Winner
Updated November 2026
Data from the official Aqara and Shelly sites.
2026 verdict
A smoke alarm is only as smart as the system it can talk to, and the Aqara Smart Smoke Detector talks to more of them than the Shelly Plus Smoke Alarm, with a battery rated to last twice as long.
It works with Matter and Apple Home directly, SmartThings through Matter and Home Assistant, and its CR17450 cell is rated for 10 years against 5 years. The Shelly Plus Smoke Alarm is the better rated of the two, carries a 3 year warranty against 1 year and connects straight to 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, so it needs no hub, where the Aqara requires a Zigbee hub and reaches Alexa and Google Home only through a Matter capable Aqara hub. Both detect smoke only, with no CO sensor, and both sound a siren of about 85 dB. Choose the Aqara Smart Smoke Detector for an Apple Home or Matter setup, and the Shelly Plus Smoke Alarm for a hub-free Wi-Fi alarm in a Google Home, SmartThings or Shelly home.
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The biggest differences
Where these two are furthest apart, and by how much.
- Warranty3×Shelly Plus Smoke Alarm3 years vs 1 year
- Battery Life2×Aqara Smart Smoke Detector10 years vs 5 years
| Feature | Aqara Smart Smoke Detector | Shelly Plus Smoke Alarm | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warranty | 1 year | 3 years | Shelly Plus Smoke Alarm |
| Battery Life | 10 years | 5 years | Aqara Smart Smoke Detector |
| Connectivity | Zigbee | 2.4 GHz WiFi, Bluetooth | Shelly Plus Smoke Alarm |
| Integrations | Google Home, Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Samsung SmartThings, Home Assistant, Matter | Google Home, Samsung SmartThings, Home Assistant | Aqara Smart Smoke Detector |
| Rating | 4.4 | 4.4 | Tie |
| Screen | NO | NO | Tie |
| Sensors | Smoke | Smoke | Tie |
| Alerts | Fire Alerts, Low Battery Alerts | Fire Alerts, Low Battery Alerts | Tie |
| Built-in Siren | YES | YES | Tie |
| Built-in Light | YES | YES | Tie |
| Tests Itself | NO | NO | Tie |
| Pathlight | NO | NO | Tie |
What the differences mean
Hub or no hub
The Shelly Plus Smoke Alarm joins your Wi-Fi on its own. The Aqara Smart Smoke Detector is a Zigbee device and needs a Zigbee hub, and an Aqara hub with Matter if you want it in Alexa or Google Home. Without a hub already on the wall, the Shelly is the simpler buy.
Apple Home and Matter
The Aqara Smart Smoke Detector is a Matter device that works with Apple Home, and reaches SmartThings through Matter. The Shelly Plus Smoke Alarm supports neither Apple Home nor Matter, which rules it out for an Apple-first house.
Battery
The Aqara Smart Smoke Detector is rated for 10 years on its CR17450 cell, the Shelly Plus Smoke Alarm for 5 years on a CR123A. Aqara owners report real-world drain well short of that rating, so treat the gap as a spec, not a promise.
Warranty
Shelly covers the Shelly Plus Smoke Alarm for 3 years, Aqara the Aqara Smart Smoke Detector for 1 year. For a safety device you expect to leave on a ceiling for years, the longer cover is worth something.
Which one to buy if
- your home runs on Apple Home or Matter
The Aqara Smart Smoke Detector supports both; the Shelly Plus Smoke Alarm supports neither.
- you have no smart home hub
The Shelly Plus Smoke Alarm connects over Wi-Fi by itself; the Aqara needs a Zigbee hub.
- you already run Zigbee through Home Assistant
The Aqara Smart Smoke Detector joins your Zigbee network and is the lower priced of the two.
- you want the longest warranty
The Shelly Plus Smoke Alarm is covered for 3 years against 1 year for the Aqara.
Winner
- + Battery Life: 10 years
- + Integrations: Google Home, Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Samsung SmartThings, Home Assistant, Matter
- - Warranty: 1 year vs 3 years
- - Connectivity: Zigbee vs 2.4 GHz WiFi, Bluetooth
4% OFF
£67.12
£69.74
- + Warranty: 3 years
- + Connectivity: 2.4 GHz WiFi, Bluetooth
- - Battery Life: 5 years vs 10 years
- - Integrations: Google Home, Samsung SmartThings, Home Assistant vs Google Home, Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Samsung SmartThings, Home Assistant, Matter
What owners say
Owners of both alarms buy them for the same reason: smoke alerts that reach the phone and trigger other automations, and both groups praise a siren that is genuinely loud and a setup that takes minutes. Aqara Smart Smoke Detector owners single out how smoothly it joins Home Assistant or HomeKit and linking several units so one alarm sounds them all, and their main complaint is battery life that drains far faster than the box suggests, along with weak Zigbee range for a few. Shelly Plus Smoke Alarm owners like pairing over Wi-Fi with no extra hardware, MQTT for tinkering and the long battery rating, and they mention a short pairing window and, for a small minority, false alarms after months of use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Aqara vs Shelly: which smoke detector is better?
The Aqara Smart Smoke Detector, for its Matter and Apple Home support and its 10 year battery rating. The Shelly Plus Smoke Alarm is better rated, has a 3 year warranty and needs no hub, which makes it the easier choice for a Wi-Fi only home.
What is the biggest difference between the Aqara Smart Smoke Detector and the Shelly Plus Smoke Alarm?
How they connect. The Aqara Smart Smoke Detector uses Zigbee and needs a hub, while the Shelly Plus Smoke Alarm uses 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi directly. That choice also decides the ecosystems: Matter and Apple Home for the Aqara, Wi-Fi integrations with Google Home and SmartThings for the Shelly.
Do the Aqara Smart Smoke Detector and the Shelly Plus Smoke Alarm detect carbon monoxide?
No. Both detect smoke only, with no CO sensor and no CO alerts, so either needs a separate carbon monoxide alarm.
Do they work with Alexa and Google Home?
The Shelly Plus Smoke Alarm works with Google Home directly, but not with Alexa, which has no device type for smoke alarms outside Matter. The Aqara Smart Smoke Detector reaches both through Matter over a Matter capable Aqara hub.
Who should buy the Aqara Smart Smoke Detector?
Apple Home, Matter and Home Assistant users who already have a Zigbee or Aqara hub and want smoke detection tied into their automations.
Who should buy the Shelly Plus Smoke Alarm?
Anyone without a hub who wants a Wi-Fi smoke alarm that works with Google Home, SmartThings and Home Assistant, backed by a 3 year warranty.
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