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Gladys Assistant

Building a self-hosted smart home with the strictest possible privacy — no cloud of any kind by default

Privacy score 95 Free Technical: Intermediate
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Gladys Assistant is a self-hosted, open-source smart home platform that has deliberately removed all cloud features. No

, no account creation, no optional sync — everything runs on your local hardware.

🔀

Recommended alternatives

Linux Raspberry-pi Docker Web Android iOS

Who is this for?

Good for you if:

  • You want a smart home platform with zero and zero cloud features
  • You prefer a cleaner, more focused interface than Home Assistant
  • You are based in the EU and want a -native project
  • You want open-source code you can inspect and trust
  • You want optional remote access without trusting a cloud server

Think twice if:

  • You need the widest possible device integration ecosystem (Home Assistant covers more brands)
  • You rely on integrations not yet supported by Gladys plugins
  • You want a very large community with extensive guides and forums

Overview

Most smart home platforms offer a "local mode" as an option — but still send data to the cloud by default or collect analytics

. Gladys Assistant takes the opposite approach. Cloud features were removed by design, not as an afterthought. There is no telemetry to opt out of because none exists. No external account is required. Everything runs on your own Raspberry Pi or server on your local network. Gladys supports Zigbee, Matter, MQTT, and a growing library of device integrations through plugins. The interface is clean and mobile-first. If you want remote access, the optional Gladys Plus subscription creates a peer-to-peer encrypted tunnel — your home data never passes through Gladys servers. The project is built in France by Pierre-Gilles Leymarie and contributors, with a GDPR-first mindset baked in from the start.

Privacy highlight

Zero

. No cloud features whatsoever. Fully local, , French -native project.

Quick facts

Country:
🇫🇷 France
Pricing:
Free
Platform:
Linux, Raspberry-pi, Docker, Web, Android, iOS
Technical:
Intermediate
:
No
:
No telemetry
:
No
:
Yes
:
Yes

Key features

  • Zero cloud features — fully local by default
  • No , no account creation required
  • Zigbee, Matter, MQTT support
  • Plugin system for device integrations
  • Optional peer-to-peer encrypted remote access (Gladys Plus)
  • Mobile-first web interface
Security & encryption Click to expand
No
Encryption protocols
TLS 1.2+, Peer-to-peer encrypted tunnel (Gladys Plus remote access)
All data is stored locally. The optional Gladys Plus remote access uses a peer-to-peer encrypted tunnel — data does not pass through Gladys servers. Keys are managed locally.
Offline support
Yes
Telemetry & tracking Click to expand
No telemetry
No
Ip no
No exists in Gladys Assistant. There is no collection of any kind.
Jurisdiction & compliance Click to expand
Fully local on your own hardware by default.
All data is stored locally on your hardware. Nothing is transmitted externally under any default configuration.
Legal frameworks
Revenue sources
Gladys Plus subscription (optional remote access), GitHub Sponsors
Editorial signals Click to expand
95
Trust score
88
Trust breakdown (0–10)
Encryption: 85, Audits: 65, Open source: 100, Telemetry: 100, Jurisdiction: 85, Transparency: 80, Trackers: 100
Editorial notes
Usability: 78, Performance: 85, Family friendly: 72
User experience Click to expand
Signup requirements
No account required. Optional Gladys Plus account for remote access.
Onboarding difficulty (1-5)
2
Accessibility features
Gladys Assistant's web interface supports keyboard navigation and is accessible via screen readers through browser accessibility APIs.
Backup & portability Click to expand
Yes
Migration tools
Manual config export
Local backup restore

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