Updated September 30, 2026 · SmartHomeCue Editorial Team
Aqara vs Lennox
What sets them apart
| Compare |  Aqara |  Lennox |
|---|---|---|
| Matter certified | YesHas it | No |
| Hub required | YesHas it | No |
| Warranty | 1 year | 10 yearsHigher |
| Markets | AE, IL, TR, EU, GB, MY, LK, JP, IN, NP, ID, PH, SG, KH, BN, MV, MM, VN, US, CA, UY, AR, CL, BR, GT, DO, MX, CR, TTCovers more | US, CA |
| Price from | $17.99 | Not confirmed |
| Heat pump compatible | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Security update period | 2 years | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Local control (Yes), Energy reporting (Yes), Subscription per month ($0).
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Key differences
- Lennox scores higher overall: 9.2 vs 9.1.
- Hub required: only Aqara.
- Warranty is higher at Lennox: 10 years vs 1 year.
- Support channels: only Aqara offers Community.
- Support channels: only Lennox offers Email, Chat.
- Matter certified: only Aqara.
- Founded is lower at Lennox: 1895 vs 2009.
- Device types: only Aqara offers Trv, Lighting, Plug.
- Protocols: only Aqara offers Thread, Zigbee.
- Ecosystems: only Aqara offers Homekit, Smartthings.
Our verdict on each
Aqara
Aqara suits households that want cameras, doorbells, locks and home sensors in the same system without a recurring bill. Monitoring costs $0, local storage keeps footage on your own hardware, and nothing is locked into a minimum term, which makes it a strong pick for self installers put off by subscriptions.
Lennox
Lennox suits households that want heating and cooling handled locally, without a hub or a running fee, and pairs that with 10 years of warranty. The catch is reach: sales cover US and CA only, and the catalogue stays on thermostat and sensor with nothing else to add.
Score breakdown
| Area | Aqara | Lennox |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.4$0 on automation subscriptions and 0 months on contract length keep the recurring cost at nothing. | 9.4The monthly subscription is $0, so the running cost after the purchase is nothing to plan around. |
| Offer | 8.97 days free cloud event clips come with entry hardware at $17.99, so a small kit starts cheap. | 9.2HigherEnergy reporting and heat pump support sit alongside thermostat and sensor, with no hub needed for any of it. |
| Trust | 8.8End to end encryption is in place, with security support running 2 years and warranty cover of 1 year. | 9.0HigherA 10 years warranty, a US base and email, chat and help centre support, run by a firm founded in 1895. |
Where they rank in our lists
| Ranking | Aqara | Lennox |
|---|---|---|
| Smart thermostats | 9 of 24 | 6 of 24 |
| Matter smart home devices | 12 of 33 | 8 of 33 |
Which one suits you
Pick Aqara if matter certified, hub required, and markets matter most.
Pick Lennox if offer and warranty matter most.
Licences and countries
| Country | Aqara | Lennox |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Not confirmed | United States |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Aqara | Lennox |
|---|---|---|
| Device types | Thermostat, Trv, Lighting, Plug, Hub, Sensor, BlindsCovers more | Thermostat, Sensor |
| Protocols | Matter, Thread, Zigbee, Wi fiCovers more | Wi fi, Matter |
| Ecosystems | Alexa, Google, Homekit, Matter, SmartthingsCovers more | Alexa, Google, Matter |
| Legal entity | Lumi United Technology Co., Ltd. | Lennox International Inc. |
| Headquarters | Not confirmed | United States |
| Founded | 2009 | 1895Lower |
| Support channels | Help centre, Community | Email, Chat, Help centre |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Aqara | Lennox | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price from | $17.99below the median | Not confirmed | $99.99 |
| Subscription per month | $0at the median | $0at the median | $0 |
| Security update period | 2 yearsbelow the median | Not confirmed | 2.5 years |
| Warranty | 1 yearlowest quarter | 10 yearshighest quarter | 2 years |
Median across 34 listed brands.
Pros and cons
Aqara
Pros
- Nothing recurs: monitoring is $0 and the cloud plan is $0, so the kit costs what it costs on the shelf.
- Footage can stay at home, since local storage is supported, with the cloud holding event clips for 7 days as a backstop.
- The range spans camera, video doorbell and smart lock, which reaches further than Annke's camera and video doorbell for anyone building out a whole home.
Cons
- Professional monitoring is not offered, so alerts land on the household rather than a response desk.
- Support runs on help centre and community only, with no staffed channel listed for a hub that will not pair.
- A hub is required, so the entry outlay is more than the sticker price of the cheapest device in the range.
Lennox
Pros
- No hub is required and local control is supported, so schedules and set points stay on the thermostat itself.
- The subscription is $0 a month, so there is no renewal to budget for after the purchase.
- Heat pump compatibility and energy reporting are both listed, covering the two checks most households make on a thermostat.
Cons
- Matter certified is listed as no, so wi fi and matter pairs a protocol with a standard the thermostat is not certified to.
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre only, and phone is not among the listed channels.
- The range is sold in US and CA only, so buyers in other markets need a different supplier.
Who each suits
Aqara
Who it suits
- Households covering cameras, doorbells, locks and alarms without a monthly monitoring fee, since monitoring is $0.
- Self installers, because installation is not required and the model is diy.
- Automation builders working across matter, thread and zigbee who want local control and a hub they own.
Who should look elsewhere
- Not for shoppers who want an alarm panel or personal alarm in the same basket: The Home Security Superstore lists alarm, camera and smart lock.
- Not for buyers whose list is only cameras and doorbells, since Annke's camera and video doorbell is a shorter, more focused range to browse.
Lennox
Who it suits
- Households in US and CA running a heat pump who want a thermostat that works without a hub and keeps control on the device.
- Renters and homeowners who would rather see no recurring fee, since the monthly subscription is $0.
- Buyers who rate a 10 years warranty and a long trading history above a wide device catalogue.
Who should look elsewhere
- Aqara buyers who want the line to stretch past thermostat and sensor into hubs, lighting, plugs and blinds.
- Lutron buyers who want climate control in the same system as lighting and blinds, since Lutron lists lighting, blinds and thermostat.
- SONOFF buyers who want radiator valves and hubs, since thermostat, trv and lighting reaches well past the thermostat and sensor on offer here.
Country by country
| Country | Aqara | Lennox |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | No | Yes |
| United States | No | Yes |
Questions about each
Aqara
How much does Aqara charge for monitoring each month?+
Nothing. Monitoring is $0 and the cloud plan is $0, so the only cost is the hardware itself. 7 days free cloud event clips are included at no charge, which is enough to check recent activity on a doorbell or camera. Renewal is not a concern either, because contracts run 0 months.
Is there a contract or minimum term to sign up for?+
No. Contracts run 0 months, so there is no minimum term and nothing that renews on its own. Aqara ranks 1 on contract length among 60 brands, which puts it at the front of the field for anyone who wants to walk away without notice.
Lennox
What does a Lennox thermostat cost once you have bought it?+
The recurring part is simple: the monthly subscription is $0, so there is nothing to renew and no fee to set aside each month. You pay for the hardware, and 10 years of warranty means there is no extra cover to buy. Running cost stays at nothing.
Do I need to buy a hub or a bridge first?+
No hub is required. The thermostat and sensor run on wi fi and matter, and local control is supported, so schedules and set points live on the device. There is no extra box to mount, power or pair, and nothing sitting between the thermostat and your router to keep running.