Aqara Hub M2 Zigbee 3.0 Coordinator with Ethernet, IR Blaster and Local Automation vs SwitchBot Hub 2 Smart Hub with Matter Bridge, IR Blaster and Climate Sensor
What separates them
These two differ on 6 recorded specifications. The Aqara Hub M2 Zigbee 3.0 Coordinator with Ethernet, IR Blaster and Local Automation is ₹500 dearer.
Aqara Hub M2 Zigbee 3.0 Coordinator with Ethernet, IR Blaster and Local Automation vs SwitchBot Hub 2 Smart Hub with Matter Bridge, IR Blaster and Climate Sensor
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 Hub 2 Smart Hub with Matter Bridge, IR Blaster and Climate Sensor
₹5,990
The reason this is worth Rs5,990 in an Indian home is the infrared side, not the Matter side.
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 Hub 2 Smart Hub with Matter Bridge, IR Blaster and Climate Sensor is for
Buy it if: Anyone with infrared-controlled air conditioners or televisions who wants them in Apple Home, Alexa or Google Home.
Avoid it if: Anyone wanting a Zigbee coordinator -- this bridges Bluetooth and infrared, not Zigbee.
Specifications, side by side
6 of 18 rows differ. Differences first.
| Specification | Aqara Hub M2 Zigbee 3.0 Coordinator with Ethernet, IR Blaster and Local Automation | SwitchBot Hub 2 Smart Hub with Matter Bridge, IR Blaster and Climate Sensor |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ₹6,490 | ₹5,990 |
| Battery life | Backup battery not included; mains only | Not applicable, mains powered |
| Hub required | This is the hub -- Coordinates up to 128 Zigbee child devices | This is the hub -- Bridges SwitchBot Bluetooth devices and infrared appliances into Matter |
| Local control | Yes. Automations stored on the hub execute with the internet disconnected, which is the main reason to buy it | Partial. Matter device control and infrared commands are local; SwitchBot scenes still route through the cloud |
| Power source | Mains via USB-C | Mains via USB-C, wall mountable |
| Protocol | Zigbee 3.0 coordinator, Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz and Ethernet uplink, infrared | Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz, Bluetooth LE, infrared, Matter bridge |
| Works with | Apple Home, Alexa, Google Home, IFTTT | Apple Home, Alexa, Google Home, SmartThings via Matter |
| Neutral wire | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Warranty | 1 Year Manufacturer Warranty | 1 Year Manufacturer Warranty |
| Weather rating | IP20, indoor use only | IP20, indoor use only |
| Alarm siren | Built in, up to 90 dB | not published |
| Built-in sensors | not published | Temperature plus or minus 0.2 degrees C, humidity plus or minus 2 percent RH |
| Display | not published | Front panel shows temperature and humidity |
| Infrared blaster | 360 degree, with a learning mode for unlisted remotes | not published |
| Infrared library | not published | Approximately 100,000 appliance codes plus a learning mode |
| Local automation | Hub-stored rules run without internet | not published |
| Matter bridge | not published | Exposes up to 30 SwitchBot and infrared devices to any Matter controller |
| 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.