head to head · open source
python-miio vs HomeSpan
python-miio has 4,335 GitHub stars, 602 forks, 313 open issues and last shipped 3 months ago. HomeSpan has 2,205 stars, 205 forks, 9 open issues and last shipped 2 months ago. python-miio leads on adoption by 97% (4,335 vs 2,205 stars). python-miio is written in Python under GPL-3.0; HomeSpan is written in C++ under MIT. python-miio has attracted 14% as many forks as stars, HomeSpan 9%. HomeSpan was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 1 topic tag (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
| python-miio | HomeSpan | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 4.3K | ★ 2.2K |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Written in | Python | C++ |
| Last push | 2026-07-25 | 2026-09-15 |
| Forks | ⑂ 602 | ⑂ 205 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick python-miio if
- You weight community size — 4.3K stars and counting
- You want the GPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- 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 python-miio
python miio This library (and its accompanying cli tool, miiocli ) can be used to control devices using Xiaomi's miIO and MIoT protocols. This is a voluntary, community driven effort and is not affiliated with any of the companies whose devices are supported by this library. Issue reports and pull requests are welcome, see contributing! The full documentation is available at python miio.readthedocs.io. Installation Getting started Controlling modern (MIoT) devices Controlling older (miIO) devices Troubleshooting API usage Contributing Simulators Supported devices Projects using this library Other related…
read the full python-miio 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 →
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Frequently asked questions
Is python-miio or HomeSpan more popular?
python-miio has 4,335 GitHub stars and HomeSpan has 2,205. python-miio has the larger community by that measure.
Are python-miio and HomeSpan free?
Both are open source. python-miio is licensed under GPL-3.0 and HomeSpan under MIT. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between python-miio and HomeSpan?
python-miio is written in Python 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, python-miio or HomeSpan?
Choose python-miio if you want the larger community (4,335 stars) or its GPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose HomeSpan if its feature set, stack or MIT licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.