FHEM vs openHAB

Struggling to choose between FHEM and openHAB? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

FHEM is a Home & Family solution with tags like automation, lighting-control, heating-control, security, sensors.

It boasts features such as Controls and monitors a wide range of devices like lights, thermostats, sensors, security systems, etc, Supports many communication protocols like Z-Wave, EnOcean, MQTT, HTTP, etc, Highly customizable through plugins and scripts, Web interface for remote access and control, Rules engine for automation based on events and conditions, Notifications through email, Telegram, etc, Data logging and graphs, Voice control integration (Alexa, Google Assistant), OpenHAB and Home Assistant integration and pros including Free and open source, Very flexible and extensible, Supports many devices and protocols, Active community support, Self-hosted, not dependent on cloud services.

On the other hand, openHAB is a Home & Family product tagged with open-source, home-automation, iot, zwave, zigbee, mqtt, philips-hue, google-assistant.

Its standout features include Open source and free, Supports many home automation protocols and standards, Works with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Apple Siri and more, Rule-based automation engine, Web-based UI and mobile apps, Add-ons for hundreds of devices and technologies, Active community support and documentation, and it shines with pros like Free and open source, Very flexible and extensible, Integrates many devices and systems, Powerful automation engine, Large device support via add-ons, Self-hosted, no reliance on cloud services, Can be hosted on low-power devices like Raspberry Pi.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

FHEM

FHEM

FHEM is an open source home automation software written in Perl that allows users to automate various devices and tasks in their home. It can control lighting, heating, security systems, sensors, and more. FHEM runs on Linux and other Unix-based systems.

Categories:
automation lighting-control heating-control security sensors

FHEM Features

  1. Controls and monitors a wide range of devices like lights, thermostats, sensors, security systems, etc
  2. Supports many communication protocols like Z-Wave, EnOcean, MQTT, HTTP, etc
  3. Highly customizable through plugins and scripts
  4. Web interface for remote access and control
  5. Rules engine for automation based on events and conditions
  6. Notifications through email, Telegram, etc
  7. Data logging and graphs
  8. Voice control integration (Alexa, Google Assistant)
  9. OpenHAB and Home Assistant integration

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Free and open source

Very flexible and extensible

Supports many devices and protocols

Active community support

Self-hosted, not dependent on cloud services

Cons

Steep learning curve

Setup and configuration can be complex

CLI-focused, lacks polished UI

Requires Linux server to run

Limited smartphone apps


openHAB

openHAB

openHAB is an open source home automation software that integrates different home automation systems and technologies into one uniform interface. It works with Z-Wave, ZigBee, MQTT brokers, Philips Hue, Google Assistant, and more.

Categories:
open-source home-automation iot zwave zigbee mqtt philips-hue google-assistant

OpenHAB Features

  1. Open source and free
  2. Supports many home automation protocols and standards
  3. Works with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Apple Siri and more
  4. Rule-based automation engine
  5. Web-based UI and mobile apps
  6. Add-ons for hundreds of devices and technologies
  7. Active community support and documentation

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Free and open source

Very flexible and extensible

Integrates many devices and systems

Powerful automation engine

Large device support via add-ons

Self-hosted, no reliance on cloud services

Can be hosted on low-power devices like Raspberry Pi

Cons

Steep learning curve

Requires technical expertise to set up and configure

Fragmented documentation

UI is not the most intuitive

Limited out-of-the-box functionality

Requires tinkering to integrate some devices