SwitchBot Hub 2 Smart Hub with Matter Bridge, IR Blaster and Climate Sensor vs Aqara Hub M2 Zigbee 3.0 Coordinator with Ethernet, IR Blaster and Local Automation
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.
SwitchBot Hub 2 Smart Hub with Matter Bridge, IR Blaster and Climate Sensor vs Aqara Hub M2 Zigbee 3.0 Coordinator with Ethernet, IR Blaster and Local Automation
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 →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 →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.
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.
Specifications, side by side
6 of 18 rows differ. Differences first.
| Specification | SwitchBot Hub 2 Smart Hub with Matter Bridge, IR Blaster and Climate Sensor | Aqara Hub M2 Zigbee 3.0 Coordinator with Ethernet, IR Blaster and Local Automation |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ₹5,990 | ₹6,490 |
| Battery life | Not applicable, mains powered | Backup battery not included; mains only |
| Hub required | This is the hub -- Bridges SwitchBot Bluetooth devices and infrared appliances into Matter | This is the hub -- Coordinates up to 128 Zigbee child devices |
| Local control | Partial. Matter device control and infrared commands are local; SwitchBot scenes still route through the cloud | Yes. Automations stored on the hub execute with the internet disconnected, which is the main reason to buy it |
| Power source | Mains via USB-C, wall mountable | Mains via USB-C |
| Protocol | Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz, Bluetooth LE, infrared, Matter bridge | Zigbee 3.0 coordinator, Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz and Ethernet uplink, infrared |
| Works with | Apple Home, Alexa, Google Home, SmartThings via Matter | Apple Home, Alexa, Google Home, IFTTT |
| 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 | not published | Built in, up to 90 dB |
| Built-in sensors | Temperature plus or minus 0.2 degrees C, humidity plus or minus 2 percent RH | not published |
| Display | Front panel shows temperature and humidity | not published |
| Infrared blaster | not published | 360 degree, with a learning mode for unlisted remotes |
| Infrared library | Approximately 100,000 appliance codes plus a learning mode | not published |
| Local automation | not published | Hub-stored rules run without internet |
| Matter bridge | Exposes up to 30 SwitchBot and infrared devices to any Matter controller | not published |
| Uplink | not published | Ethernet or Wi-Fi -- Ethernet is the more reliable of the two |
| Zigbee capacity | not published | Up to 128 devices |
Every row is a figure one or both products record. A blank is a figure the catalogue does not hold, not a zero.