Updated September 30, 2026 · SmartHomeCue Editorial Team
Aqara vs Shelly
Where Aqara and Shelly differ
| Compare |  Aqara |  Shelly |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | £3.49 | €12.90 |
| Hub required | YesHas it | No |
| Warranty | 2 years | 2 to 5 yearsHigher |
| Markets | GB | AT, AU, BE, CH, CY, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HR, HU, IE, IT, LV, LT, LU, NL, NZ, PL, PT, RO, SE, SI, SKCovers more |
| Subscription per month | Not confirmed | €3.99 |
| Security update period | 2 years | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Matter certified (Yes), Local control (Yes), Energy reporting (Yes).
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Key differences
- Aqara scores higher overall: 9.4 vs 9.1.
- Hub required: only Aqara.
- Warranty is higher at Shelly: 2 to 5 years vs 2 years.
- Support channels: only Shelly offers Email, Chat.
- Shelly is available in 28 more countries.
- Protocols: only Aqara offers Thread.
- Protocols: only Shelly offers Z wave.
- Ecosystems: only Aqara offers Smartthings.
- Markets: only Shelly offers AT, AU, BE.
Our verdict on each
Aqara
Aqara suits renters and homeowners who want sensors, locks and cameras to run through one hub without a subscription. Entry hardware starts at £3.49, monitoring stays free, and local control keeps automations on the hub, so the real commitment is buying the hub first and adding devices as the house grows.
Shelly
Shelly suits homeowners and renters who want broad smart home kit with no hub to buy first. Device prices start at €12.90, the range covers thermostat, lighting, plug, hub, sensor and blinds work over matter, zigbee and z wave, and local control keeps routines running when the internet drops.
Score breakdown
| Area | Aqara | Shelly |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 10.0Higher£3.49 entry hardware, £36.98 camera pricing, £0 monitoring and a 0 months contract term. | 9.1Entry price €12.90 sits under the €15.36 median for smart thermostat brands here. |
| Offer | 9.2Matter certified kit, 7-day free cloud clips plus local microSD recording on cameras and 2 years of hardware warranty. | 9.2No hub required, local control, energy reporting, and cloud extras left to an optional €3.99 plan. |
| Trust | 8.7Lumi United Technology Co., Ltd. backs the range, with 2 years of security support and phone, help centre and community for help. | 9.1HigherMatter certification, 2 to 5 years cover and 14 days returns, all under Shelly Europe Ltd. |
Where they rank in our lists
| Ranking | Aqara | Shelly |
|---|---|---|
| Home security cameras | 13 of 75 | 33 of 75 |
| Security cameras without a subscription | 8 of 53 | 23 of 53 |
| Smart locks | 8 of 42 | 17 of 42 |
| Smart thermostats | 2 of 24 | 12 of 24 |
| Matter smart home devices | 4 of 33 | 17 of 33 |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | Aqara | Shelly |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | China | Bulgaria |
Available in 1 country for both. Additional countries for Shelly: 28.
Which one suits you
Pick Aqara if cost and hub required matter most.
Pick Shelly if trust, warranty, and markets matter most.
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Aqara | Shelly |
|---|---|---|
| Device types | Hub, Sensor, Lighting, Plug, Blinds, Thermostat | Thermostat, Lighting, Plug, Hub, Sensor, Blinds |
| Protocols | Matter, Thread, Zigbee, Wi fi | Matter, Zigbee, Z wave, Wi fi |
| Ecosystems | Alexa, Google, Homekit, Matter, SmartthingsCovers more | Alexa, Google, Homekit, Matter |
| Legal entity | Lumi United Technology Co., Ltd. | Shelly Europe Ltd |
| Headquarters | China | Bulgaria |
| Founded | 2016 | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Phone, Help centre, Community | Email, Chat, Phone, Help centre, CommunityCovers more |
Home security
| Fact | Aqara | Shelly |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £36.98 | €39.90 |
| Monitoring per month | £0 | Not confirmed |
| Minimum contract | 0 months | 0 months |
| Products | Camera, Smart lock, Smoke alarm, Video doorbellCovers more | Camera, Smart lock |
| Professional monitoring | No | Not confirmed |
| Local storage | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | Diy | Diy |
| Money-back period | 14 days | 14 days |
| Cloud plan per month | Not confirmed | €3.99 |
| End-to-end encryption | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Free features | 7-day free cloud clips plus local microSD recording | Camera live streaming, 5 events of event history, motion events with recordings, smart notifications (Shelly Smart Control standard plan) |
| Top resolution | 2k | 1080p |
| Power source | Battery, Wired | Battery, Wired |
| Recording retention | 7 days | 30 daysHigher |
| Installation required | No | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Aqara | Shelly | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subscription per month | Not confirmed | €3.99above the median | €2.00 |
| Security update period | 2 yearsbelow the median | Not confirmed | 2.5 years |
| Warranty | 2 yearsat the median | 2 to 5 yearshighest quarter | 2 years |
Median across 34 listed brands.
Pros and cons
Aqara
Pros
- Monitoring is £0 and the contract term is 0 months, so there is no renewal price to plan for.
- Hardware opens at £3.49 and cameras start at £36.98, against a site entry median of €127.49.
- Local control and local storage are both supported, so automations and recordings can stay on the hub rather than in the cloud.
Cons
- A hub is required before any sensor, lock or blind does anything, which is an upfront cost on top of the devices.
- Professional monitoring is not offered, so alerts depend on the household rather than on a watching service.
- Support runs on phone, help centre and community only, with no live chat listed alongside them.
Shelly
Pros
- A hub is not required, so plugs, sensors and switches start working without bridge hardware.
- Local control is supported and energy reporting comes as standard, so offline routines and consumption figures arrive together.
- Entry price €12.90 sits below the €15.36 median for smart thermostat brands.
Cons
- Camera video tops out at 1080p, below the higher resolutions common on other security cameras.
- Cloud retention of 30 days needs the Shelly Smart Control premium plan at €3.99 a month.
- The camera runs on battery and wired, so placement decides between wiring and battery changes.
Who each suits
Aqara
Who it suits
- People who want sensors, locks and cameras under one hub with local control and nothing to pay monthly, since monitoring is £0.
- Households already running Zigbee or Thread kit, since the hub bridges matter, thread and zigbee and can reuse what is already installed.
- Owners who want a do it yourself system, since the model is diy and installation is not required for the camera range.
Who should look elsewhere
- Lutron buyers who only need lighting, blinds and thermostats, since lighting, blinds and thermostat carries no sensor, lock or camera line.
- SONOFF shoppers after radiator valves, since thermostat, trv and lighting includes radiator valves and hub, sensor and lighting does not.
- GHome Smart buyers who want a compact setup, since plug, lighting and thermostat leaves out blinds and a hub that hub, sensor and lighting includes.
Shelly
Who it suits
- Renters and new buyers who want a hub-free start and automations that keep working offline.
- Households already running Alexa, Google or HomeKit, or planning to settle on Matter later.
- Anyone tracking energy use, since energy reporting is standard across the range.
Who should look elsewhere
- SONOFF, if you want thermostatic radiator valves, since thermostat, trv and lighting includes trv and the Shelly range leaves it out.
- Aqara or Lutron, if the same device mix suits you better from another brand, since hub, sensor and lighting and lighting, blinds and thermostat cover the same categories.
Current offers
Aqara
Current offer
Discount code
5% off your first order via Aqara UK newsletter: 5% off first order
Sign up to the Aqara UK newsletter; code sent by email
Source, checked September 30, 2026
Shelly
Current offer
Free trial
3 months free on Shelly Smart Control Premium: 3 months free
Free for 3 months, then EUR 3.99/month (monthly plan) or EUR 35.99/year (yearly plan); offer only available if you have not tried Premium before; cancel anytime
Source, checked September 30, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Aqara | Shelly |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | No | Yes |
| Austria | No | Yes |
| Belgium | No | Yes |
| Croatia | No | Yes |
| Cyprus | No | Yes |
| Czechia | No | Yes |
| Denmark | No | Yes |
| Estonia | No | Yes |
8 of 29 countries where either is available.
Questions about each
Aqara
What does Aqara cost to run after the hardware is bought?+
Monthly monitoring is £0 and the contract term is 0 months, so there is no subscription to renew and no renewal price to plan around. Cameras include 7-day free cloud clips plus local microSD recording as standard, hardware opens at £3.49 and cameras start at £36.98. Nothing steps up when a year passes.
Is Aqara certified for safety and security?+
Aqara's hub is Matter certified, and the security certifications cover camera, smart lock and smoke alarm as a group. Security support runs for 2 years, which is shorter than the 2 years warranty, so buyers planning a long ownership should think about the stretch after the warranty period ends.
Shelly
What does Shelly hardware cost to start with?+
Entry price is €12.90, which covers the cheapest device in the range rather than a bundle. The camera sits higher at €39.90, and the catalogue spans camera and smart lock. Budget for hardware first, then decide whether the cloud extras earn their monthly fee.
Is there a monthly fee or a contract?+
The Shelly Smart Control premium plan costs €3.99 a month, and it is optional rather than required. There is no minimum term, since the contract length is 0 months. The Shelly Smart Control standard plan keeps live streaming, motion event recordings and smart notifications at no cost.