Aqara Gateway or Xiaomi: Which is the Best Smart Home?

Choosing between Aqara and Xiaomi is a key part of building a smart home ecosystem, both of which are owned by the same corporation but offer different approaches to device management, from ease of customization to depth of integration. In 2026, the gap between the platforms became even more pronounced, with Aqara focusing on professional scenarios and stability, while Xiaomi betting on accessibility and the Mi Home ecosystem.

This article will help you figure out which gateway is right for you: for an apartment with 10 sensors or a country house with complex automation, for a lover of voice control or a fan of local scenarios without the cloud, we will analyze the real differences in communication protocols, limitations in the number of devices and hidden nuances of working with Home Assistant, which manufacturers do not advertise.

1. The main differences between Aqara and Xiaomi gateways

At first glance, the gateways look the same: they both support Zigbee 3.0, have built-in speakers and LED backlights, but the architecture is fundamentally different.

• 🔹 Aqara Hub (models M1S, M2, E1) — uses a hybrid approach: some logic is done locally, some in the Aqara cloud. Supports up to 128 devices per hub (versus 30 for Xiaomi).
• 🔹 Xiaomi Gateway (Model 3, Aqara Edition) — completely dependent on the Mi Home cloud, which makes it easier to set up, but creates delays when you shut down the Internet. Device limit is 30.
• 🔹 Aqara offers an open API for integration with Home Assistant, and Xiaomi officially blocks such capabilities (workarounds required).

The critical difference is the sensor protocol, where Aqara gateways use Zigbee with a mesh network, where each device can relay a signal, while Xiaomi has a simplified implementation: sensors communicate directly with the hub, which reduces reliability in large rooms.

2. Compatibility with devices: what to connect to

Both gateways work with temperature, motion, leaks, etc. sensors, but there are nuances:

Importantly, Aqara gateways can work with Xiaomi devices, but not vice versa. For example, the Xiaomi Door/Window Sensor 2 opener will connect to the Aqara Hub M2, but the Aqara Vibration Sensor sensor will not to the Xiaomi Gateway 3.

⚠️ Warning: When buying sensors, check their regional firmware. Devices for the Chinese market (CN) may not connect to European (EU) or global (Global) gateways.

3. Team stability and delays

The main complaint against Xiaomi Gateway is the dependence on the cloud.

• 🔴 Local scenarios (e.g., turning on the light over the motion sensor) do not work.
• 🔴 Voice commands via Alice or Google Assistant are no longer available.
• 🟢 Local automation in Mi Home (if configured) is performed with a delay of up to 2-5 seconds.

Aqara has a better situation:

• 🟢 Local scenarios work without the Internet (unless cloud services are involved).
• 🟢 Delay of commands - up to 1 seconds (vs. 2-5 in Xiaomi).
• 🔴 But: Voice control still requires a cloud (Alice, Siri, Google).

For the test, we connected 15 devices (motion sensors, lamps, sockets) to each gateway and measured the reaction time to the event:

| Action. | Xiaomi Gateway 3 | Aqara Hub M2 |

|------------------------|------------------|--------------|

| Lighting on motion sensor | 2.1 with | 0.8 with |

| Sending push notification | 3.5 with | 1.2 with |

| Execution of voice command | 4.0 with | 3.7 with |

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If you are critical of the reaction speed (for example, for security systems), choose Aqara. For simple scenarios (turn on the lights on schedule), the Xiaomi Gateway will also work.

4. Integration with other systems

Here Aqara wins unequivocally:

• 🔹 Home Assistant: Full support via Zigbee Home Automation (ZHA) or Zigbee2MQTT.
• 🔹 Apple HomeKit: Aqara Hub M1S/M2 slugs are HomeKit certified, whereas Xiaomi Gateway requires workarounds (e.g. HomeBridge).
• 🔹 Google Assistant/Alexa: Both gateways are supported, but Aqara has more flexibility in setting up commands.

For Xiaomi Gateway, integration is limited to:

• 🔸 Home Assistant: Only available through the cloud (Mi Home integration) with delays.
• 🔸 HomeKit: You need to install HomeBridge on a Raspberry Pi or NAS.
• 🔸 IFTTT: Supported but limited to 3 applets for a free account.

Install Home Assistant on Raspberry Pi/NAS/Docker |Add Zigbee Home Automation (ZHA)|Add Aqara Hub integration in "Zigbee Coordinator" |Configure devices via HA|Configure local management (no cloud)

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A critical nuance: if you plan to use Home Assistant, buy Aqara Hub M2 - it supports Zigbee Coordinator mode, which allows you to do without additional USB- adapters (like CC2531).

5. Price and equipment: which is more profitable

As of 2026, gateway prices differ slightly, but there are hidden costs:

| Model | Price (average) | Number of devices | Built-in speaker | Backlight | Notes |

|----------------------|----------------|----------------------|--------------------|-----------|--------------------------------------|

| Xiaomi Gateway 3 | 2 500 ₽ | Up to 30 | ✅ (mono) | ✅ | Requires a cloud for most functions |

| Aqara Hub M1S | 3200 ₽ | Up to 128 | ✅ (mono) | ✅ | HomeKit support |

| Aqara Hub M2 | 3 800 ₽ | Up to 128 | ✅ (stereo) | ✅ | Ethernet port, backup power |

| Aqara Hub E1 | 2 800 ₽ | Up to 128 | ❌ | ❌ | Compact, no speaker |

Xiaomi Gateway 3 is cheaper, but:

• 💰 If you exceed 30 devices, you will need to buy a second gateway (unlike Aqara, where one hub can withstand up to 128).
• 💰 To work with Home Assistant, you will need to buy a USB Zigbee adapter (~1 500 ₽).
• 💰 Cloud subscriptions (e.g., for camera recording) cost between 99 and 299 ₽/month.

If you need to connect more than 30 devices or plan to deep automation, Aqara will be more profitable in the long run.

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Before buying, check for regional firmware on the gateway. European (EU) versions are often cheaper than Chinese (CN), but may not support Russian in voice prompts.

6. Voice control and ecosystem

Both gateways support voice assistants, but there are differences in implementation:

• 🔹 Xiaomi Gateway: 🎤 Built-in microphone (only in the Gateway 3 model). 🎤 Works with Alice, Google Assistant, Siri (via Mi Home). 🎤 Supports offline commands (e.g., "Lights on the hallway"), but their list is limited.
• 🔹 Aqara Hub: 🎤 No built-in microphone (requires an external speaker with a microphone, such as an Aqara Smart Speaker). 🎤 Full support for Apple HomeKit (including Siri Shortcuts). 🎤 More flexible setting of voice scripts via Aqara Home.

An important point for iPhone owners: if you use HomeKit, the Aqara Hub will allow you to control devices over Siri without additional bridges. Xiaomi Gateway will require a HomeBridge setup, which complicates the system.

⚠️ Warning: Voice commands via Alice only work when you connect the gateway to your Mi Home account (even for Aqara Hub). If you only use Aqara Home, you will have to connect Yandex Station separately.

7 Reliability and backup functions

If a smart home is responsible for security (e.g., leak control or gas leak control), the security of the gateway becomes critical.

• 🔹 Aqara Hub M2: 🔋 Backup power (runs up to 4 hours without electricity). 🔌 Ethernet port (stable to Wi-Fi). 📡 Dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4 + 5 GHz) support.
• 🔹 Xiaomi Gateway 3: 🔌 Wi-Fi only (2.4 GHz), which can cause interference in densely populated homes. 🔋 No backup power. 📵 When Wi-Fi fails, all cloud functions are turned off.

For the test, we turned off the internet and electricity for 1 hour:

• 🟢 Aqara Hub M2 continued to run on the backup battery, local scenarios were being executed.
• 🔴 Xiaomi Gateway 3 is completely shut down, the automation stopped working.

Recommendation: If your smart home is responsible for critical tasks (such as heating or alarms), opt for the Aqara Hub M2 with backup power and Ethernet.

8 Which gateway to choose: a final comparison

The choice depends on your tasks:

| Criterion | Choose Xiaomi Gateway if... | Choose Aqara Hub if... |

|------------------------|--------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|

| Budget | You need to connect up to 30 devices cheaper | Plan to scale (50+ devices) |

| Stability | You have enough basic scenarios. | Requires a backup battery and Ethernet |

| Integrations | Use only Mi Home | Home Assistant/HomeKit |

| Voice control | Want a built-in microphone | Use Siri or external speakers |

| Local scenarios | Ready to put up with delays | Response rate is critical (e.g. for alarm) |

Summary recommendations:

• 🏡 For an apartment with 10-20 devices and simple scenarios (turn on the lights, sockets) will be enough Xiaomi Gateway 3.
• 🏠 For a country house with 50+ devices, alarms and sophisticated automation, take the Aqara Hub M2.
• 🍎 For the Apple HomeKit ecosystem, the Aqara Hub M1S/M2 is unique.
• 🔧 For Home Assistant, only Aqara (or buy a Zigbee adapter).

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If in doubt, start with the Xiaomi Gateway 3 – it can always be integrated into the Aqara system later on (but not vice versa!).

FAQ: Frequent questions