Motion sensors are important for smart home setups as they can detect motions and turn on lights, trigger alarms, and send you intruder alerts whenever necessary. Although there are tons of motion sensors available out there, picking the right one for your HomeKit-based smart home is not that easy.
You do not have to worry about choosing the best HomeKit-supported smart home motion sensor for your household security as we prepared a list for you here. let us begin.
Philips Hue Outdoor Motion Sensor
Philips’ outdoor motion sensor is built for all-weather and is battery powered. The HomeKit motion sensor has three sensors in it to detect motion, temperature, and ambient light as well. Apart from the app’s sensitivity controls, this outdoor motion sensor works with Apple HomeKit. It is easy to calibrate and delivers accurate real-time feedback on the go.
If you already own a set of Philips Hue household light products, then this could be a smart addon. It can trigger up to 3 groups of lights, all at once. You can control the kind of lighting that you would want when motion is detected, the kind of scene they should return to after the motion is stopped and for how long too.
Pros:
- Easy to install
- Connects to Philips Hue group
- Triggers up to three groups of lights
Cons:
- Default light set to soft white light
- No multi-sensor setup
Key Features: Motion, Temperature & Ambient Sensors | Philips Hue lights compatibility | Weather-resistant | Multiple places installation compatibility
- Detects outdoor motion and can trigger both Philips Hue indoor and outdoor lights
Related: Best HomeKit Smart Home Gift Ideas for Apple Users
Aqara Motion Sensor
The Aqara Motion Sensor is a compact and affordable HomeKit compatible device. It is a wireless motion sensor, hence, it is battery powered. This battery will last up to two years. The HomeKit motion sensor comes with a range of about seven meters and has a motion-tracking light too. On the front, there are two sensors; one for motion and the other one senses the ambient light.
The Aqara Motion Sensor is compatible with the Aqara Hub or Zigbee-supported hubs via ethernet or Wi-Fi. With the Aqara Hub, the motion sensor could double up as a security device. Once it is active and there’s a motion detected, the Hub will send an alarm and a notification to your phone. It offers a pivot and a lean angle to move 360 degrees around it.
Pros:
- Compact design
- Can be positioned anywhere
- Works with or without Wi-Fi
- Operates in low data connectivity
Cons:
- Requires hub
- Detection limits to 7 meters
- No smart home support for Ambient light sensor
Key Features: Apple HomeKit and Amazon Alexa support | Hub alarm mode | Infrared sensor | Anti-UV shell | Flame-retardant material | Supports up to 128 devices
- ✽【NOTES】An Aqara Hub is required and sold separately. Requires a secured 2. 4 gigahertz WiFi...
ONVIS Smart Motion Sensor
The ONVIS Smart Motion Sensor is quite compact and weighs just about 2.11 ounces. There are two sensors inside the device for temperature and humidity. The ONVIS Smart Motion Sensor does not require a Hub. You can download the Onvis app and operate the device via Bluetooth as well.
The ONVIS Smart Motion Sensor is an affordable motion sensor. It is like one of those products which may not look as good as one might expect, but once it is plugged in and left, there is no need to worry about its duties; it will get the job done.
Pros:
- 3-in1 sensors
- Quick response time
- Replaceable battery
Cons:
- No ambient light sensor
- Relatively wider in size
Key Features: Apple HomeKit support | Bluetooth 5.0 | 3 sensors | 100 recent detection records | Hygrometer thermometer | Trigger activation records | Low-pressure sensor | Replaceable 2xAAA alkaline batteries | Up to 15000 hours use
- [Notification Reminder] You will get real-time notification in your iOS devices once movement is...
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Ecobee SmartSensor
The Ecobee SmartSensor is unique in so many ways. Firstly it works along with its sibling, the Ecobee smart thermostats. It also considers the room sensors and gives way to a more relaxing way to keep an eye over your home. It will detect motion, who and when the room is occupied, including geo-fencing, and that too along with Ecobee’s Haven Home Monitoring service. All of them work in tandem to keep your home secured and leave you without any jim-jams.
The Ecobee SmartSensor comes with a motion sensor in it. It also comes with additional sensors that cover areas that are far away from your home. This HomeKit-supported motion sensor does not necessarily need to be placed on a windowpane or door.
All the Ecobee devices come together with the Haven Home Monitoring subscription service. This service starts from $5 a month for unlimited entry detection and includes support for video recording with the smart camera. The sensors also report their status through Apple’s HomeKit. Also, the quick status checks could be done through Siri as well.
Pros:
- Wider field of vision
- Supports auto thermostat controlling
- 5 years battery life
Cons:
- No temperature and humidity sensors
- Overpriced
- Needs a Smart Thermostat or Smart Camera
- Inconsistent response time
Key Features: Contact sensors | Smart notifications | Automatically pauses heating or cooling | 120-degree view with 16 feet distance | 5-year battery life
- Real-time notifications whenever a door or window is opened or closed through the ecobee app. When...
Eve Motion Sensor
The Eve Smart Home Motion Sensor can be used via HomeKit or the Eve app as well. With the Home app on your iPhone, you will get to control the automation on the screen even when you are at home or away. While away, you can set the app to send you notifications, in case there is a movement, in the ‘Leave home’ setting.
You can see the battery level, when the sensors are ready, the room it is assigned to, the automation to which we have connected them, set the status of notifications, and more. You can use Eve Motion as a trigger to automate your HomeKit gadgets.
You can use this mix to automatically turn the HomeKit light on whenever there is a motion detected in dark. However, the HomeKit does not turn the light off when motion is no longer detected. In the Eve app, you can see a real-time graphical representation of movements detected by the sensor.
Pros:
- Easy to connect with applications
- Standalone operation
- Data privacy
Cons:
- Bulkier size
- Expensive
- No Google Assistant and Alexa support
Key Features: Bluetooth low energy | 30 feet range | Auto scene settings | Two seconds reaction time | Infrared sensor with 120 degrees FOV | Water-resistant (IPX3) | Mounting height 6.5 feet | Indoor & outdoor | No hub required | 2 AA replaceable batteries
- Automatically set scenes and control connected lights and accessories via your presence
Related: 14 Cool Outdoor Wall Lights with Solar and Motion Detection
Aqara Vibration Sensor
We’ve got another one from Aqara, their vibration sensor. The HomeKit vibration sensor detects internal motion and triggers to report the happenings. Known as the Vibration Sensor, it has to be placed on a stable platform. This is because the Aqara Vibration Sensor is supposed to report vibrations, not human motions and occupancy.
The Aqara Vibration Sensor also senses tilts or even when the object on which it is placed is moved. Its compact design helps the sensor to be placed in tiny spaces and hide as well. It well works with table drawers, doors, windows, and more.
The Aqara Vibration Sensor works as a simple motion sensor on the Home app. This will be shown as a result of all three, tilt, drop, and vibration as well. While the trigger duration in the app can be set in between 1 minute to 23 hours and 59 seconds, Apple’s Home app does not have a limit since the first time trigger notification will be sent. After that, the sensor’s tile will reset.
Pros:
- Single-button to pair and reset
- Tilt and drop sensing
- Custom notifications
- Cooldown period of 1 minute
Cons:
- The home app shows only motion; no tilt or drop
- Not for outdoors
- Needs Aqara Hub
Key Features: Connect upto 128 devices | Vibration detector | Tilt & drop sensor | Acceleration sensor | Anti-V shell | Low energy consumption | Lithium metal battery
- ✽【NOTES】Please note that if you want to use this device to connect to Apple Home or other...
Fibaro Motion Sensor
Fibaro has defined a class in itself by making a sensor look so smart. This distinctive eyes-shaped sensor looks real. The smart home HomeKit motion sensor can be placed wherever you want with a stand that holds the eye still and does not let it roll. You can also use it without the stand.
The Fibaro Motion Sensor works well during the day, as well as at the night. It comes with a light intensity sensor, a temperature sensor, and an accelerometer. While the first one works in accordance with the movement and the light that is present there, the second one tells you the status of the temperature through the color of the eye.
It works in tandem with your home thermostat as well. In sync, they all work together to keep the temperature that you have pre-defined. It can also be carried anywhere and could be used to make a scene elsewhere. When it comes to the third one, the accelerometer, it simply tells when it is in an intruder’s hands.
Pros:
- Plenty of settings
- Encrypted mode
- PIR+Vibration sensor
Cons:
- No humidity sensor
Key Features: Z-Wave or Z-Wave+ Controller compatibility | Protected mode with AES-128 encryption | PIR sensor | Vibration sensor | Built-in accelerometer | Battery powered
- Compatible with Apple Home Kit
Related: 15 Best Smart Home Devices Compatible with Apple HomeKit
Philips Hue Indoor Motion Sensor
The Philips Hue Indoor Motion Sensor, as the name suggests, can be used indoors to replace your usual light switches. It uses a motion sensor to turn the Hue lights on when there’s a motion detected, that is, when you are arriving home or even when you walk inside a room. And after a while, if it does not sense any movement, it will turn the lights off automatically.
At night, the Philips Hue Indoor HomeKit Motion Sensor controls the brightness of the light and tunes it accordingly. You will need two motion sensors to make sure that your living room lights do not go off when you want to step out and come back in sometime. Well, as long as you are visible in its 100 viewing angle.
The surface you place it on could be anywhere in the house since it is IP42 dust and water-resistant. The Philips Hue Indoor Motion Sensor is powered by two AAA batteries that are claimed to last for 2 to 3 years. To use and tune the Philips Hue Indoor HomeKit Motion Sensor to your taste and time, you can use the app.
Pros:
- Scene choices at day and night
- Better battery life
- Easy to set up
Cons:
- Requires Philips Hue
- Limited wall bracket angle
- Not for open spaces
Key Features: Auto-tune lights | Adjust sensitivity | Battery-powered | Philips Hue app controls | Connects up to 50 smart lights | Voice control | 100-degree FOV
- The Philips Hue Smart Motion Sensor combines convenience and energy effeciency. Have your lights...
All in all, there will be options that will offer quality, while some will give you features, and others will have a range like nobody else. What we are sure about is your search for the Best HomeKit Smart Home Motion Sensors stops here. Do let us know what do you think