Product Library / Sensors & Detectors
Research profile · last verified 2026-07-16SwitchBot Contact Sensor
Compatibility
| Ecosystem | Support | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon Alexa | PartialPartial support — see the catch | Requires a SwitchBot hub. Open/close works; SwitchBot states Alexa does not support this device's light-level or motion features. |
| Google Home | PartialPartial support — see the catch | Requires a SwitchBot hub. Open/close works; SwitchBot states Google Home does not support the light-level or motion features. |
| Apple Home | PartialPartial support — see the catch | Only via Matter bridging through Hub 2, Hub 3, or Hub Mini Matter Enabled, and only door open/closed state is exposed. Hub 2 bridges max 8 sub-devices to Apple Home; Hub Mini Matter Enabled only 4. |
| SmartThings | Not checkedWe have not verified this yet — this is not a claim about the product | SmartThings is not in this product's official third-party services list (Alexa, Google Assistant, IFTTT only); SwitchBot makes no explicit SmartThings statement for the Contact Sensor. |
| Home Assistant | WorksWorks with this ecosystem | Via Home Assistant's SwitchBot Bluetooth integration: local, no hub or cloud needed; exposes open/close, motion state, and battery. Documented by Home Assistant, not by SwitchBot. |
? Not checked means we haven’t verified that ecosystem yet — it is a statement about our research, never a verdict on the product. A Setup Check can research it for you.
Protocols: BLUETOOTH
Needs before it works: Works standalone over Bluetooth LE with the SwitchBot app (local open/close alerts; SwitchBot states Android users need a hub even for push alerts). A SwitchBot hub is required for remote notifications, Alexa/Google Assistant/IFTTT, and SwitchBot-ecosystem automations; Matter exposure specifically requires Hub 2, Hub 3, or Hub Mini Matter Enabled.
Subscription reality
✓ Works without a subscription: Yes.
No paid plan referenced on the official Contact Sensor pages; remote features need a hub purchase, not a subscription.
Maintenance reality
- Batteries: AAA x2 — expect roughly 36 months per set
- Cloud dependence: No — core function survives without the vendor's cloud
- Official spec: 'Typically 3 years' under SwitchBot's stated daily trigger profile. Local Bluetooth operation works without cloud; remote alerts and voice assistants route through SwitchBot's hub cloud.
The catch
Without a SwitchBot hub it is a Bluetooth-only sensor with phone-nearby alerts — remote notifications, voice assistants, and Matter all require buying a hub, and even then Alexa/Google never see its motion or light sensors.
Who it's for
Suits people already in the SwitchBot hub ecosystem who want inexpensive door/window state for automations, or Home Assistant users who can use it locally over Bluetooth without any hub.
Sources & method
us.switch-bot.com/products/contact-sensor (+ Shopify .json endpoint) — product live, priced $16.99/1-pack — vendor-page research, verified 2026-07-16 · us.switch-bot.com/pages/switchbot-contact-sensor (official spec/detail page, spec accordion extracted from rendered DOM) — vendor-page research, verified 2026-07-16 · support.switch-bot.com/hc/en-us/articles/13282638111127 ('Which SwitchBot Devices Can Be Added to Apple Home As Sub-devices via Matter?') — vendor-support-article research, verified 2026-07-16 · us.switch-bot.com/collections/sensors — only one Contact Sensor SKU listed — vendor-catalog sweep, verified 2026-07-16 · home-assistant.io/integrations/switchbot/ — Contact Sensor listed: open/closed, motion, battery; 'A SwitchBot Hub is not required for this integration' — integration-doc research, verified 2026-07-16. This is a research profile: compiled from manufacturer documentation, certification registries, and published testing — we state facts, not verdicts, and we have not physically tested this unit. How we work →
Compatibility and lifecycle information reflects the last-verified date above and can change without notice (firmware updates, cloud-service changes, discontinuations). It is provided as-is, for information — verify with the manufacturer before purchasing. Spot an error? Tell us and we'll fix it. Full terms: Terms of Service.