Product Library / Sensors & Detectors

Research profile · verified 2026-09-15 · sources re-checked 2026-11-02

SwitchBot Presence Sensor

Compiled by SmartHomeWorkflow Research · SwitchBot · Sensors & Detectors · ~$29.99 (SwitchBot's own US store price for the sensor on its own, checked again on 2026-09-17 and unchanged from what we recorded on 2026-07-19 — a price at the time of research, never a live price. The bundle figures that follow are from the earlier 2026-07-19 check and were not looked at again: the other 'Presence Sensor' listings are bundles of the same unit (Hub Mini Matter combo $59.99, Bot 2-in-1 $52.99, 2-pack $54.99).)

Compatibility at a glance

Does it work with your home?

[6][12]
[6]
[6]
[6][23][28]
[6][21][24]

Choose your platform to see its setup and functions. Your choice carries across product pages.

A connection can work while individual controls or automations remain unconfirmed. Read the connection details ↓

Protocols: BLUETOOTH[1][5][15][19]

Before you buy

What do you need to make it work?

No hub for the device alone

Choose a platform above for its connection. A hub can be optional for the device itself and required for a platform or automation.

No for Home Assistant, which reads the sensor over Bluetooth directly. Yes for Alexa, Google Home and Apple Home: each reaches it only through a SwitchBot hub (Hub Mini, Hub 2, Hub Mini Matter Enabled or Hub 3). For Apple Home, a HomePod, HomePod mini or Apple TV is needed only for control away from home and for automations.[4][5][6][27][29]

Equipment that adds features

Check which features need it

SwitchBot Hub 3

SwitchBot names the Hub Mini, Hub 2, Hub Mini Matter Enabled and Hub 3 for the Alexa, Google Home and Apple Home routes; Home Assistant needs none.[4][5][6][27][29]

One device can provide more than one role. These are setup requirements, not a shopping list of separate purchases.

What could you do with this?

Put its functions to use.

Research, not hands-on testing

Start with a documented control or event. The selected connection shows what is confirmed for that platform.

Documented device function

Presence detected

The device reports this event.

Compare its platform availability in the table below.

Setup and sources

Device documentation: [14] [21]

Documented device function

Illuminance reading

The device reports this event.

Compare its platform availability in the table below.

Setup and sources

Device documentation: [14] [21]

A documented control or event is one part of a setup. It does not by itself establish a complete automation.

The functions, side by side

What can you use, and where?[14][21]

A platform connection does not confirm every function. Controls and reported events are shown separately from what an automation can use.

Controls
None documented by the vendor
Reported events
2 documented

Compare all five platforms. On a narrow screen, scroll the table sideways.

Documented device functions, platform controls and automation availability
Device functionApple HomePartial[6][12]Google HomePartial[6]AlexaWorks[6]SmartThingsWorks per the maker; details unconfirmed[6][23][28]Home AssistantWorks[6][21][24]
Presence detectedReported event
Event

Not stated

Automation

—

Event

Not stated

Automation

—

Event

Not stated

Automation

—

Event

Not stated

Automation

—

Event

Not stated

Automation

✓ Documented for this model[26]

Illuminance readingReported event
Event

Not stated

Automation

—

Event

Not stated

Automation

—

Event

Not stated

Automation

—

Event

Not stated

Automation

—

Event

Not stated

Automation

✓ Documented for this model[26]

✓ Documented for this connection. × A stated limit. ◐ A partial function. ? Not established. A listed device function does not establish a complete routine, its other equipment or any plan requirements.

Setup and sources

Apple Home

Requires a SwitchBot hub. It arrives bridged rather than native, and bridged SwitchBot devices can surface under Matter Setup > Secondary Devices > Lab Feature (Beta) rather than as an ordinary accessory. An iPhone on iOS 18 or later can add it; a HomePod, HomePod mini or Apple TV is needed for control away from home and for automations.[6][12]

Google Home

Requires a hub, and SwitchBot documents a hard platform limit: Google Home does not allow the sensor to be used as an automation CONDITION at all. It reports state and nothing more — which for a presence sensor removes most of the reason to buy one.[6]

Alexa

Requires a SwitchBot hub (Hub Mini, Hub 2, Hub Mini Matter Enabled or Hub 3); SwitchBot publishes a dedicated setup guide.[6]

SmartThings

SwitchBot lists SmartThings among this sensor's third-party platforms. It does not say how the sensor connects to SmartThings or which readings SmartThings shows, so presence and light level are unconfirmed there.[6][23][28]

Home Assistant

The one ecosystem that does NOT need a hub — Home Assistant's Bluetooth integration talks to the sensor directly. A cloud integration also exists and that path does require a hub.[6][21][24]

Platform documentation:

switch-bot.com · checked 2026-10-19

home-assistant.io · checked 2026-10-04

raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-10-13

Device documentation: [14] [21]

Listed device functions are established from vendor documentation. An ability missing here is unestablished, not necessarily absent.

Connection details and setup sources
EcosystemSupportThe catch
Amazon AlexaWorksWorks with this ecosystem[6]Requires a SwitchBot hub (Hub Mini, Hub 2, Hub Mini Matter Enabled or Hub 3); SwitchBot publishes a dedicated setup guide.In Amazon Alexa you also need: a SwitchBot Hub 3
Google HomePartialPartial support — see the catch[6]Requires a hub, and SwitchBot documents a hard platform limit: Google Home does not allow the sensor to be used as an automation CONDITION at all. It reports state and nothing more — which for a presence sensor removes most of the reason to buy one.In Google Home you also need: a SwitchBot Hub 3
Apple HomePartialPartial support — see the catch[6][12]Requires a SwitchBot hub. It arrives bridged rather than native, and bridged SwitchBot devices can surface under Matter Setup > Secondary Devices > Lab Feature (Beta) rather than as an ordinary accessory. An iPhone on iOS 18 or later can add it; a HomePod, HomePod mini or Apple TV is needed for control away from home and for automations.In Apple Home you also need: a SwitchBot Hub 3
SmartThingsWorks per the maker; details unconfirmedWorks per the maker; details unconfirmed — see the catch[6][23][28]SwitchBot lists SmartThings among this sensor's third-party platforms. It does not say how the sensor connects to SmartThings or which readings SmartThings shows, so presence and light level are unconfirmed there.
Home AssistantWorksWorks with this ecosystem[6][21][24]The one ecosystem that does NOT need a hub — Home Assistant's Bluetooth integration talks to the sensor directly. A cloud integration also exists and that path does require a hub.

Plans and ongoing costs[11][19]

✓ Works without a subscription: Yes.

Vendor account required: Not established — we have not sourced this yet.

No subscription found and no vendor statement of one. Re-checked at the vendor's own structured product route on 2026-09-17: the listing sells the sensor once at $29.99 and names no plan, tier or paid service.

Maintenance and offline use[3]

Who it's for

Home Assistant households wanting cheap mmWave presence with no hub purchase, or SwitchBot owners who already run a hub. A Google Home household should read the automation-condition limit before buying.

Check availability at SwitchBot

This opens SwitchBot's own website. We earn nothing from this link.

Sources & method

Numbered sources below back the facts marked with the matching number above. 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 →

29 numbered sources· read them in the source's own words
  1. [1] Home Assistant's SwitchBot integration is a BLUETOOTH integration — it states in its own words that "A SwitchBot Hub is not required for this integration" — and it names this device with control features, which is a usable control path under the ruled definition. Presence Sensor features: get light level, get battery, get occupancy state — with the documented caveat that "Device battery data is stored in service data, not broadcast. This data can only be retrieved when Bluetooth is in active mode." ⚠ SwitchBot's own product description (read 2026-08-09 from the store's structured product data) contains ZERO occurrences of "Bluetooth"; the 19 occurrences on the rendered page belong to other products' embedded copy., verified 2026-08-09
    Backs: Protocols
  2. [2] https://us.switch-bot.com/products/switchbot-mmwave-presence-sensor.json (title 'SwitchBot mmWave Presence Sensor', SKU 810150546385, $29.99) + https://us.switch-bot.com/collections/sensors/products.json (complete US sensors collection is four devices: this, Motion Sensor $19.99 PIR, Contact Sensor, Water Leak Detector). No 'Motion Sensor 3' and no separate 'Human Presence Sensor' exist in the US catalog. Naming is inconsistent across SwitchBot's own properties — the US store says 'mmWave Presence Sensor' while the EU store, press release and every support article say 'Presence Sensor'; the short name is recorded with the long one as an alias. — Read on the maker's own site, verified 2026-07-19
    Backs: Product identity, Price
  3. [3] https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/switchbot-launches-the-new-presence-sensor-with-mmwave-radar-302616822.html — 60GHz mmWave radar plus PIR plus ambient light sensor; two AAA batteries rated up to two years. Product page gives 8m moving / 5m stationary detection at 120 degrees. NOTE: the press release text reads '60Hz', an evident typo for 60GHz; the corrected figure is recorded rather than the raw one. — Read on the maker's own site, verified 2026-07-19
    Backs: Batteries, Works without the internet
  4. [4] SwitchBot support articles 35160600522775 and 35615000659095 — the sensor's own radio is Bluetooth; without a hub it supports app viewing and 'Local Linkage', capped at a maximum of two local linkages driving one device each with both units in Bluetooth range. To trigger other devices via SwitchBot automation 'you will need to purchase one of hub products'. Remote access, cloud automation, all voice assistants and all Matter exposure require a hub. — Read on the maker's own site, verified 2026-07-19
    Backs: Required hub or bridge
  5. [5] SwitchBot support articles 38979658026519 and 35927178604311 — the hub acts as a 'protocol translator' converting Bluetooth to Matter; the sensor is not itself a Matter device. Matter does define an Occupancy Sensor device type, so a suitable target exists, but SwitchBot never states which Matter device type or cluster it maps to. — Read on the maker's own site, verified 2026-07-19
    Backs: Protocols, Required hub or bridge
  6. [6] google: SwitchBot support 35590663694999 documents that Google Home's platform restriction prevents the sensor being used as an automation condition; alexa: support 35590018658839 (dedicated setup guide); apple: product page plus support 13282638111127; home_assistant: support 37084079366551 (Bluetooth integration needs no hub, cloud integration does). Every level above rests on an affirmative vendor statement rather than silence. — Read on the maker's own site, verified 2026-07-19
    Backs: Amazon Alexa compatibility, Google Home compatibility, Apple Home compatibility, SmartThings compatibility, Home Assistant compatibility, Required hub or bridge
  7. [7] support.switch-bot.com sits behind a Cloudflare bot challenge, which was not bypassed. The support findings come from search-result extracts of those articles plus their titles rather than full verbatim page reads. Article IDs are recorded so the claims can be confirmed in a browser. Flagged rather than presented as full-text verification., verified 2026-07-19
  8. [8] An Amazon listing title claims 'Zone Positioning' but no primary SwitchBot source corroborates distance or multi-zone reporting; SwitchBot's own 'zone' language refers only to physically aiming the magnetic base. The sensor reports a binary Space-Occupied / Space-Unoccupied state plus an unoccupied timer. Deliberately excluded rather than carried over from a marketplace listing., verified 2026-07-19
  9. [9] https://us.switch-bot.com/products/switchbot-mmwave-presence-sensor.json — SKU 810150546385, $29.99, listed in the current US sensors collection; launched 2025-11-17, verified 2026-08-20
    Backs: Market availability
  10. [10] https://us.switch-bot.com/collections/sensors/products.json, verified 2026-09-15
    Backs: Service status
    page changed on 2026-10-21, after this reading
  11. [11] SwitchBot's own US storefront listing data for the mmWave Presence Sensor (us.switch-bot.com), re-read on 21 August 2026 — replacing an earlier placeholder that carried no source at all — Read on the maker's own site, verified 2026-08-21
    Backs: Research status, Subscription
  12. [12] SwitchBot support articles 38979658026519 and 35927178604311, already cited on this record — Recorded from our own earlier read, verified 2026-08-19
    Backs: Apple Home compatibility
  13. [13] SmartHomeWorkflow capabilities assessment, 2026-08-20. Home Assistant's SwitchBot integration was read in full and enumerates "Motion Sensor (WoPresence)" with motion detection state and battery — but the mmWave Presence Sensor recorded here is a different, newer product and is NOT named anywhere in that device list. The vendor-side sources this record already cites are SwitchBot support articles, and support.switch-bot.com refused us throughout that sitting, so they could not be re-read. — Read on the maker's own site, verified 2026-08-20
  14. [14] home-assistant.io/integrations/switchbot (the platform's own documentation), read 2026-08-20, which lists the Presence Sensor under Sensors and enumerates what the integration retrieves from it: "get occupancy state", "get light level" and "get battery". The page also notes "Device battery data is stored in service data, not broadcast. This data can only be retrieved when Bluetooth is in active mode." — Read on the maker's own site, verified 2026-08-20
    Backs: Capabilities
  15. [15] switch-bot.com's own product page for the mmWave Presence Sensor, read 2026-08-20, which names the dependency in the same sentence as the platforms: "Presense Sensor supports Apple Home via SwitchBot Matter Hub, Home Assistant, Alexa, Google Home, and other platforms." It separately states the sensor "works without a hub for instant, second-level response" — a Bluetooth path, not a Matter one — and Home Assistant reaches it through its BLUETOOTH integration., verified 2026-08-20
    Backs: Protocols
  16. [16] SwitchBot global store, Presence Sensor product page, 'Smart Automations' — "Presense Sensor works without a hub for instant, second-level response. Seamlessly pair with SwitchBot devices (e.g., Bot, Curtain, Light Series, etc. ) with local linkage and set up to 2 automations. For more complex automations, pair with a SwitchBot Hub to trigger smart scenarios" (vendor's spelling of "Presense" preserved). — Read on the maker's own site, verified 2026-08-21
    Backs: Works without the internet
    page changed on 2026-11-04, after this reading
  17. [17] https://us.switch-bot.com/collections/sensors/products.json (read 2026-09-09), the vendor's own structured product description: 'Battery Design & Flexible Installation: Equipped with a long-lasting battery, this sensor frees you from power cables and can operate up to 2 years on a single charge.' The clause 'frees you from power cables' is the vendor excluding mains, not us inferring it. — Read on the maker's own site, verified 2026-09-15
    Backs: Power source
    page changed on 2026-10-21, after this reading
  18. [18] https://www.switch-bot.com/products/switchbot-mmwave-presence-sensor, https://us.switch-bot.com/products/switchbot-mmwave-presence-sensor.json and https://us.switch-bot.com/collections/sensors/products.json (read 2026-09-09) link no app store and name no platform. The app platforms stay unrecorded as CHECKED-AND-UNPUBLISHED. — Read on the maker's own site, verified 2026-09-09
    page changed on 2026-11-04, after this reading
  19. [19] SwitchBot's own US storefront record for this SKU, read from the product's structured product data on 2026-09-17: title "SwitchBot mmWave Presence Sensor", product id 9081384993001, SKU 810150546385, price 2999 cents / $29.99, available true, first published 2025-10-22. The description still carries the two sentences the record's protocol and hub cells rest on, verbatim: "Presense Sensor works without a hub for instant, second-level response. Seamlessly pair with SwitchBot devices … with local linkage and set up to 2 automations" and "Presense Sensor supports Apple Home via SwitchBot Matter Hub, Home Assistant, Alexa, Google Home, and other platforms" (vendor's spelling preserved). No plan, tier or paid service appears anywhere in the listing. — Read on the maker's own site, verified 2026-09-17
    Backs: Price, Subscription, Protocols, Market availability, Research status
    page changed on 2026-10-21, after this reading
  20. [20] SwitchBot's launch press release (17 November 2025), re-read 2026-09-17: "up to 2 years of battery life on two AAA batteries", "coverage up to 8m for movement and 5m for static presence with a 120° detection angle", a "magnetic, adhesive-ready base" allowing placement "on walls, desks, or metal surfaces without wiring", and "Rated IPX5, it's suitable for bathrooms and humid environments". The storefront description read the same day agrees on the mounting: "The magnetic base allows flat placement, wall mounting, and adjustable detection angles". — Read on the maker's own site, verified 2026-09-17
    Backs: Batteries, Installation
  21. [21] home-assistant.io's SwitchBot integration page, re-read 2026-09-17. It still lists "Presence Sensor" in its device list and still enumerates exactly three features under it — "get light level", "get battery", "get occupancy state" — and still states in its own words: "A SwitchBot Hub is not required for this integration." The caveat is also unchanged: "Device battery data is stored in service data, not broadcast. This data can only be retrieved when Bluetooth is in active mode." — Recorded from our own earlier read, verified 2026-09-17
    Backs: Home Assistant compatibility, Capabilities
  22. [22] SwitchBot's own US store listing for the mmWave Presence Sensor, read 2026-09-20. The listing is sold by SwitchBot and publishes its own order code and retail barcode: 810150546385. — Read on the maker's own site, verified 2026-09-20
    Backs: Certification and product IDs
    page changed on 2026-10-21, after this reading
  23. [23] SwitchBot's own mmWave Presence Sensor page, read in full on 2026-10-04. Verbatim: "Multi-Platform Compatibility & Voice Control: Presense Sensor supports Apple Home via SwitchBot Matter Hub, Home Assistant, Alexa, Google Home, and other platforms." · from the Specs table ("Size 54 × 54 × 28 mm"): "Third-Party Support Alexa, Google, Siri, IFTTT, SmartThings". The page names no way of connecting to SmartThings and no reading for it. — Re-checked this against its sources, verified 2026-10-04
    Backs: SmartThings compatibility
    page changed on 2026-11-04, after this reading
  24. [24] Home Assistant's SwitchBot Bluetooth integration page (documentation 2026.9.4), read in full on 2026-10-04. Verbatim: "A SwitchBot Hub is not required for this integration." · "Presence Sensor Note: Device battery data is stored in service data, not broadcast. This data can only be retrieved when Bluetooth is in active mode. Feature get light level get battery get occupancy state" · "Its IoT class is Local Push." — Re-checked this against its sources, verified 2026-10-04
    Backs: Home Assistant compatibility
  25. [25] This record's own entries: the two SwitchBot support-article entries that claim hubRequired (the hub requirement, and the per-ecosystem integration articles)., verified 2026-10-09
  26. [26] Home Assistant's own SwitchBot Bluetooth integration page (its source file in the home-assistant/home-assistant.io repository). Verbatim: '#### Presence Sensor' · 'Feature' · 'get light level' · 'get occupancy state' — Read the platform's own documentation, verified 2026-10-13
    Backs: What your assistant can automate
    page changed on 2026-11-02, after this reading
  27. [27] Apple Support, 'Pair and manage your Matter accessories' (Published Date May 07, 2026), read 2026-10-18: "If you have an iPhone using iOS 18 or later, you can add Matter accessories to and control Matter accessories from the Home app without a home hub." · "However, for the best experience set up a home hub to add supported Matter and thread-based accessories to the Home app." — Read the platform's own documentation, verified 2026-10-18
    Backs: Required hub or bridge
    page unchanged as of 2026-11-02
  28. [28] SwitchBot's product page for the mmWave Presence Sensor, read in full on 2026-10-19. Verbatim: "Third-Party Support Alexa, Google, Siri, IFTTT, SmartThings". — Read the original source directly, verified 2026-10-19
    Backs: SmartThings compatibility
    page changed on 2026-11-04, after this reading
  29. [29] Apple Support, 'Set up your HomePod, HomePod mini, or Apple TV as a home hub' (Published Date: September 15, 2025), read 2026-10-20: "Set up a home hub to control your smart home accessories while you're away from home, share control of your accessories with others, and automate your accessories to do what you want, when you want." — Read the platform's own documentation, verified 2026-10-20
    Backs: Required hub or bridge
    page unchanged as of 2026-11-02

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.

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