Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

ESPHome VS Blynk.io

Compare ESPHome VS Blynk.io and see what are their differences

Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

ESPHome logo ESPHome

ESPHome is a system to control your ESP8266/ESP32 by simple yet powerful configuration files and control them remotely through Home Automation systems.

Blynk.io logo Blynk.io

We make internet of things simple
  • ESPHome Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-12
  • Blynk.io Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-19

Blynk is a low-code IoT software platform for connecting devices to the cloud, building mobile apps to remotely control and monitor them, and managing thousands of users and deployed products. It’s a PaaS (Platform-as-a-Service) that helps businesses and individuals seamlessly progress from a prototype of a connected product to its commercial launch and further growth.

ESPHome features and specs

  • Customizable
    ESPHome allows users to create custom firmware for ESP8266/ESP32 devices with YAML-based configuration, enabling extensive personalization to suit individual needs.
  • Integration with Home Assistant
    ESPHome natively integrates with Home Assistant, making it straightforward to control and monitor ESP-based devices within this popular smart home platform.
  • Wireless Updates
    ESPHome supports OTA (Over-The-Air) updates, allowing for convenient and remote firmware upgrades without the need to physically access the device.
  • Wide Device Support
    ESPHome offers support for a broad range of sensors and actuators, making it adaptable for various home automation projects.
  • Open Source
    Being an open-source platform, ESPHome benefits from community contributions and transparency, which fosters innovation and trust.

Possible disadvantages of ESPHome

  • Complexity
    For beginners, the YAML configuration system and initial setup might be daunting, requiring a learning curve to fully utilize its capabilities.
  • Limited Standalone Functionality
    While powerful when used with Home Assistant, ESPHome might not be as effective or feature-rich as a standalone solution without another smart home hub.
  • Hardware Limitations
    The compatible ESP devices (ESP8266/ESP32) have hardware limitations, such as limited RAM and processing power, which can restrict complex automations.
  • Dependent on Wi-Fi Connectivity
    ESPHome devices rely on Wi-Fi for operation and updates, so poor Wi-Fi coverage can lead to performance issues or disconnections.
  • Potential Stability Issues
    As with many open-source and DIY projects, users might encounter stability issues or bugs that require troubleshooting and maintenance.

Blynk.io features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Blynk.io offers an intuitive and easy-to-use interface, which makes it accessible to both beginners and experienced developers. Its drag-and-drop functionality simplifies the process of IoT application development.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    Blynk.io supports various platforms such as iOS, Android, and major hardware like Arduino, Raspberry Pi, ESP8266, and others. This multi-platform support can accelerate the development and deployment of IoT projects.
  • Cloud Connectivity
    Blynk provides seamless cloud connectivity, allowing developers to control their IoT devices remotely and access data from anywhere. This enhances the functionality and usability of IoT solutions.
  • Extensive Widget Library
    Blynk.io offers a wide range of widgets that can be used to create user interfaces for IoT applications. This extensive library aids in customizing the user experience according to specific requirements.
  • Active Community and Support
    The platform has a large, active community and robust support resources, including forums, tutorials, and documentation. This facilitates troubleshooting and inspires innovation among developers.

Possible disadvantages of Blynk.io

  • Subscription-Based Pricing
    The advanced features and commercial use of Blynk.io require a subscription, which might be prohibitive for hobbyists or small startups with limited budgets.
  • Limited Free Tier
    The free tier comes with limitations on the number of devices and widgets, which may hinder the development of complex or larger-scale IoT projects without upgrading to a paid plan.
  • Data Privacy Concerns
    Since Blynk operates on a cloud-based model, some users may have concerns about data privacy and security, especially when dealing with sensitive or proprietary information.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    While the basic features are straightforward, there can be a steep learning curve to master advanced functionalities and integrations, requiring significant time and effort for less experienced users.
  • Dependency on Internet Connection
    Blynk's cloud-based nature means that an active and stable internet connection is essential for optimal functioning. This dependency can be a drawback in regions with poor connectivity.

ESPHome videos

Getting Started with ESPHome and Home Assistant

More videos:

  • Review - ESPHome vs Tasmota - Speedtests and Features | Which one should I choose?
  • Review - Home Automation With Home Assistant and ESPHome - First Steps

Blynk.io videos

Blynk IoT Platform Overview

More videos:

  • Tutorial - New Blynk IoT platform with esp32 | how to setup automation in Blynk IoT app | #iot #blynk #esp32🔥🔥

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to ESPHome and Blynk.io)
Automation
100 100%
0% 0
IoT Platform
0 0%
100% 100
Home
100 100%
0% 0
Data Dashboard
34 34%
66% 66

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare ESPHome and Blynk.io

ESPHome Reviews

We have no reviews of ESPHome yet.
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Blynk.io Reviews

Best IoT Platforms in 2022 for Small Business
Blynk is a multi-tenant solution with which you can add users and assign permissions to download the app, connect the devices and get access to your data. Blynk also offers a white-label solution enabling you to add your company logo, choose the theme, colors, app icon and publish the app to the App Store and Google Play under your company name. Blynk offers an interface to...
Source: www.fogwing.io
Open Source Internet of Things (IoT) Platforms
As a hardware-agnostic IoT platform, Blynk.io comes with device management, data analytics, and machine learning functionalities while allowing you to connect to any device. You also have a mobile app constructor that allows you to build IoT apps per drag-and-drop. You get a variety of ready-made widgets to create white-labeled native iOS and Android apps for any use case.
14 of the Best IoT Platforms to Watch in 2021
With a promise to help you build your first IoT app in five minutes, Blynk is another extensive IoT platform supporting 400+ hardware devices. These include Arduino and all its shields, Espressif devices (ESP32 and ESP8266), Particle, MicroPython, and many single-board computers. Using this platform is that simple because you only need to download the Blynk app for Android...

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, ESPHome seems to be a lot more popular than Blynk.io. While we know about 134 links to ESPHome, we've tracked only 10 mentions of Blynk.io. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

ESPHome mentions (134)

  • DIY Smart home project: Presence-activated lights
    Instead of manually programming the microcontroller, I'll run ESPHome on it, for two reasons:. - Source: dev.to / 5 days ago
  • The Danglepoise
    It's obviously way too late now but esphome is a very nice easy mode solution for the whole remote upload/logging/server/mqtt/iot widget thing if you don't want to drag in esp-idf. You can write custom c++ modules for bits they don't have already, although that's pretty rare. Often used with HA but it works fine standalone with MQTT too, and deployment doesn't have to be from a server. https://esphome.io/. - Source: Hacker News / 12 days ago
  • ESPHome
    Solid state relay is probably a bad idea with all the extra heat-sinking, extra cost, and chance of getting counterfeits. I do this with ESPHome & a J115F21C12VDCS.9 relay (note only the NO side is rated for 40A resistive): https://i.imgur.com/MqqOkoY.png Choose any of the temperature sensors here for air temperature sensing: https://esphome.io/ Configuration is so easy. For the sensor, just copy the config... - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • A Custom Zigbee Doorbell
    You might want to take a look at https://esphome.io/ for an easy integration of an ESP32/8266 into home Assistant. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Thoughts, learnings and regrets after three years on Home Assistant
    You can do this with a $30 Sonoff S31 running ESPHome [0]. Since the Sonoff wall switch can run a ping sensor against your server you could create a watchdog automation right on the S31 to shut off the mains power to the S31 switch and turn back on after X seconds. There are other ways you could have the S31 do operational checks but ultimately ESPHome is probably an interesting consideration and supported by tons... - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
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Blynk.io mentions (10)

  • Real-Time IoT Visualization Essentials
    5. Blynk: Blynk is perfect for IoT developers building mobile-based projects. This powerful platform not only enables you to monitor your IoT devices seamlessly but also allows you to create interactive dashboards directly on your smartphone. With Blynk, you can visualize live data and control your devices from anywhere. We will explore how Blynk enhances real-time monitoring and transforms the way we interact... - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • free-for.dev
    Blynk — A SaaS with API to control, build & evaluate IoT devices. Free Developer Plan with 5 devices,Free Cloud & data storage. Mobile Apps also available. - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
  • way to control led strips by phone
    Https://blynk.io/ (you can find an example that uses their legacy API in one of my releases). Source: over 2 years ago
  • Wemos Controlled Solar Powered Well Monitor
    Like it says, to try and keep up with the changing well levels in the summer at my house, I put together a project to monitor well water levels and update a Blynk app. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Blynk for Arduino Nano
    Agreed about google and would add clarity. In the field of IT clarity is critical. If OP had said blynk.io, the .io would have clicked with me that it was a web site. Another guy just asked about PS/2 - I thought he meant the keyboard/mouse interface. Others twigged that he meant Playstation 2. Source: over 3 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing ESPHome and Blynk.io, you can also consider the following products

Home-Assistant.io - Home Assistant is an open-source home automation platform running on Python 3.

ThingSpeak - Open source data platform for the Internet of Things. ThingSpeak Features

Tasmota - Alternative firmware for ESP8266 with easy configuration using webUI, OTA updates, automation using timers or rules, expandability and entirely local control over MQTT, HTTP, Serial or KNX.

AWS IoT - Easily and securely connect devices to the cloud.

Homeway.io - Free, private, and secure Home Assistant remote access, Alexa and Google Assistant integration, and official Home Assistant iOS and Android remote access. Get started now! Now with Sage AI - ChatGPT powered Home Assistant AI!

Ubidots - A cloud service to capture and make sense of sensor data