# Gladys Assistant: Free Open Source Alternative to Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, HomeKit

Canonical: https://caniforkit.com/fork/gladys-assistant
Last updated: 2026-11-07

Gladys Assistant (Open Source, Open Source) replaces Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, HomeKit. Privacy-first home automation platform that runs locally on your hardware, supports Zigbee, Matter, and MQTT, and lets you automate your home without coding.

## Tool Specifications
- **Tool Name**: Gladys Assistant
- **Type**: Open Source Project
- **License**: Open Source
- **Official Website**: https://gladysassistant.com/
- **GitHub Repository**: https://github.com/gladysassistant/gladys
- **GitHub Stars**: ★ 3.3k
- **Runs On**: Self-host
- **Maintenance Status**: nov 2026
- **Platforms**: web, self-hosted, docker to self-host
- **Data Storage**: All application data and configuration live on your own server or local database.
- **Installation**: Clone https://github.com/gladysassistant/gladys or deploy with Docker Compose
- **Setup Requirements**: Deploy via Docker or binary release from GitHub and configure environment variables.
- **The Catch / Limitation**: Requires self-hosting setup, updates, and server maintenance compared to managed Amazon Alexa.

## Paid SaaS Applications Replaced (3)
Replacing these paid tools with Gladys Assistant saves up to $45/mo ($540/yr) in software subscriptions:

| Replaced Software | Category | SaaS Price | Comparison Guide |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Amazon Alexa](https://caniforkit.com/amazon-alexa) | [automation](https://caniforkit.com/category/automation) | $15/mo | [Compare Amazon Alexa vs Gladys Assistant](https://caniforkit.com/vs/amazon-alexa-vs-gladys-assistant) |
| [Google Assistant](https://caniforkit.com/google-assistant) | [automation](https://caniforkit.com/category/automation) | $15/mo | [Compare Google Assistant vs Gladys Assistant](https://caniforkit.com/vs/google-assistant-vs-gladys-assistant) |
| [HomeKit](https://caniforkit.com/homekit) | [automation](https://caniforkit.com/category/automation) | $15/mo | [Compare HomeKit vs Gladys Assistant](https://caniforkit.com/vs/homekit-vs-gladys-assistant) |

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Is Gladys Assistant free and open source?
Gladys Assistant is an open source tool licensed under Open Source that runs on self-host. Privacy-first home automation platform that runs locally on your hardware, supports Zigbee, Matter, and MQTT, and lets you automate your home without coding.

### What is the trade-off or limitation of using Gladys Assistant?
Requires self-hosting setup, updates, and server maintenance compared to managed Amazon Alexa.

## Related

- [Self-Hosted Open Source Directory](https://caniforkit.com/self-hosted)
- [All Paid SaaS Alternatives Index](https://caniforkit.com/alternatives)
- [Software Categories Directory](https://caniforkit.com/categories)
- [Homepage](https://caniforkit.com)