head to head · open source
OpenMQTTGateway vs IRremoteESP8266
OpenMQTTGateway has 4,117 GitHub stars, 910 forks, 48 open issues and last shipped 17 days ago. IRremoteESP8266 has 3,661 stars, 945 forks, 105 open issues and last shipped 2 months ago. OpenMQTTGateway leads on adoption by 12% (4,117 vs 3,661 stars). OpenMQTTGateway is written in C++ under GPL-3.0; IRremoteESP8266 is written in C++ under LGPL-2.1. OpenMQTTGateway has attracted 22% as many forks as stars, IRremoteESP8266 26%. OpenMQTTGateway was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 4 topic tags (arduino, esp32, esp8266, 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 | IRremoteESP8266 | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 4.1K | ★ 3.7K |
| License | GPL-3.0 | LGPL-2.1 |
| Written in | C++ | C++ |
| Last push | 2026-10-19 | 2026-08-23 |
| Forks | ⑂ 910 | ⑂ 945 |
| 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 IRremoteESP8266 if
- You want the IRremoteESP8266 feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the LGPL-2.1 license terms
- Your stack matches C++
- You evaluated both and IRremoteESP8266 fits your workflow better
About OpenMQTTGateway
OpenMQTTGateway aims to unify various technologies and protocols into a single firmware. This reduces the need for multiple physical bridges and streamlines diverse technologies under the widely used MQTT protocol. Sponsors Documentation The documentation is here New to OpenMQTTGateway? Follow the Getting Started guide to flash a board from your browser and see your first sensor data in about 15 minutes. The reference sheet, with the list of all functions, pinouts is here Upload Upload OpenMQTTGateway directly from the upload page (no additional software required) or build your own configuration with PlatformIO…
read the full OpenMQTTGateway overview →
About IRremoteESP8266
This library enables you to send and receive infra red signals on an ESP8266 or an ESP32 using the Arduino framework using common 940nm IR LEDs and common IR receiver modules. e.g. TSOP{17,22,24,36,38,44,48} demodulators etc. v2.9.0 Now Available Version 2.9.0 of the library is now available. You can view the Release Notes for all the significant changes. Upgrading from pre v2.0 Usage of the library has been slightly changed in v2.0. You will need to change your usage to work with v2.0 and beyond. You can read more about the changes required on our Upgrade to v2.0 page. Upgrading from pre v2.5 The library has…
read the full IRremoteESP8266 overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is OpenMQTTGateway or IRremoteESP8266 more popular?
OpenMQTTGateway has 4,117 GitHub stars and IRremoteESP8266 has 3,661. OpenMQTTGateway has the larger community by that measure.
Are OpenMQTTGateway and IRremoteESP8266 free?
Both are open source. OpenMQTTGateway is licensed under GPL-3.0 and IRremoteESP8266 under LGPL-2.1. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between OpenMQTTGateway and IRremoteESP8266?
OpenMQTTGateway is written in C++ and IRremoteESP8266 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 IRremoteESP8266?
Choose OpenMQTTGateway if you want the larger community (4,117 stars) or its GPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose IRremoteESP8266 if its feature set, stack or LGPL-2.1 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.