head to head · open source
homebridge vs ring
homebridge has 25,544 GitHub stars, 2,010 forks, 21 open issues and last shipped 8 days ago. ring has 1,542 stars, 225 forks, 37 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. homebridge leads on adoption by 1,557% (25,544 vs 1,542 stars). homebridge is written in TypeScript under Apache-2.0; ring is written in TypeScript under MIT. homebridge has attracted 8% as many forks as stars, ring 15%. ring was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 2 topic tags (homebridge, 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 | ring | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 26K | ★ 1.5K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Written in | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-11-01 | 2026-11-07 |
| Forks | ⑂ 2.0K | ⑂ 225 |
| 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 ring if
- You want the ring feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You evaluated both and ring fits your workflow better
About homebridge
Homebridge Homebridge is a lightweight Node.js server you can run on your home network to emulate the HomeKit Accessory Protocol (HAP). It supports plugins, which are community contributed modules that provide a basic bridge from HomeKit to various 3rd party APIs provided by manufacturers of "smart home" devices. From v2, plugins can also expose accessories over Matter for use with Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, SmartThings and other Matter capable controllers. Homebridge is a free, non commercial, community driven open source project. It is not affiliated with Apple, Google, Amazon, or the Connectivity…
read the full homebridge overview →
About ring
Ring This repo contains unofficial packages to enable interaction and automation with the majority of Ring products Troubleshooting Issues If you are having issues, please look for related articles in the wiki and search existing Issues before opening a new Issue/Discussion ring client api The ring client api is a TypeScript package designed to be used by developers to create your own apps/programs which interact with Rings api homebridge ring homebridge ring allows users to easily integrate Ring products into Apple HomeKit via homebridge Examples See the examples directory for examples using the ring client api…
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Frequently asked questions
Is homebridge or ring more popular?
homebridge has 25,544 GitHub stars and ring has 1,542. homebridge has the larger community by that measure.
Are homebridge and ring free?
Both are open source. homebridge is licensed under Apache-2.0 and ring under MIT. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between homebridge and ring?
homebridge is written in TypeScript and ring in TypeScript. 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 ring?
Choose homebridge if you want the larger community (25,544 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose ring if its feature set, stack or MIT licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.