FHEM vs openHAB

FHEM is free, GPL version 2 software for automating household devices from a self-hosted Perl server. It can control lamps, shutters, heating, and other compatible equipment while recording temperature, humidity, and power events. Control is available through web or smartphone frontends, telnet, or TCP/IP. FHEM can create devices and logs when new device data arrives, write events to files or databases with regular-expression filters, notify external programs or scripts, and run timed commands. Its text, JSON, and XML interfaces work over plain TCP/IP, SSL, or HTTP. The modular system lists more than 430 modules and supports devices and services including HomeMatic, Z-Wave, EnOcean, Philips Hue, FRITZ!Dect, Alexa, HomeKit, HomeBridge, and MQTT. Media examples include major television brands, Bose, Sonos, Kodi, Plex, and Apple TV. It offers local control, energy monitoring, voice-assistant support, installation guidance, packages, containers, documentation, and a forum.

openHAB is free, open-source home automation software that runs on the user's hardware and can operate without a cloud service. It supports more than 400 technologies and systems, with over 3,000 supported things available through add-ons. Its automation engine includes rules, time and event triggers, scripts, actions, notifications and voice control. Servers can run on Linux, macOS, Windows, Raspberry Pi, Docker and Synology; access is available through web, iOS, Android and other apps. Integrations include Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa and Apple HomeKit. The project says data stays privately at home and that local devices are contacted directly when possible. The myopenhab.org service is free when used with the openHAB Cloud connector. The project describes itself as vendor-neutral and says it avoids lock-in. For Raspberry Pi, openHABian provides an image with preconfigured settings and software. The project has no company behind it; the openHAB Foundation, a registered non-profit organisation, supports openHAB and its development. The community shares examples and tutorials and provides help.