In this study, the quality of hydroponically grown leafy vegetables (batavia and butterhead) from smart farms was compared with that of soil-grown vegetables. The quality characteristics (weight, size, color, water content, pH, texture, bitter compounds, functional ingredients, antioxidant capacity, microorganisms, and sensory properties) of the two leafy vegetables were analyzed. Significant differences were observed in fresh weight, shear force, and functional ingredients between the two cultivation methods. With regard to weight measurement, hydroponically grown leafy vegetables were lighter compared to soil-grown vegetables (batavia: hydroponic 127.15–138.26 g, soil-grown 219.30 g; butterhead: hydroponic 107.48–127.66 g, soil-grown 237.23 g; p<0.05). In addition, hydroponically grown vegetables had significantly lower shear force values (batavia: 32–82%, butterhead: 49–70%) than soil-grown vegetables, except for one hydroponically grown batavia sample (p<0.05). Analysis of functional ingredients showed that both total polyphenol and total flavonoid contents were significantly higher in the soil-grown vegetables (p<0.05). However, no differences related to the growth system were observed in plant size, color, pH, bitter taste compounds, antioxidant capacity, and the presence of microorganisms between the two cultivation methods. This study provides a database of quality differences between hydroponically grown and soil-grown leafy vegetables, which is valuable for improving the quality of hydroponically grown products.