Shelly i4 Gen3 vs Shelly Plus 1 comparison

Updated July 2026

Data from Amazon and official Shelly site.

2026 verdict

If the goal is to switch something, the Shelly Plus 1 is the only real candidate here, and it wins on safety, connectivity and contact modes over the Shelly i4 Gen3. It has a 16A relay with dry and wet contact modes, can drive low-voltage DC circuits up to 30V, lists overheating protection, is UL listed and carries a 3-year warranty. The Shelly i4 Gen3 is the cheaper module and supports Matter and Apple HomeKit, which the Plus 1 does not, but it has no relay at all: four digital inputs let it read wall switches, buttons and contact sensors and fire scenes from them. Both are 2.4GHz Wi-Fi devices with Bluetooth, both work with Alexa, Google Home and Home Assistant, both remember state after a power cut, and neither meters energy. Pick the Shelly Plus 1 to control a light, boiler or gate, and the Shelly i4 Gen3 to bring existing switches into your automations, ideally alongside a relay like the Plus 1.

Feature	Shelly i4 Gen3	Shelly Plus 1	Winner
Price	$19.99	$42.00	Shelly i4 Gen3
Safety	None	Overheating protection	Shelly Plus 1
Connectivity	Bluetooth	2.4 GHz WiFi, Bluetooth	Shelly Plus 1
Integrations	Google Home, Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Home Assistant, Matter	Google Home, Alexa, Samsung SmartThings, Home Assistant	Shelly i4 Gen3
Relay Channels	0	1	Shelly Plus 1
Dry Contact Mode	NO	YES	Shelly Plus 1
Wet Contact Mode	NO	YES	Shelly Plus 1
Rating	4.6	4.6	Tie
Energy Monitoring	NO	NO	Tie
Power Off Memory	NO	NO	Tie
Zibgee Router	NO	NO	Tie

Shelly

Shelly i4 Gen3

$19.99

Buy on Amazon USA

+ Price: $19.99
+ Integrations: Google Home, Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Home Assistant, Matter
- Safety: None vs Overheating protection
- Connectivity: Bluetooth vs 2.4 GHz WiFi, Bluetooth

Winner

Shelly

Shelly Plus 1

$42.00

Buy on Amazon USA

+ Safety: Overheating protection
+ Connectivity: 2.4 GHz WiFi, Bluetooth
+ Relay Channels: 1
- Price: $42.00 vs $19.99
- Integrations: Google Home, Alexa, Samsung SmartThings, Home Assistant vs Google Home, Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Home Assistant, Matter

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better overall: Shelly i4 Gen3 or Shelly Plus 1?

The Shelly Plus 1 wins overall because it can actually switch a circuit, with a 16A relay, dry and wet contact modes, DC support and documented overheating protection. The Shelly i4 Gen3 is cheaper and adds Matter and Apple HomeKit, but it is an input-only module.

What is the biggest difference between the Shelly i4 Gen3 and the Shelly Plus 1?

The relay. The Shelly Plus 1 has one, rated for 16A AC or 10A DC, with the option of isolated dry contacts. The Shelly i4 Gen3 has none, offering four inputs instead, so it triggers automations rather than powering or switching anything itself.

Can I use them together?

Yes, and it is a natural pairing. Put the Shelly i4 Gen3 behind a multi-gang switch plate to read the buttons, and let a Shelly Plus 1 do the switching at the light, boiler or gate. Both are small enough to sit in a back box and both run locally with Home Assistant.

Which one supports Matter?

Only the Shelly i4 Gen3, which supports Matter and Apple HomeKit along with Alexa, Google Home and Home Assistant. The Shelly Plus 1 has neither Matter nor HomeKit, so it reaches Apple's ecosystem only through a bridge such as Home Assistant.

Who should buy the Shelly Plus 1?

Buy the Shelly Plus 1 if you need a dependable single-channel relay with dry contact isolation for a gate, garage or boiler, or want to switch a 30V DC circuit. It is UL listed, lists overheating protection, runs without a cloud account and comes with a 3-year warranty.

Who should buy the Shelly i4 Gen3?

Buy the Shelly i4 Gen3 if you want to keep your existing wall switches working while using them as smart triggers, or to bring buttons and dry-contact sensors into scenes. It supports Matter and HomeKit, doubles as a Bluetooth gateway, and hides behind a switch plate.

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