Google Home vs ioBroker
Google Home
home.google.comioBroker
iobroker.comSide by side
| Figure | Google Home | ioBroker |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $10/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 5 | 1 |
| Spec score · Home automation platforms | 9.4 (#1) | 8.8 (#6) |
| Spec score · Smart Home Apps | 9.2 (#2) | 8.6 (#7) |
| Spec score · Home Automation & Smart Home Software | 9.1 (#1) | 8.3 (#7) |
| Spec score · Home Automation | 9.1 (#2) | 8.4 (#9) |
| Camera integration | Yes | Yes |
| Energy monitoring | Yes | Yes |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Intended users | Google Home is designed for people managing compatible smart home devices, including cameras, doorbells, speakers, displays, thermostats, lights, locks, and appliances. | The site describes ioBroker as beginner-friendly through graphical tools and Blockly, while also supporting advanced scripting and custom logic. |
| Local control | Yes | Yes |
| Matter support | Google Home supports Matter devices, allowing compatible products from different ecosystems to work together through a Matter hub. | Yes |
| Purpose | Google Home brings compatible smart devices together in one app to set them up, control them, and automate the home. | ioBroker connects devices and services from different manufacturers in one system for monitoring, control, and home automation. |
| Support | The Google Play listing provides app support by email at [email protected]. | 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 |
Plans
Google Home
- Free Google Home appFree
- Google Home Premium Standard$10 a month
- Google Home Premium Standard$10 a month
- Google Home Premium Advanced$20 a month
- Google Home Premium Advanced$20 a month
In their own words
Google Home
Google Home brings compatible smart devices into one app for setup, control, and home automation. The dashboard can pin favorite devices and show camera feeds, alerts, and activity from connected first- and third-party products. Compatibility includes Google and Nest devices, Matter devices, and thousands of partner products carrying the Works with Google Home badge. Automations can come from suggestions, be drafted with Gemini from text, or be built in an editor with starters, conditions, and actions. Gemini for Home supports natural spoken requests, including multiple requests in one go. On the web, users can monitor cameras and doorbells, adjust devices, run automations, and create them with a script editor. The app is available on Android and iOS, and the service has a free plan. A Matter hub is needed to manage Matter devices while away from home. Many features also require the app, Wi-Fi, and internet access; availability can vary by country and language. Premium Standard is $10/month or $100/year, and Premium Advanced is $20/month or $200/year.
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.