head to head · open source
SmartIR vs tagreader
SmartIR has 2,856 GitHub stars, 1,251 forks, 199 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. tagreader has 1,623 stars, 219 forks, 48 open issues and last shipped 6 months ago. SmartIR leads on adoption by 76% (2,856 vs 1,623 stars). SmartIR is written in Python under MIT; tagreader is written in Shell under GPL-3.0. SmartIR has attracted 44% as many forks as stars, tagreader 13%. SmartIR was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 1 topic tag (esphome), 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
| SmartIR | tagreader | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 2.9K | ★ 1.6K |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Written in | Python | Shell |
| Last push | 2026-11-05 | 2026-04-27 |
| Forks | ⑂ 1.3K | ⑂ 219 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick SmartIR if
- You weight community size — 2.9K stars and counting
- You want the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick tagreader if
- You want the tagreader feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the GPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Shell
- You evaluated both and tagreader fits your workflow better
About SmartIR
⚠️ Warning You are free to fork, modify, and use the code in this repository in accordance with the applicable open source license. However, the name "SmartIR" must not be used in any capacity , especially for promoting, rebranding, or distributing your own fork or derivative works. Please respect this guideline to preserve the original project's identity. Overview SmartIR is a custom integration for controlling climate devices , media players , fans and lights via infrared controllers. SmartIR currently supports the following controllers: Broadlink Xiaomi IR Remote (ChuangmiIr) LOOK.in Remote ESPHome User…
read the full SmartIR overview →
About tagreader
Tag Reader for Home Assistant The tag reader is a simple to build/use NFC tag reader, specially created for Home Assistant. It is using a D1 mini ESP 8266 and the PN532 NFC module. The firmware is built using ESPhome. I am selling a pre built version, a DIY version (assembly required), or just the case (use with own components). Check it out on my website. Building the tag reader To build your own tag reader, you need the following components: ESP8266 D1 Mini PN532 NFC Reader WS2812 Buzzer The 3D models for the case are here. WARNING regarding AZdelivery D1. We have had several users contacting us with different…
read the full tagreader overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is SmartIR or tagreader more popular?
SmartIR has 2,856 GitHub stars and tagreader has 1,623. SmartIR has the larger community by that measure.
Are SmartIR and tagreader free?
Both are open source. SmartIR is licensed under MIT and tagreader under GPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between SmartIR and tagreader?
SmartIR is written in Python and tagreader in Shell. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, SmartIR or tagreader?
Choose SmartIR if you want the larger community (2,856 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose tagreader if its feature set, stack or GPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.