head to head · open source
ProxmoxVE vs EMS-ESP32
ProxmoxVE has 30,010 GitHub stars, 2,938 forks, 27 open issues and last shipped yesterday. EMS-ESP32 has 1,053 stars, 159 forks, 15 open issues and last shipped yesterday. ProxmoxVE leads on adoption by 2,750% (30,010 vs 1,053 stars). ProxmoxVE is written in Shell under MIT; EMS-ESP32 is written in C++ under LGPL-3.0. ProxmoxVE has attracted 10% as many forks as stars, EMS-ESP32 15%. ProxmoxVE was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 2 topic tags (home-assistant, 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
| ProxmoxVE | EMS-ESP32 | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 30K | ★ 1.1K |
| License | MIT | LGPL-3.0 |
| Written in | Shell | C++ |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-11-02 |
| Forks | ⑂ 2.9K | ⑂ 159 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick ProxmoxVE if
- You weight community size — 30K stars and counting
- You want the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches Shell
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick EMS-ESP32 if
- You want the EMS-ESP32 feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the LGPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches C++
- You evaluated both and EMS-ESP32 fits your workflow better
About ProxmoxVE
Proxmox VE Helper Scripts One command installations for services, containers, and VMs on Proxmox VE A community project — built on the foundation of @tteck 's original work What is this? Simplify your Proxmox VE setup with community driven automation scripts. Install and configure popular self hosted services with a single command — no manual package hunting, no config file archaeology. Paste a command into your Proxmox shell, answer a few prompts, and your container or VM is up and running. The collection covers hundreds of services across categories like home automation, media servers, networking tools…
read the full ProxmoxVE overview →
About EMS-ESP32
EMS ESP EMS ESP is an open source firmware for the Espressif ESP32 microcontroller to communicate with EMS (Energy Management System) compatible equipment from manufacturers such as Bosch, Buderus, Nefit, Junkers, Worcester, Sieger, elm.leblanc and iVT. It requires a small circuit to interface with the EMS bus which can be purchased from . These gateways are tested thoroughly and certified to work with EMS ESP. 📦 Key Features Compatible with EMS, EMS+, EMS2, EMS Plus, Logamatic EMS, Junkers 2 wire, Heatronic 3 and 4 Supporting over 120 different EMS compatible devices such as thermostats, boilers, heat pumps…
read the full EMS-ESP32 overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is ProxmoxVE or EMS-ESP32 more popular?
ProxmoxVE has 30,010 GitHub stars and EMS-ESP32 has 1,053. ProxmoxVE has the larger community by that measure.
Are ProxmoxVE and EMS-ESP32 free?
Both are open source. ProxmoxVE is licensed under MIT and EMS-ESP32 under LGPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between ProxmoxVE and EMS-ESP32?
ProxmoxVE is written in Shell and EMS-ESP32 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, ProxmoxVE or EMS-ESP32?
Choose ProxmoxVE if you want the larger community (30,010 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose EMS-ESP32 if its feature set, stack or LGPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.