Home Assistant
IFTTT for the house, except the house keeps the data and needs an always-on box.
Technical Profile & Specs
verified 2026-08-10
- Cost
- $0 / forever (Open Source)
- License
- Apache-2.0
- Hosting Model
- Self-host (your server)
- Platforms
- mobilewebself-hostedself-host, real ops
- Installation
- Flash the Home Assistant OS image to supported hardware or a VM; Container and Core installs are also documented
- Operational Setup
- The first real cost is an always-on supported machine and time spent pairing devices; safe remote access, backups, radio dongles, and vendor-specific integration failures become the owner's responsibility.
- Where Your Data Lives
- Configuration, automations, integrations, dashboards, and secrets live under the local `/config` directory; history defaults to the local SQLite `home-assistant_v2.db` database and can be moved to MariaDB, MySQL, or PostgreSQL. Device traffic and state remain on the Home Assistant host unless a configured integration sends them elsewhere.
- The Catch / Trade-off
- Home Assistant is better for devices in the house, but its SaaS and social-app breadth is narrower and it requires an always-on controller plus ongoing integration maintenance.
Replaces 1 paid app
up to $2.99/mo ($36/yr) in subscriptions
Home Assistant FAQ
Common questions
Is Home Assistant free and open source?+
Home Assistant is an open-source tool licensed under Apache-2.0 that runs on self-host. IFTTT for the house, except the house keeps the data and needs an always-on box.
What paid software does Home Assistant replace?+
Home Assistant serves as a free replacement for 1 paid SaaS application: IFTTT, saving up to $2.99/month ($36/year) in subscription bills.
How do you install and set up Home Assistant?+
Installation: Flash the Home Assistant OS image to supported hardware or a VM; Container and Core installs are also documented. Setup notes: The first real cost is an always-on supported machine and time spent pairing devices; safe remote access, backups, radio dongles, and vendor-specific integration failures become the owner's responsibility.
What is the catch or trade-off with Home Assistant?+
Home Assistant is better for devices in the house, but its SaaS and social-app breadth is narrower and it requires an always-on controller plus ongoing integration maintenance.