Which Home Assistant installation method is right for YOU?

Published at : 23 Dec 2025

There are so many installation methods for Home Assistant out there, and they also vary depending on the hardware you choose. In this video, we're answering two of my most asked questions :
1. Which installation method you should choose: OS vs. VM vs. Docker Container?
2. Where to install Home Assistant on: Raspberry Pi, Mini PC, NAS, Synology, Proxmox, Hypervisor, an old laptop, a mac or a PC?

Mini PC featured in the video: https://geni.us/x9ZE2

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Chapters
0:00 Introduction
0:38 What's wrong with the official Home Assistant guidelines
1:05 Method 1: Home Assistant OS
2:25 Method 2: Virtual Machine
3:21 Method 3: Docker Container
4:16 Key factors for choosing the right method
5:08 Scenario 1: Trying out Home Assistant
5:32 Scenario 2: Getting started
6:20 Scenario 3: You're serious about it
7:23 My opinion on buying a Raspberry Pi in 2025
8:29 Scenario 4: You already have a home server or NAS
8:55 My current installation method
9:06 The best installation method in 2025
9:33 What's next?