Head-to-Head Comparison · Alternative to Home Assistant Cloud · 🏠 home
Home Assistant Cloud vs wg-easy
A self-hosted WireGuard doorway to Home Assistant; certificates, DNS, and uptime remain your hobbies. Here is how wg-easy ($0/mo open source) stacks up against Home Assistant Cloud ($6.50/mo) across cost, hosting, data privacy, and real-world trade-offs.
wg-easy
$0.00/mo · AGPL-3.0
Home Assistant Cloud vs wg-easy Specification Matrix
facts verified 2026-08-10
| Dimension | Home Assistant Cloud (Paid) | wg-easy (Replacement) |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Price | $6.50 / mo | $0 / mo |
| 1-Year Cost (1 seat) | $78 / yr | $0 / yr (Save $78) |
| 1-Year Cost (5 seats) | $390 / yr | $0 / yr (Save $390) |
| 1-Year Cost (10 seats) | $780 / yr | $0 / yr (Save $780) |
| Source & License | Proprietary SaaS | open source AGPL-3.0 |
| Where It Runs | Vendor Cloud | Self-host (your server) |
| Platforms | Web / Cloud | desktopwebself-hosteddocker to self-host |
| GitHub Stars | — | ★ 26k (active jun 2026) |
Deep Dive: Switching from Home Assistant Cloud to wg-easy
Trade-offs, installation & data architecture
What you trade away
wg-easy provides only a WireGuard doorway, leaving server uptime, port forwarding, DNS, certificates, client setup, voice-assistant bridging, webhooks, and troubleshooting to the household.
How to deploy wg-easy
Docker Compose on a Linux host with a public UDP port
What it takes to run
A non-expert still needs a Linux server or home port-forward, Docker, a WireGuard-capable kernel, UDP 51820 reachability, privileged network capabilities, DNS, and safe web-admin exposure.
Where your data lives
WireGuard server configuration, peer records, private keys, and generated client profiles live in the mounted `/etc/wireguard` data volume on the host; tunneled traffic exits through that host.
Why fork wg-easy instead of vibe-coding a Home Assistant Cloud clone?
The core loop is buildable, but a dependable replacement becomes a real weekend or multi-day project. For Home Assistant Cloud, self-host smart-home control and use a user-owned remote-access tunnel. The hard boundary is managed remote access, voice integrations, funding for open source, and low-maintenance security, plus sync, integrations, and household adoption.
Home Assistant Cloud vs wg-easy FAQ
Is wg-easy a good free alternative to Home Assistant Cloud?+
Yes. wg-easy is a verified open-source (AGPL-3.0) replacement for Home Assistant Cloud. A self-hosted WireGuard doorway to Home Assistant; certificates, DNS, and uptime remain your hobbies.
What is the catch when switching from Home Assistant Cloud to wg-easy?+
wg-easy provides only a WireGuard doorway, leaving server uptime, port forwarding, DNS, certificates, client setup, voice-assistant bridging, webhooks, and troubleshooting to the household.
How much do you save switching from Home Assistant Cloud to wg-easy?+
Home Assistant Cloud costs $6.50/mo ($78/yr) per seat, whereas wg-easy is $0/mo. Switching saves $78/yr for a solo user, $390/yr for a 5-person team, and $780/yr for a 10-person team.
How do I install or self-host wg-easy instead of Home Assistant Cloud?+
Install: Docker Compose on a Linux host with a public UDP port. Setup: A non-expert still needs a Linux server or home port-forward, Docker, a WireGuard-capable kernel, UDP 51820 reachability, privileged network capabilities, DNS, and safe web-admin exposure.
