTTGateway and HomeSpan?
OpenMQTTGateway is written in C++ 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, OpenMQTTGateway or HomeSpan?
Choose OpenMQTTGateway if you want the larger community (4,094 stars) or its GPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose HomeSpan if its feature set, stack or MIT licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.