boneIO Black vs ESP

Wondering which controller version to choose? boneIO Black? ESP? Or maybe both? The following comparison focuses on showing the key differences between the controllers, as well as highlighting the strongest points of each series.

Introduction

Both versions of boneIO controllers are independent home automation platforms that can operate completely autonomously – without the need for a Home Assistant server connection. Although they have different architectures and capabilities, their purpose is very similar. Below is a detailed comparison of their capabilities.

Comparison Table

* Using a WiFi connection in a closed metal distribution board or electrical cabinet is not recommended due to strong signal attenuation.
** The device is equipped with an application that allows for preparing your own Modbus configurations. After preparing the configuration, adding it to the software should not take more than 48 business hours.

---

Architecture and Software

• System and compilation: boneIO Black is based on a specially prepared Linux distribution (Debian 13) – which has been additionally modified by us. Unnecessary elements were removed, leaving a lightweight, coherent core and essential packages – ensuring incredible stability. Using the Debian system translates into vast capabilities, at the cost of a noticeably longer device boot time from the moment power is applied (a fully advanced operating system must load: inputs and outputs work after about a minute, the panel shortly after). The boneIO ESP version relies on uploading firmware from ESPHome. Its compilation and flashing (uploading to the microprocessor) on a computer is somewhat time-consuming, but this pays off with nearly instant device startup! After a power restart, the controller is ready for immediate action almost instantly (about 5 seconds).
• Open Source: The ESP solution on the logic side is based on an Open Source project – ESPHome, backed by a massive community. What is extremely important from a potential user's perspective, all original boneIO software managing the boneIO Black model, built on the Linux system architecture (as well as our operating system itself), also remains 100% free and fully Open Source software!
• Independence from Home Assistant: Both controllers are fully intelligent and autonomous, capable of executing rules set on them locally without the requirement of maintaining a connection to the Home Assistant server.

Configuration and Management

• User Interface: All configuration and management of the boneIO Black series takes place through an extensive and extremely intuitive graphical interface. Additionally, the application managing boneIO Black supports the PWA standard, which means you can easily pin the controller interface as a native application to your smartphone's home screen for easy access. Interacting with the controller is very simple and straightforward. On the other hand, the ESP platform is based on YAML code syntax; although this can be more complicated for a layman, in large and complex installations, it allows ESP to implement ready-made logic templates and repeatable entities of various types much more simply and flexibly.
• Management via HA: The boneIO Black platform has its own, officially prepared Application within the Home Assistant ecosystem, which allows for easy controller management. It brings our proprietary application inside HA. From within it, you can also create backups of the controller – without this Application, the user must manually take care of downloading and storing backups. For the ESP platform, the configuration is always stored on the ESPHome Device Builder server, so it is important to regularly back up that application.
• Multiclick Function: Due to higher performance and design differences, multiclick functions react and work noticeably faster in the boneIO Black model. Additionally, it offers sequences as well as a much easier configuration process.
• Output grouping: boneIO Black natively supports grouping outputs into light and switch groups, which are immediately visible as separate entities in Home Assistant. This allows easy control of, for example, an entire group of lights in a room with a single button. The ESP platform does not support output grouping within the device – this kind of logic must be handled on the Home Assistant side.

Ready out of the box, without programming

What would be a YAML project on ESP is a form in the boneIO Black panel — saved in seconds, with nothing to compile or upload:

• Schedules and the sun — actions at a clock time or at sunrise, sunset and the twilights, with an offset, a random spread, conditions and earliest/latest bounds. Each schedule shows its next run and its history, and appears in Home Assistant as a switch. See Schedules.
• Presence simulation — answer four questions and an empty house looks lived in: in the evening the lights go on room by room. See Presence simulation.
• Virtual switches — modes such as Away or Evening that other actions depend on, with no relay behind them.
• Alarm, irrigation, thermostat, energy counters — ready-made functions configured in the panel.
• Secure from the first start — the panel over HTTPS, accounts with an administrator and a read-only role, no default passwords, and a Security page that says what is still worth fixing. 1.6 is our work of adapting boneIO Black towards the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA).
• Looks after itself — boneIO, Debian and the kernel update from the panel; backups, a diagnostics bundle you can send us, and a recovery mode when a configuration does not load.

Communication and Ecosystem

• Control between devices: As a kind of central controller, the boneIO Black model can control other boneIO Black series controllers by sending them notifications via the MQTT broker, as well as control other modules from the ESP world by communicating with them directly through the native, local ESPHome API interface. Furthermore, it can also natively control devices dedicated to controlling addressable LED strips with WLED software (effectively allowing, for example, a "single click" of a wall button to be assigned to an instant scene initiation action from the WLED controller). Meanwhile, simple and single-task-focused controllers from the ESP family can freely communicate with each other thanks to UDP. ESP series devices cannot issue control commands to boneIO Black controllers.
• Built-in Node-Red: The boneIO Black system comes equipped with Node-Red as standard, providing a visual, full-featured, powerful tool that enables the creation of extremely complex automations within the controller itself. It is extremely useful in situations where we want to make part of the automation independent of HA. It can also be an alternative approach for the installer, making a large part of the system independent of "higher" control layers.
• Network Connections: boneIO Black series devices communicate exclusively via a wired Ethernet port. ESP optionally allows for WiFi connectivity. However, due to the conditions in metal electrical distribution boards, it is used very rarely.

Modbus and Hardware Dimensions

• Case size: Due to a much more powerful SOC, as well as a larger number of inputs in boneIO Black models, they take up slightly more space in the distribution board – 15 DIN standard poles. For those with less space, the ESP model taking up 12 DIN may prove to be a better choice.
• Signal connectors (IO Peripherals): Naturally, the case size translates into a larger number of available digital inputs. boneIO Black allows for connecting up to 49 of them, whereas in the case of the ESP model, we are talking about 35 inputs.
• Modbus RS485 bus performance: boneIO Black is able to handle a larger number of devices with a higher polling frequency. Thanks to the processor's multithreading, it is able to maintain high performance of other functions while polling Modbus devices.

---

Hybrid Installations – unlock the potential!

When creating the architecture of a modern smart home, it is worth considering a hybrid model. Creating a hybrid installation is the most optimal solution in terms of reliability and resource balance:

• Core – managing the smart home system, lights, and buttons should be moved towards the more efficient and versatile boneIO Black model.
• The remaining parts of the system, e.g., reading states from motion sensors, reed switches, motor control – moving gates, window shutters, garden sprinklers – are worth moving to the ESP platform.