Aqara Hub M2 Zigbee 3.0 Coordinator with Ethernet, IR Blaster and Local Automation vs SwitchBot Curtain Motorized Rod 2 Wireless Controller
What separates them
These two differ on 7 recorded specifications. The SwitchBot Curtain Motorized Rod 2 Wireless Controller is ₹2,500 dearer.
Aqara Hub M2 Zigbee 3.0 Coordinator with Ethernet, IR Blaster and Local Automation vs SwitchBot Curtain Motorized Rod 2 Wireless Controller
Aqara
Aqara Hub M2 Zigbee 3.0 Coordinator with Ethernet, IR Blaster and Local Automation
₹6,490
The single specification that justifies the price over a Rs2,000 Wi-Fi gateway is that automations are stored on the hub and run there.
Full details →
SwitchBot
SwitchBot Curtain Motorized Rod 2 Wireless Controller
₹8,990
The variant matters more than anything else here: Rod 2 fits round curtain rods and will not fit I-rails or U-rails, which are the other two common fittings.
Full details →Who the Aqara Hub M2 Zigbee 3.0 Coordinator with Ethernet, IR Blaster and Local Automation is for
Buy it if: Anyone building a Zigbee system who wants automations that keep running when the internet does not.
Avoid it if: Anyone with only Wi-Fi devices, and anyone wanting Thread or Matter-over-Thread -- that is the M3.
Who the SwitchBot Curtain Motorized Rod 2 Wireless Controller is for
Buy it if: Anyone with round curtain rods who wants motorised curtains without drilling or rewiring.
Avoid it if: Anyone with I-rail or U-rail curtain tracks -- this variant does not fit them.
Specifications, side by side
7 of 19 rows differ. Differences first.
| Specification | Aqara Hub M2 Zigbee 3.0 Coordinator with Ethernet, IR Blaster and Local Automation | SwitchBot Curtain Motorized Rod 2 Wireless Controller |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ₹6,490 | ₹8,990 |
| Battery life | Backup battery not included; mains only | Approximately 8 months, longer with the optional solar panel |
| Hub required | This is the hub -- Coordinates up to 128 Zigbee child devices | Optional -- Bluetooth works standalone in range; a SwitchBot Hub is needed for remote and voice control |
| Local control | Yes. Automations stored on the hub execute with the internet disconnected, which is the main reason to buy it | Yes. Bluetooth control and on-device schedules work with no internet connection |
| Power source | Mains via USB-C | Rechargeable 3400 mAh cell, USB-C |
| Protocol | Zigbee 3.0 coordinator, Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz and Ethernet uplink, infrared | Bluetooth LE |
| Warranty | 1 Year Manufacturer Warranty | 1 Year Official Brand Warranty |
| Works with | Apple Home, Alexa, Google Home, IFTTT | SwitchBot app; Alexa, Google Home and Apple Home via a SwitchBot Hub |
| Weather rating | IP20, indoor use only | IP20, indoor use only |
| Alarm siren | Built in, up to 90 dB | not published |
| Infrared blaster | 360 degree, with a learning mode for unlisted remotes | not published |
| Installation | not published | Clips onto the existing rod, no drilling |
| Light sensor | not published | Built in, can open on sunrise |
| Local automation | Hub-stored rules run without internet | not published |
| Maximum curtain weight | not published | 8 kg |
| Neutral wire | Not applicable | not published |
| Noise | not published | Approximately 45 dB in quiet mode |
| Rod type | not published | Rod 2 -- for round curtain rods only, not I-rails or U-rails |
| Uplink | Ethernet or Wi-Fi -- Ethernet is the more reliable of the two | not published |
| Zigbee capacity | Up to 128 devices | not published |
Every row is a figure one or both products record. A blank is a figure the catalogue does not hold, not a zero.