You'll really thank yourself if you leave the Apple ecosystem ASAP. You'll very quickly realise you've been virtually jailed and manipulated into spending too much for incredibly restricted technology.
this post was submitted on 05 Dec 2025
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Hi, I'm a HA and HK user personally, and it doesn't at all have to be an 'either-or' scenario.
First, and foremost, RatGDO works exceptionally well with HK with the native homekit firmware: https://github.com/ratgdo/homekit-ratgdo. It's rock solid and responsive, and I've been using the original RatGDO device since the whole API fiasco years ago.
Second, HA (or alternatively Homebridge), can both be used to connect non-homekit devices into the homekit ecosystem. That was my primary use-case of HA. For example, our hodge-podge collection of Govee light strips, Doorbell, Tuya switches, and Lifx bulbs are all in our Home apps. The kids + spouse don't know any different, it's all just in Home and responds to 'hey siri', including the garage.. There's various plugins for many devices, and with the homekit addon, you just pipe all your devices right into HK.
Then, with HA, you get the added bonus of your own Dashboard. For example, I use this to see what's playing on the various screens around the house. You can also do more complex automations, which can include services you don't hook into HK like your kids minecraft server, etc.
The point being, you don't have to choose one or the other, HA was incredibly useful for me to get stuff INTO homekit, and for the family that might be all they interact with. While you on the backend get more control tothen tinker with the automations, etc.
Love ha.
I suggest to purchase a home assistant gren device as its really well done and super stable. I moved to one of those after hosting ha on many different devices over time, and would not go back.
You also support the project, which is cool.
U can install the HomeKit Bridge integration, which will funnel your selected devices from HA to HomeKit. For example all my lights and my air purifier were anre set up annd controllable in HA. I then set up the HomeKit Bridge integration and added those devices to the bridge. So they show up and are controllable via HomeKit.
Never touched HK but a buddy of mine uses it only. AFAIK HK compatibility is expensive compared to cheap HA integrations. Even hardware not specifically for HA can be integrated like Tuya products with "local Tuya" so the availability is huge compared to HK. Getting into HA takes a bit time but it's worth it.
There is an HA app on android and iOS where you can create widgets for all kind off stuff ranging from switches over sensors to scenes and automations. Or you can create multiple dashboards for each kid with their own layout.
It's at least worth a try.