Aqara Home vs ioBroker
Aqara Home
aqara.comioBroker
iobroker.comSide by side
| Figure | Aqara Home | ioBroker |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Smart Home Apps | 8.7 (#5) | 8.6 (#7) |
| Spec score · Home Automation | 8.7 (#5) | 8.4 (#9) |
| Spec score · Home automation platforms | 8.5 (#7) | 8.8 (#6) |
| Automation | Aqara Home supports automation and scenes; Aqara’s HomeKit Mode documentation says that mode does not support automation or scene settings. | Automations can be created with graphical rules, Blockly, JavaScript, TypeScript, or Node-RED. |
| Camera integration | Yes | Yes |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Integrations | Aqara lists Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Samsung SmartThings, IFTTT, Home Assistant, and Homey among supported ecosystems; compatibility varies by product and some functions may require a hub. | The documentation names Zigbee, Z-Wave, KNX, Modbus, MQTT, manufacturer clouds, and voice assistants as integration examples. |
| Local control | Aqara says users who control devices only within their home network do not need an internet connection, and personal data is not transferred to Aqara to enable those smart home functions. | Yes |
| Matter support | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms | Aqara's Hub page identifies Aqara Home app control on iOS and Android. | The documentation says ioBroker can run on Linux, macOS, Windows, or Docker, while the installation page requires a system that supports Node.js. |
| Purpose | Aqara Home manages and controls Aqara smart devices and supports home automation. | ioBroker connects devices and services from different manufacturers in one system for monitoring, control, and home automation. |
| Security | Aqara’s Apple Home page says communications between Apple devices and Aqara devices are end-to-end encrypted when using Apple Home. | For remote access, ioBroker initiates an outbound connection, so the user does not need to open a router port or use DynDNS. |
| Support | Aqara's US store lists FAQ, contact, user manuals, installation videos, and lifetime customer support. | The project points users to its community forum, Discord, Facebook groups, documentation, and tutorials; it says community support is not contractually guaranteed. |
| Voice assistant support | Yes | Yes |
| Zigbee support | Yes | Yes |
Plans
In their own words
Aqara Home
Aqara Home is an Android and iOS app for adding Aqara devices and viewing or controlling them. It supports remote control, device grouping, schedules, real-time notifications, automations, and scenes. Automations can use device triggers and conditions to determine actions; scenes can gather multiple automations or serve as an automation result. The app also offers device upgrades, sub-device setup, and additional settings for documented HomeKit devices. Aqara lists compatibility with Matter, Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, SmartThings, Clova, Alice, IFTTT, and Home Connect Plus, although compatibility varies by product. A hub may be required for some ecosystems or functions; Advanced Matter Bridging requires a compatible Aqara hub. After devices are added in Aqara Home, OAuth 2.0 or interface authorization can provide device viewing and control permissions. The app is free. Aqara says communications between Apple devices and Aqara devices are end-to-end encrypted when using Apple Home. Users should check Aqara’s product activation region policy for regional details.
ioBroker
ioBroker brings devices and services from different makers into one local system for monitoring, control, and home automation. It runs on a home network and stores values, history, and rules on the user's computer, without requiring cloud storage for its own operation. Users install adapters for the devices, protocols, and online services they need; more than 800 are available. Integration examples include Zigbee, Z-Wave, KNX, Modbus, MQTT, manufacturer clouds, and voice assistants. Automations can use graphical rules, Blockly, JavaScript, TypeScript, or Node-RED. The platform supports local control, cameras, energy monitoring, and Matter, and is available for Linux, macOS, Windows, web, API, and self-hosted use. Its open-source platform and basic functions are free. Free ioBroker.net remote access is limited to browser visualization without editing and has data-volume and functionality limits. The free vis-2 license requires an internet connection each time ioBroker restarts. Without a license, the Matter bridge can expose up to five devices to Apple Home, Google Home, or Alexa.