shouldiuse.io

Comparison

Homey vs Home Assistant

Homey and Home Assistant both land on Depends.

Homey versus Home Assistant
CompareHomeyHome Assistant
VerdictDependsDepends
Best forMulti-protocol smart home tinkerersTinkerers and DIY enthusiasts
Who it's not forCasual users with a handful of smart bulbs . expensive overkillRenters or casual users wanting plug-and-play
PrivacyOne disclosed 2020 flaw (unencrypted Wi-Fi credentials); recent CVEs in sources target an unrelated WordPress theme named Homey, not this hub.⁸Active security page and CVE disclosure process; several historical auth-bypass vulnerabilities, since patched.
Support qualityMixed Trustpilot; complaint threads on official forumCommunity forums only; no official support
Public sentimentOwners praise local control and device breadth, but a vocal minority report disappointment, price resentment, and rocky onboarding.Reviews and Reddit threads consistently praise flexibility and privacy while warning that setup and upkeep demand real technical effort.
Biggest gotchaJune 2026 price hike on Pro and mini . verify current price before buying⁴History of authentication-bypass CVEs; run updates promptly.

Pick Homey when

  • Multi-protocol smart home tinkerers
  • Privacy-minded users wanting local control
  • Energy-price monitoring households
  • Homes outgrowing Alexa routines

When Homey is not a fit

  • Casual users with a handful of smart bulbs . expensive overkill
  • Happy Home Assistant users; free rival already does more
  • Hubitat owners . community explicitly says don't switch
  • Buyers who resent per-feature subscriptions and frequent price hikes

Pick Home Assistant when

  • Tinkerers and DIY enthusiasts
  • Privacy-focused homeowners wanting local control
  • Mixed-brand device households
  • Hobbyists happy to maintain a server

When Home Assistant is not a fit

  • Renters or casual users wanting plug-and-play
  • Anyone unwilling to troubleshoot configs and updates
  • People with no time for ongoing maintenance
  • Non-technical households that just want lights to work

Sources

  1. review
  2. review
  3. review
  4. news
  5. review
  6. review
  7. review
  8. security
  9. official
  10. Home Assistanthome-assistant.io
    official
  11. Is Home Assistant free?home-assistant.io
    official
  12. official
  13. official
  14. review
  15. review
  16. review