Location Tracking with OwnTracks vs Home Assistant app

schwieb · January 11, 2022, 4:11pm

What is the general consensus about using the Home Assistant app vs OwnTracks for presence and location tracking. My wife and I both have different Google Pixel models and I have integrated them with home assistant using the native Android app.

Though I have found my current method to be pretty effective, I am going to begin working on some automations that will rely on accurate presence detection. I have started playing with OwnTracks and it is easy to configure but I was sincerely wondering if it is necessary for us two users.

I can definitely see OwnTracks being useful for when my adult children visit so that the house knows they are ‘visiting’ but am conflicted otherwise.

m0wlheld · January 11, 2022, 4:15pm

Don’t compare them to each other as the HA Companion app also does tracking, while OwnTracks only does so.

schwieb · January 11, 2022, 4:22pm

Understood, but does OwnTracks really do tracking better than Home Assistant alone?

koying · January 11, 2022, 5:00pm

Well, both (can) have the same accuracy, so not sure what would be the criteria for “better” here.
Maybe the frequency of updates?