Data from the official Aqara and Google sites.
2026 verdict
Budget Zigbee sensor versus self-contained safety alarm: the Google Nest Protect (Battery) is the stronger smoke alarm, with carbon monoxide detection and self-testing the Aqara lacks.
It connects over Wi-Fi with no hub, senses occupancy, motion, temperature, humidity and light, lights a pathlight, uses Steam Check against false alarms, interconnects wirelessly with other Protects and carries a 2-year warranty against 1 year. The Aqara Smart Smoke Detector wins on cost, battery and platforms: it is the more affordable of the two, its CR17450 cell is rated for 10 years against about 2 for the Nest's AA set, and through a Zigbee hub it works with Apple HomeKit, Matter, SmartThings and Home Assistant, plus Alexa and Google Home through an Aqara hub, with automations. It detects smoke only. Choose the Google Nest Protect (Battery) for smoke and CO protection that stands on its own, and the Aqara Smart Smoke Detector for an inexpensive smoke sensor inside a HomeKit, Matter or Home Assistant home.
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The biggest differences
Where these two are furthest apart, and by how much.
- Battery Life5×Aqara Smart Smoke Detector10 years vs 2 years
- Warranty2×Google Nest Protect (Battery)2 years vs 1 year
| Feature | Aqara Smart Smoke Detector | Google Nest Protect (Battery) | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warranty | 1 year | 2 years | Google Nest Protect (Battery) |
| Battery Life | 10 years | 2 years | Aqara Smart Smoke Detector |
| Connectivity | Zigbee | 2.4 GHz WiFi, Bluetooth, Other | Google Nest Protect (Battery) |
| Integrations | Google Home, Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Samsung SmartThings, Home Assistant, Matter | Google Home, Home Assistant | Aqara Smart Smoke Detector |
| Sensors | Smoke | Smoke, CO, Occupancy, Temperature, Humidity, Ambient Light, Motion | Google Nest Protect (Battery) |
| Alerts | Fire Alerts, Low Battery Alerts | Fire Alerts, CO Alerts, Low Battery Alerts | Google Nest Protect (Battery) |
| Tests Itself | NO | YES | Google Nest Protect (Battery) |
| Pathlight | NO | YES | Google Nest Protect (Battery) |
| Steam Check | NO | YES | Google Nest Protect (Battery) |
| Local Control | YES | Partially | Aqara Smart Smoke Detector |
| Rating | 4.4 | 4.4 | Tie |
| Screen | NO | NO | Tie |
What the differences mean
Carbon monoxide
The Google Nest Protect (Battery) detects smoke and carbon monoxide. The Aqara Smart Smoke Detector detects smoke only, so homes with gas appliances would need a separate CO alarm.
Hub or Wi-Fi
The Aqara Smart Smoke Detector is Zigbee only and needs a hub to reach your phone or any platform. The Google Nest Protect (Battery) connects over 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and works through the Nest app with nothing else to buy.
Platforms
The Aqara Smart Smoke Detector covers Apple HomeKit, Matter, SmartThings and Home Assistant, with Alexa and Google Home through an Aqara hub, and it supports automations. The Google Nest Protect (Battery) works with Google Home and Home Assistant only, with no HomeKit, Alexa or Matter.
Battery
The Aqara Smart Smoke Detector is rated for 10 years on its cell, although many owners report shorter real-world life. The Google Nest Protect (Battery) is rated for about 2 years on six AA cells.
Built-in smarts
The Google Nest Protect (Battery) tests itself, has a pathlight, Steam Check and extra sensors for occupancy, motion, temperature and humidity. The Aqara Smart Smoke Detector has a siren and light but none of those.
Which one to buy if
- you need carbon monoxide protection too
The Google Nest Protect (Battery) detects both smoke and CO.
- your smart home is Apple Home or Matter
The Aqara Smart Smoke Detector works with HomeKit and Matter; the Nest works with neither.
- you do not own a smart home hub
The Google Nest Protect (Battery) connects over Wi-Fi on its own, while the Aqara needs a Zigbee hub.
- you are adding several smoke sensors on a tight budget
The Aqara Smart Smoke Detector is the more affordable way to put a connected smoke sensor in each room of an existing Zigbee setup.
- + Battery Life: 10 years
- + Integrations: Google Home, Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Samsung SmartThings, Home Assistant, Matter
- + Local Control: YES
- - Warranty: 1 year vs 2 years
- - Connectivity: Zigbee vs 2.4 GHz WiFi, Bluetooth, Other
Winner
Price unavailable right now
- + Warranty: 2 years
- + Connectivity: 2.4 GHz WiFi, Bluetooth, Other
- + Sensors: Smoke, CO, Occupancy, Temperature, Humidity, Ambient Light, Motion
- - Battery Life: 2 years vs 10 years
- - Integrations: Google Home, Home Assistant vs Google Home, Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Samsung SmartThings, Home Assistant, Matter
What owners say
Owners of both praise a loud alarm and a quick setup, and both groups name the battery as the thing to watch, for different reasons. Aqara Smart Smoke Detector owners are automation builders who pair it with Home Assistant or an Aqara hub and use smoke alerts to switch lights or trigger linked alarms; many report the cell draining much faster than its rating. Google Nest Protect (Battery) owners single out the spoken warning that names the room, phone alerts while away, the monthly self-test email and the pathlight, with stories of real fires and CO caught early. They complain about its cost, the specific lithium AA cells it needs, abrupt low-battery warnings, old stock shortening its fixed lifespan, and no Alexa, HomeKit or Matter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better: Aqara Smart Smoke Detector or Google Nest Protect (Battery)?
The Google Nest Protect (Battery), because it detects smoke and carbon monoxide, needs no hub, tests itself and adds a pathlight and Steam Check. The Aqara Smart Smoke Detector is the better fit for a low-cost smoke sensor inside HomeKit, Matter or Home Assistant.
What is the biggest difference between the Aqara Smart Smoke Detector and the Google Nest Protect (Battery)?
Carbon monoxide and independence. The Google Nest Protect (Battery) detects smoke and CO and works on Wi-Fi alone, while the Aqara Smart Smoke Detector detects smoke only and relies on a Zigbee hub.
Which one works with Apple HomeKit?
The Aqara Smart Smoke Detector works with Apple HomeKit and Matter through a hub. The Google Nest Protect (Battery) does not support HomeKit, Alexa, SmartThings or Matter, only Google Home and Home Assistant.
Which has the longer battery life?
On paper, the Aqara Smart Smoke Detector, rated for 10 years against about 2 years for the Google Nest Protect (Battery). Many Aqara owners report their cell draining much sooner, so check battery level through your hub.
Who should buy the Aqara Smart Smoke Detector?
Anyone with an Aqara hub or a Home Assistant Zigbee setup who wants affordable smoke sensors that trigger automations. The Aqara Smart Smoke Detector is not a CO alarm, so pair it with one where gas appliances are present.
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