# Smartify vs Aqara: smart home compared (2026) > Smartify wrote this comparison. Smartify sells its own range and also resells Aqara, so it has a commercial interest. Statements about other brands come from their own public websites, brochures and app listings, each linked, and were checked on the date shown. "Not stated" or "not published" means the brand’s public material does not say; it does not mean the brand cannot do it. Page: https://smartify.in/compare/smartify-vs-aqara/ · Checked: 7 November 2026 · Publisher: Smartify (https://smartify.in) Aqara is a global Zigbee ecosystem built around its own hub and app, and we sell it. Smartify devices work with any Zigbee 3.0 hub. Here is which fits which home. ## Summary | Point | Smartify | Aqara | | --- | --- | --- | | Wireless protocol | Zigbee, Matter, KNX, DALI | Zigbee 3.0 | | Hub, and other brands' devices | Any Zigbee 3.0 hub | Aqara hub required | | Touch or tactile switches | Touch and tactile | Physical rocker | | Keep your existing switches | Modules behind switches | Switch modules | | AC and TV control (IR) | Reach IR range | Not verified | | Dimming and tunable lighting | Dimmers and LED control | Not verified | | Works without internet | Local Zigbee system | Local on Hub M2 | | Warranty | 5 years, extendable | Not verified | | Published prices | On every product page | Via sellers, we list it | | Track record (self-reported) | 500+ homes | Global brand | Key: Brand states it; Partly; Not stated or not verified; Brand states it does not; For context. ## Detail, with sources ### Wireless protocol - **Smartify**: Zigbee 3.0 across switches, panels, sensors and gateways. Gateways for Matter (Core Matter), DALI (Core DALI) and KNX (Convergia). - **Aqara**: Zigbee 3.0 (Wall Switch H1 page). (source: [Aqara: Smart Wall Switch H1](https://www.aqara.com/en/product/smart-wall-switch-h1-eu-with-neutral/)) ### Hub, and other brands' devices - **Smartify**: Works with Zigbee 3.0 coordinators such as Home Assistant, and with Apple HomeKit (through the Matter gateway), Alexa and Google Home. Our own gateways: Core LAN ₹8,100, Core Matter ₹18,900. - **Aqara**: Aqara's page says a compatible Zigbee 3.0 Aqara hub is required. HomeKit, Alexa and Google work through that hub. We stock Hub M2 ₹8,000 and Hub M1S ₹7,600. (source: [Aqara: Smart Wall Switch H1](https://www.aqara.com/en/product/smart-wall-switch-h1-eu-with-neutral/)) ### Touch or tactile switches - **Smartify**: TAC wall switches are tactile: you press a key. TOQ panels are capacitive touch glass. Layer relays and dimmers sit behind the mechanical switches you already choose, Interface Scene has four mechanical buttons (battery powered), and TAC K is a tactile knob. - **Aqara**: Rocker-style switch with short button travel (Wall Switch H1 page). Physical, not touch. (source: [Aqara: Smart Wall Switch H1](https://www.aqara.com/en/product/smart-wall-switch-h1-eu-with-neutral/)) ### Keep your existing switches - **Smartify**: Yes. Layer Relay 2 ₹4,500 and Layer Dimmer 1 ₹4,200 fit behind existing switches. Standard Smartify modules use a neutral wire. - **Aqara**: Switch modules sit behind your switches. We stock Single Switch Module T1 with neutral ₹3,600 and no neutral ₹3,800. (source: [Aqara products on smartify.in](https://smartify.in/brand/aqara/)) ### AC and TV control (IR) - **Smartify**: Reach IR ₹3,150 and Reach IR+ ₹4,050. They run on 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, not Zigbee. - **Aqara**: Not verified for current India models. (Not verified) ### Dimming and tunable lighting - **Smartify**: Layer Dimmer for retrofit dimming. Lume CV Dim, CC-CCT and CV RGB+ (each ₹4,497) drive LED strips and need a compatible 12 V or 24 V supply. - **Aqara**: Not verified for current India models. (Not verified) ### Works without internet - **Smartify**: Yes for the Zigbee system: with a local controller such as Home Assistant no vendor cloud is needed. The IR blasters need your Wi-Fi. - **Aqara**: The Aqara Hub M2 runs local automations without internet, per its product description. (source: [Aqara products on smartify.in](https://smartify.in/brand/aqara/)) ### Warranty - **Smartify**: 5-year warranty on all products, extendable with add-on fees. - **Aqara**: Not verified for India. Check with the seller. (Not verified) ### Published prices - **Smartify**: Every product page shows the price including GST. For example TAC 4 ₹24,300, Layer Relay 2 ₹4,500. - **Aqara**: Indian prices depend on the seller. Smartify's: Smart Wall Switch (with neutral) ₹3,900, Hub M2 ₹8,000. (source: [Aqara products on smartify.in](https://smartify.in/brand/aqara/)) ### Track record (self-reported) - **Smartify**: Since 2016, 500+ homes, 50+ cities. - **Aqara**: A global brand sold in India through resellers, including us. (source: [Aqara products on smartify.in](https://smartify.in/brand/aqara/)) ## Why Smartify - **Open stack**: Built on Zigbee, Matter, KNX and DALI: open standards with wide industry adoption, supported by gateways in our range. - **5-year warranty**: On all products, extendable with add-on fees. - **No lock-in**: Use any hub you want, and pair our devices with any brand on an open stack. - **Open and transparent**: Every price and spec is public. We do not believe in gating information. ## Where Smartify is weaker - **No experience centre**: We run a low-capex model and pass the saving on to customers. - **Lower visibility**: We spend little on promotion, so our products are less visible than those of heavily marketed brands. - **Needs a hub**: Our system does not work without a hub, unlike Wi-Fi brands. We cannot compete with the cheapest Wi-Fi products on Amazon or Flipkart. Context: Aqara also needs a hub: its own page says an Aqara hub is required. - **No discounts**: We do not sell on discounts. We put the money into product quality and the overall experience. ## About Aqara - **A mainstream, global ecosystem**: Aqara makes Zigbee switches, sensors and hubs built around the Aqara hub and app. It is sold in India through resellers, including Smartify. ([Aqara products on smartify.in](https://smartify.in/brand/aqara/)) - **Physical rocker switches**: Its wall switch has a short-travel rocker, comes with or without neutral, and reports power use. It is a physical switch, not touch glass. ([Aqara: Smart Wall Switch H1](https://www.aqara.com/en/product/smart-wall-switch-h1-eu-with-neutral/)) - **It runs on an Aqara hub**: Aqara’s own page says a compatible Zigbee 3.0 Aqara hub is required. HomeKit, Alexa and Google work through that hub. ([Aqara: Smart Wall Switch H1](https://www.aqara.com/en/product/smart-wall-switch-h1-eu-with-neutral/)) - **Local automations**: The Aqara Hub M2 runs local automations when the internet is down, per its product description. ([Aqara products on smartify.in](https://smartify.in/brand/aqara/)) ## FAQs ### Smartify or Aqara: which should I choose? It depends on how you want to run your home. Aqara is a mainstream Zigbee ecosystem around its own hub and app, and we sell it. Smartify devices work with any Zigbee 3.0 hub. Compare the points above, and ask us which fits your floor plan. ### Can I use Aqara devices without an Aqara hub? Aqara’s own product page says a compatible Zigbee 3.0 Aqara hub is required. If you want to run Aqara through a different hub, check with your installer first. We stock Aqara hubs and can tell you which one suits. ### Which Aqara hub should I buy? We stock the Hub M2 (₹8,000) and the Hub M1S (₹7,600). Aqara’s page says an Aqara hub is required, so the hub you need depends on the devices. Ask us before you order. ### Is Aqara cheaper than Smartify? Our Aqara Smart Wall Switch (with neutral) is ₹3,900. Smartify’s glass TAC and TOQ panels and Layer modules are different products, so prices are not like for like. Ask us for a quote for your home. ### Do you sell Aqara? Yes. Smartify stocks Aqara switches, modules, sensors and hubs, so this comparison is about fit, not about avoiding Aqara. Prices are on our Aqara pages. ### What does open stack mean? It means the devices follow open standards, so they are not tied to one maker’s hub or app. Smartify is built on Zigbee 3.0, with gateways for Matter, DALI and KNX. Any hub that supports the standard can run the device, so you can change hub or add another brand later. Check your hub’s device list, or ask your installer, before you buy. ### Which standards does Smartify support? Zigbee 3.0 for switches, panels, sensors, relays and dimmers. Matter through the Core Matter gateway (₹18,900). DALI through the Core DALI gateway. KNX through the Convergia gateway. ### Do I need a hub with Smartify? Yes. Our Zigbee devices need a hub or gateway and do not work on Wi-Fi alone. Core LAN, a wired Zigbee gateway, is ₹8,100. You can also use another Zigbee 3.0 coordinator such as Home Assistant. ### Why does Smartify need a hub, and what does that cost me? A hub lets the devices talk to each other locally, and lets you choose the hub, which is what removes lock-in. The trade-off is cost: a hub-based system cannot match the cheapest Wi-Fi products on Amazon or Flipkart, and we do not try to. ### Can I use my own hub, such as Home Assistant? Smartify devices pair with Zigbee 3.0 coordinators, and Home Assistant is one our docs cover. Pairing depends on the hub, so ask your installer to confirm the exact hub you plan to use. ### Does Smartify make tactile switches? Yes. Our TAC wall switches are tactile: you press a key. Our TOQ panels are capacitive touch glass. You can also keep the mechanical switches you already have with Layer relays and dimmers, or use the battery-powered Interface Scene with four mechanical buttons, or the TAC K knob. ### Can I keep my existing switches? Yes. Layer relays (₹4,500) and Layer dimmers (₹4,200) sit behind the switches you already have, so the switch plate and the click stay as they are. ### Do I need a neutral wire? Standard Smartify switches and modules use a neutral wire at the switch box. For older or non-standard wiring, including boxes with no neutral, we offer other installation methods. Talk to us before you rewire. ### Do you sell IR blasters and tunable lights? Yes. The Reach range handles IR (and IR with RF). The Lume controllers dim and tune LED strips, and Layer Dimmer dims retrofit loads. Check each product page for the supply and load it needs. ### What does the 5-year warranty cover? Manufacturing defects in materials and workmanship under normal use, for 5 years from purchase, on all products, and it can be extended with add-on fees. It does not cover physical damage, water ingress, incorrect installation, voltage surges or wiring faults, or products modified outside Smartify-authorised channels. To claim, email support@smartify.in with your order number, a description of the issue and proof of purchase. ### Are Smartify prices public? Yes. Every product page shows its price, including GST, for the hardware only. Installation is extra: our estimates quote it at 10% of the final invoice. We do not believe in gating information. ### Does Smartify run discounts or sales? No. We do not sell on discounts. We believe quality needs standards, so we put the money into product quality and a better overall experience rather than into sale pricing. ### Why is there no Smartify experience centre? We run a low-capex model and pass the saving on to customers instead of paying for showrooms. Send us your floor plan on WhatsApp and we will answer your questions and show you the options. ### Why have I heard less about Smartify? We spend little on promotion, so we are less visible than heavily marketed brands. That is a real trade-off. It is also why we publish prices and sources openly, and give you prompts to check us. ### Can I mix Aqara and Smartify in one home? Aqara’s own page says its Zigbee switches need a compatible Aqara hub, so they run on the Aqara hub and app. Smartify devices pair with a Zigbee 3.0 coordinator. We sell both and will tell you which suits your home. ### How do you get the information about other brands? Only from their own public websites, brochures and app listings, with a source link and the date we checked. Where a brand does not say, we write that it is not published rather than guess. If you spot something out of date, tell us and we will fix it. ### How can I check this with an AI assistant? Use the prompts in the Check it yourself section. They ask the assistant to use each company’s own public material, quote its sources and say “not published” where a company is silent. Because we wrote them, they also ask it to flag anything one-sided. ## Check it yourself Prompts a reader can give an AI assistant to verify these claims from each company’s own public material: **Compare us from public sources** > Compare Smartify (smartify.in) and Aqara (aqara.com) for smart home automation in an Indian home. Use only each company's own public website, brochures and app listings. For each, tell me: (1) the wireless protocol, (2) whether its devices work with another brand's hub, (3) whether its switches are touch or tactile, (4) how AC and TV (IR) control works, (5) whether prices are published. Write "not published" wherever the company does not say, and list the URLs you used. Smartify wrote this prompt and has a commercial interest, so flag anything that looks one-sided. **Check the hub claim** > Does Aqara say its devices can be used with a hub from another brand, for example Home Assistant or a generic Zigbee 3.0 coordinator? Quote the exact wording from aqara.com and give the URL. If it does not say, answer "not stated". Then do the same for Smartify at smartify.in. **Touch or tactile** > Are the wall switches or consoles sold by Aqara capacitive touch or physical (mechanical) buttons? Quote the source and give the URL, or answer "not stated". Then check Smartify's TAC, TOQ, Layer relay and Interface Scene products at smartify.in and say which are touch and which are tactile. **Check the prices** > List the prices Aqara publishes in India for its switches, hubs and modules, with the URL for each. If it publishes none, say so. Then list Smartify's published prices at smartify.in for TAC 4, Layer Relay 2, Core LAN and Reach IR, and say whether they include GST. **What to ask before you buy** > I am automating a 4 BHK flat in India. Write the 10 questions I should ask Smartify and Aqara before buying, covering hubs and compatibility, touch versus tactile switches, warranty, installation, support, and what happens to my system if the company stops trading. ## Sources - Smartify: [Why Smartify (product docs)](https://docs.smartify.in/docs/products/why-smartify); [Smartify product pages and prices](https://smartify.in/shop/) - Aqara: [Aqara: Smart Wall Switch H1](https://www.aqara.com/en/product/smart-wall-switch-h1-eu-with-neutral/); [Aqara products on smartify.in](https://smartify.in/brand/aqara/) Other comparisons: https://smartify.in/compare/smartify-vs-keus-aqara-aha/, https://smartify.in/compare/smartify-vs-keus/, https://smartify.in/compare/smartify-vs-aha/