You need an always-on computer on your home network to run Home Assistant. For a beginner who wants a dedicated hub with minimal setup, Home Assistant Green is the easiest starting point: it ships with Home Assistant installed, and Home Assistant recommends it for most people. A Raspberry Pi or compatible mini PC can also run it, but those options take more setup. You do not need a Zigbee or Z-Wave adapter unless you want to connect devices that use those radio protocols.
What you need before choosing hardware
Home Assistant runs locally on a host that stays powered on and connected to your home network. That host might be a ready-made Green hub, a Raspberry Pi, a dedicated x86-64 computer, or a system already running containers or virtual machines. The best choice depends more on what you own and how much setup you want than on a universal speed ranking: Home Assistant does not publish directly comparable performance benchmarks for these options.
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For the simplest installation and maintenance, Home Assistant recommends Home Assistant OS. It includes the Supervisor and supports Home Assistant apps. Home Assistant Container is a standalone Core installation and does not include apps; containers and virtual machines also require you to manage more of the underlying host. See Home Assistant’s installation overview.
Compare the main hardware options
| Option | Best suited to | What you need or should check | Setup and trade-offs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Assistant Green | A beginner who wants a dedicated, ready-to-start hub | Network access through Ethernet; the hub includes its power supply and an Ethernet cable | Home Assistant is preinstalled. Connect power and Ethernet, then complete setup. |
| Raspberry Pi 4 or 5 | A DIY setup or someone who already owns a compatible Pi | At least 2 GB RAM, compatible power supply, microSD card and Ethernet | Flash the Home Assistant OS image and complete headless setup. The official Pi 5 guidance also describes booting from SD with an NVMe drive as an optional data disk. |
| Generic x86-64 mini PC | Someone repurposing a computer or wanting a dedicated small PC | 64-bit Intel- or AMD-based system with UEFI; an internal SATA or M.2 SSD is typical | Install Home Assistant OS, configure UEFI and disable Secure Boot. Writing the image to the target disk erases its existing contents. |
| Container or virtual machine on an existing system | Someone already comfortable with Linux, Docker or virtualization | An existing host with suitable container or VM capability | More host administration; the Container installation does not include Home Assistant apps. |
Home Assistant Green: the simplest dedicated setup
Green is a small, ready-made hub with Home Assistant already installed. Home Assistant’s FAQ calls it “the recommended option for most people.” Its published specifications are a Rockchip RK3566 quad-core Arm Cortex-A55 processor at 1.8 GHz, 4 GB LPDDR4X RAM, 32 GB eMMC storage, Gigabit Ethernet and two USB 2.0 ports. It comes with an Ethernet cable and a universal 12 V power supply. Check the current product details on the Home Assistant Green page.
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For a beginner, the practical advantage is fewer parts to source and no operating-system image to flash. You still need a working Ethernet connection to your home network and a place to keep the hub powered on.
Raspberry Pi: a flexible DIY route
A Raspberry Pi is one supported way to run Home Assistant, but it is not a requirement. Home Assistant’s current installation overview lists a Raspberry Pi 4 or 5 with at least 2 GB of RAM, plus a compatible power supply, microSD card and Ethernet connection. You must flash the Home Assistant OS image and carry out a headless setup. Follow the current installation instructions for the supported Pi models and process.
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Home Assistant’s Pi 5 article says the higher CPU clock made Home Assistant feel noticeably snappier in the project’s testing. That observation is not a directly comparable benchmark against Green or mini PCs. The article also describes an arrangement that boots from an SD card and uses an NVMe drive as optional data storage; check the Raspberry Pi 5 and Home Assistant guidance before choosing a drive or adapter.
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Mini PC: a good choice if you have compatible hardware
A mini PC can be a sensible dedicated host, especially if you already own a compatible machine. For the generic x86-64 Home Assistant OS installation, Home Assistant’s guide assumes a dedicated 64-bit Intel- or AMD-based computer with UEFI. It advises enabling UEFI and disabling Secure Boot. An internal SATA or M.2 SSD is typical; consult the generic x86-64 installation guide for the exact image and installation steps.
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Installing the Home Assistant OS image onto a computer’s drive replaces the drive’s prior contents. Back up files you need before proceeding, and make sure you are writing to the intended disk. A computer that must continue running its existing operating system or other services may be better suited to a VM or container approach, which has different maintenance requirements.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Do you need a Zigbee, Thread or Z-Wave adapter?
No—not to run Home Assistant itself. A radio adapter is only needed when you want Home Assistant to communicate with devices that use the relevant protocol. Home Assistant lists Connect ZBT-2 for Zigbee and Thread, and Connect ZWA-2 for Z-Wave. Check the Home Assistant hardware page for its current adapter information. These adapters expand device connectivity; they are separate from the host computer that runs Home Assistant.
Quick Recap
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Choose based on the setup you actually want
- Choose Green if you want a dedicated hub with Home Assistant already installed and the fewest setup steps.
- Choose a Raspberry Pi if you want a DIY build or already have a compatible Pi and are comfortable flashing an image and assembling the required parts.
- Choose a mini PC if you have a compatible 64-bit Intel- or AMD-based computer, or want a dedicated small PC and are prepared to install Home Assistant OS and configure UEFI.
- Use a container or VM if you already administer the host system and are comfortable taking on its extra maintenance.
- Add a radio adapter only if needed for Zigbee, Thread or Z-Wave devices you plan to connect.
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