Home Assistant vs Node-RED: Which is Better?
The Verdict
All 2 tools are strong choices, but they win in different lanes. Home Assistant takes the top spot overall thanks to its balance of quality, popularity and community trust. If budget matters, Node-RED is the best free pick. Use the table below to weigh the exact trade-offs for your use case.
Winners by category
Best Overall
Best Free
Best for Developers
Best for Students
| Tool | ||
|---|---|---|
| Rating |
Home Assistant
Winner- Open source
- Has a free plan
- Saves manual work
- Connects your apps
- Complex flows get pricey
- Debugging can be tricky