Gira HomeServer/FacilityServer vs Home Assistant
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Gira HomeServer/FacilityServer
Control complex building technology remotely or from any room. This client app connects to a Gira HomeServer or FacilityServer, offering clear displays and quick access to building functions. Customize views and profiles for different buildings or users.
- Remote building technology control
- Clear function displays
- Customizable user profiles
- Room and function overviews
- Energy consumption diagrams
- Weather data access
- Camera monitoring
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Gira HomeServer/FacilityServer A simple and elegant way of operating complex building technology while away or from any room at home: with the Gira HomeServer app, you have everything under control – with an iPhone, iPod touch or iPad, via GSM, UMTS or WLAN, from outside or inside the building. The app acts as a client, communicating with the Gira HomeServer or FacilityServer: the Gira Interface displays all functions clearly and concisely and allows quick access to the building. The display is either horizontal or vertical and can be modified by simply rotating the device. Various profiles allow controlling different buildings such as a personal residence or company as well as various views of one building. In this way, different functions can be controlled from outside the building than from inside. Different views can also be created for users. The most important features: Main menu The main menu displays all building functions. Date, time, current temperature and active functions can be viewed via the status bar. The jump back to the main menu is via the lower navigation bar. Room list All rooms of a property are assigned by floor. The overview of all applications installed in a room can be opened by touch. Room functions The functions within a room and their status are recognizable at a glance and can be operated with a touch. For more complex functions such as the heating control system, a pop-up menu is opened. If the device is rotated by 90°, the horizontal format opens a further view of the time clock functions. Time clock A function can be adapted to personal requirements via a range of filter functions; random values are also possible in this way. Diagrams Diagrams enable the clear display of detected and evaluated consumption data by year, month, week, day or hour. If the unit is turned by 90°, the last active diagram appears in the horizontal format. Temperature differences, for example, can be visualised via multi-touch. Messages Alarm and fault messages, measured values and states of the various components integrated in the system are clearly displayed. Weather data The data from the weather station installed on the building such as wind speed, precipitation and temperatures are available at a glance. Energy generation and fill levels The energy generation of a photovoltaic system can be viewed just as easily as the fill level of a cistern for rain water. Camera Cameras on the grounds can be called up with one operational step. Important note This app can only be used in connection with a Gira HomeServer or FacilityServer in a KNX/EIB installation. A list of specialists for intelligent building technology is available at www.gira.com/en/bezugsquellen
Home Assistant
Control your smart home devices from anywhere with this open-source solution. Automate routines, monitor your home's status, and integrate thousands of devices for enhanced privacy and sustainability.
- Control thousands of smart devices
- Automate home routines
- Discover and configure new devices
- Securely share location for automation
- Receive home status notifications
- Build custom widgets
- Integrate with voice assistants
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The Home Assistant Companion app allows you to access your Home Assistant instance on the go. Home Assistant is the smart home solution focused on privacy, choice, and sustainability. It runs locally in your home via a device like the Home Assistant Green or Raspberry Pi. This app connects to all the most powerful features of Home Assistant, - One app to control the whole home - Home Assistant is compatible with the biggest brands in the smart home, connecting to thousands of smart devices and services. - Discover automatically and quickly configure new devices - such as Philips Hue, Sonos, and IKEA Tradfri. - Automate everything - Make all the devices in your home work in harmony - have your lights dim when you start watching a movie, or turn off your heat when you’re away from home. - Keep your home’s data in the home - use it privately to see past trends and averages. - Connect to open standards with hardware add-ons - including Z-Wave, Zigbee, Matter, Thread, and Bluetooth. - Connect anywhere - If you would like to access this app while away from home, the most secure and simple way to get started is Home Assistant Cloud. The app unlocks your smartphone or tablet as a home automation tool. - Securely share your location, using it to automate heating, security, and so much more. - Get notifications on what's happening in your home, from detecting leaks to doors left open, you have full control over what it tells you. - Carplay functionality lets you open a garage or disable the security system from the dash of your car. - Build your own widgets to control any device in your home with a tap. - Integrate Home Assistant's functionality into Shortcuts, for example have your phone’s morning alarm turn on the coffee machine. - Apple Watch compatibility can show your home's temperature on a watch face or quickly activate devices. - Text or talk to your local voice assistant on your device. - Mac compatibility allows you to control your home from your desktop, but also to share data to build automation, like having your streaming lights turn on when your camera is active. Join the over 1 million users and empower your home with better privacy, choice and sustainability. Compatible with: Airthings, Amazon Alexa, Amcrest, Apple HomeKit, Apple TV, ASUSWRT, August, Belink WeMo, Bluetooth, Bose SoundTouch, Broadlink, BTHome, deCONZ, Denon, Devolo, DLNA, Ecobee, Ecovacs, Ecowitt, Elgato, EZVIZ, Fritz, Fully Kiosk, GoodWe, Govee, Growatt, Hikvision, Hive, Home Connect, Homematic, HomeWizard, Honeywell, iCloud, IFTTT, IKEA Tradfri, Insteon, Jellyfin, LG Smart TVs, LIFX, Logitech Harmony, Lutron Caseta, Magic Home, Matter, MotionEye, MQTT, MusicCast, Nanoleaf, Netatmo, Nuki, OctoPrint, ONVIF, Opower, Overkiz, OwnTracks, Panasonic Viera, Philips Hue, Pi-hole, Plex, Reolink, Ring, Roborock, Roku, Samsung TVs, Sense, Sensiba, Shelly, SmartThings, SolarEdge, Sonarr, Sonos, Sony Bravia, Spotify, Steam, SwitchBot, Synology, Tado, Tasmota, Tesla Wall, Thread, Tile, TP-Link Smart Home, Tuya, UniFi, UPnP, Verisure, Vizio, Wallbox, WebRTC, WiZ, WLED, Xbox, Xiaomi BLE, Yale, Yeelight, YoLink, Z-Wave, Zigbe
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Home Assistant at 4.7 against Gira HomeServer/FacilityServer's 1.0. Home Assistant also leads on update cadence (every 10 days vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (4K vs 3). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Home Assistant holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Home Assistant has 4K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 45% of Gira HomeServer/FacilityServer's written reviews are positive against 54% of Home Assistant's.
Gira HomeServer/FacilityServer ships an update every 4 months, Home Assistant every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Gira HomeServer/FacilityServer | Home Assistant |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 1.0 (3 ratings) | 4.7 (4K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 44.7% of reviews | 54.1% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 3 | 4K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 10 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — better |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 16.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 18 MB | 232 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | +4 |
| Developer | Gira Giersiepen GmbH & Co KG | Nabu Casa, Inc |
Customer experience
Gira HomeServer/FacilityServer
Home Assistant
In-app purchases
Gira HomeServer/FacilityServer
No in-app purchases
Home Assistant
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Gira HomeServer/FacilityServer free?
Is Home Assistant free?
Which has better reviews, Gira HomeServer/FacilityServer or Home Assistant?
Do Gira HomeServer/FacilityServer or Home Assistant have ads?
Which is updated more often, Gira HomeServer/FacilityServer or Home Assistant?
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