Hey, welcome back to the channel! SwitchBot sent me this SwitchBot Hub 3, and I compared it to my Hub 2 to see if it’s any better. I’ll show you the ins and outs of this Matter Hub and how it works with Home Assistant!
⭐ You can buy the Switchbot Hub 3 at: ⭐
Switchbot store:
Amazon:
- US: https://amzn.to/3U26508
- UK: https://amzn.to/3Gvo2RO
- DE: https://amzn.to/4exTH1r
- NL: https://amzn.to/4nvJrep
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The SwitchBot Hub 3 is the newest smart home hub from SwitchBot, acting as a central “brain” for controlling SwitchBot devices and many others. It is Matter-enabled, meaning it can bridge SwitchBot devices into Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and other ecosystems, such as Home Assistant. Additionally, it features new hardware, including a touchscreen display, a rotary control dial, and built-in sensors. In this review, I focus on its home automation capabilities – especially integration with Home Assistant – as well as infrared (IR) control, device compatibility, and app usability. I also compare it to the prior Hub 2 model, noting improvements and differences. At the end, I cover pricing and list the pros and cons.
Matter and Smart Home Integration
The Hub 3’s core role is as a smart home hub with Matter support. It can expose up to 30 SwitchBot devices to other Matter-compatible platforms (up from just 8 devices on the Hub 2). In practice, this means paired SwitchBot locks, sensors, curtains, bulbs, etc., appear as Matter devices in Apple Home, Google Home, or Home Assistant. According to SwitchBot’s specs, the Hub 3 “bridges up to 30 SwitchBot devices” and even translates IR appliance commands into Matter, allowing non-smart IR devices to be controlled from Apple Home, Alexa, Google routines, or Home Assistant. And this last option is supercool. In short, the Hub 3 makes it easy to unify SwitchBot gadgets with other brands.
Voice assistant support is built in: it works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and even Siri/Apple Home (via Matter or Shortcuts). In practice, this means you can say “Alexa, turn on the TV” (through a learned IR command) or use Google or Hey Siri to control scenes, etc. It also integrates with popular services. For example, it supports SmartThings, Homey and IFTTT, and even offers Siri Shortcuts for quick automations.
Physically, the Hub 3 is a premium-looking black hub featuring a 2.4″ IPS touchscreen, four customizable scene buttons, and a “Dial Master” knob for precise control. The touchscreen shows indoor/outdoor temperature and humidity, local weather, and door/lock status (if you have a SwitchBot Lock). A built-in speaker can play alarms or alerts. I paired the SwitchBot Keypad Vision to it, but the response time of the doorbell ding is very slow in my case. The hub includes built-in sensors – a temperature & humidity sensor (in its cable), an ambient light sensor, and a motion sensor – to enable smart automations. It even supports alerts for CO₂ (with an optional CO₂ meter) and door status. I used the SwitchBot Meter Pro to view the CO2 indicator on the Hub. The updated hardware enables the Hub 3 to perform tasks that the Hub 2 could not, such as detecting room motion (whereas the Hub 2 had no motion sensor) and displaying a local weather forecast (which the Hub 2 could not). All these enhancements let the Hub 3 act as more than just an IR remote – it becomes an automation controller and status panel.
The Hub 3’s physical controls are a significant improvement. It has four dedicated scene buttons on its display (indicated by small dots and icons) that you can program for your favorite scenes. A rotary dial provides precise control – for instance, you can adjust the thermostat in single‑unit increments. The center of the dial features a select button, and the face also includes On/Off buttons, as well as Home and Back buttons. This provides an intuitive interface: you can step through device lists, adjust temperature, and more, all without a phone.
Home Assistant Compatibility
The Hub 3’s Matter support is very useful for Home Assistant users. SwitchBot has joined the “Works with Home Assistant” program, and the Hub 3 is officially recognized as a Matter bridge. In practice, setting it up in HA is straightforward. You use the SwitchBot app to generate a Matter pairing code, and then add the “SwitchBot Hub 3” in the Home Assistant app like any other Matter device. Once paired, any SwitchBot devices or virtual buttons added to the hub appear as entities in Home Assistant. For example, my lock, curtain opener, and vacuum cleaners, which were paired with the Hub 3, appeared in Home Assistant immediately, and controlling them from Home Assistant worked reliably. In short, Hub 3 serves as a local Matter bridge for Home Assistant, requiring no cloud or complex setup beyond the standard Matter pairing process.
While Home Assistant detects the main on/off and lock/unlock events, a few specialized features have not yet been integrated into Home Assistant. For instance, the Hub’s built-in dial rotations don’t appear as Home Assistant events (Matter currently doesn’t expose those controls), and advanced functions like the SwitchBot Lock’s Keypad face/fingerprint detect aren’t passed through. However, for the vast majority of basic controls – such as locks, sensors, lights, and blinds – Hub 3 provides seamless Matter integration.
Infrared Control and Device Compatibility
The Hub 3 features a built-in IR blaster for controlling legacy devices. It supports an IR database of over 100,000 appliance codes. In fact, SwitchBot quotes a 150% stronger IR signal than the old Hub Mini, ensuring better range and reliability. You can learn your device’s remote into the hub, and once set up, it can toggle power or send volume or channel commands just like the original remote.
The Hub 3 enables you to integrate IR devices into your smart ecosystem via Matter. When you pair a learned IR device in the SwitchBot app, that appliance appears as a virtual “Matter” device (often as a simple on/off or scene trigger) in Apple Home, Alexa, Google Home, or Home Assistant. In other words, an old air conditioner can become controllable through HomeKit, Google routines, or Home Assistant via the hub. I managed to control my dumb IR air conditioner in Home Assistant using the SwitchBot Hub 3. I used the Broadlink Remote before for this, but it works much better using the Switchbot Hub 3. Very cool.
Beyond IR, the Hub 3 works with the full SwitchBot ecosystem and common smart home devices.
App Usability and Controls
Setup and operation are handled through the SwitchBot mobile app. If you’ve used previous SwitchBot hubs, the app will feel familiar and intuitive. Adding the Hub 3 is straightforward, so I won’t show it in this video. Simply plug it in, press the “+” icon in the app, select Hub 3, and follow the on-screen prompts. Once installed, the app’s Home screen displays the current indoor temperature, humidity, and light level (from the hub’s sensors), along with any devices you’ve added, including IR appliances. You can customize a little what info appears. For example, the main display can show the CO2 level, and you can add shortcuts to devices.
You can also build automations, but I do not use that because I use Home Assistant for all my automations.
The central SwitchBot button displays a list of paired devices on the screen, which you can scroll through using the dial and select by pressing its center. In other words, you have multiple ways to control your home: through the touchscreen, the dial, buttons, voice assistant, or the smartphone app.
Hub 3 vs Hub 2: What’s New
Compared to the Hub 2, the Hub 3 is a major upgrade. Key improvements include:
- Matter Capacity: Hub 2 can bridge only 8 SwitchBot devices to Matter, while Hub 3 supports up to 30. This means a single Hub 3 can handle a much larger SwitchBot setup before you’d need a second hub.
- Physical Interface: Hub 2 was a plain white device with no display. Hub 3 has a 2.4″ screen, a new rotary dial, and multiple buttons for on-hub control. This makes it far more user-friendly for direct interaction.
- Sensors and Display: Hub 3 features built-in motion and light sensors, a local weather and clock display, and can monitor door and lock status. These are enhancements that Hub 2 lacked.
- IR Performance: The IR blaster on Hub 3 is reportedly more powerful (approximately 150% stronger) than that of older models. Hub 2 already had IR control, and Hub 3 builds upon it, also introducing that IR capability into Matter. (The Hub 2 could control IR but couldn’t expose it to Apple Home, Google, or Home Assistant directly).
- Connectivity: Hub 3 supports Bluetooth remote pairing (so you can pair SwitchBot Bluetooth devices more easily) and is fully Matter-certified. Like Hub 2, it uses Wi‑Fi (2.4GHz). No Ethernet port is provided, but that’s the same as on the Hub 2.
One minor difference: Hub 2 had a simple “on/off” power button, which could also trigger a scene. Hub 3 replaces that with multiple dedicated controls, so there is no single button to map a scene. Instead, you use the four scene buttons. Additionally, the Hub 3’s dial and key events are not currently transferred to Home Assistant because Matter doesn’t yet relay those events. Other than that, Hub 3 retains all of Hub 2’s capabilities and adds these extra features. In design, the Hub 3 swapped the Hub 2’s white plastic for a matte black finish, and gives the unit a sturdier desk stand (and wall-mount option).
Pricing and Value
The SwitchBot Hub 3 is sold at €129.99 or $119.99. That is roughly €40–50 more than the Hub 2. The higher cost reflects the added hardware, including the screen, dial, and sensors, and the larger Matter capacity. For users with only a few SwitchBot devices, the older Hub 2 or a Hub Mini might suffice.
The Pros and Cons:
The Pros are:
- Matter Bridge for 30 devices: Supports up to 30 SwitchBot sub-devices in Matter (vs only 8 on Hub 2). This means fewer hubs are needed for a large setup.
- Physical controls: A rotary dial and multiple buttons (scene, home/back, on/off) provide quick, intuitive on-unit control without requiring the app.
- Strong IR performance: 150% stronger IR signal than earlier hubs, with a huge IR code library for TVs, ACs, and more. You can even integrate IR devices into Apple, Google, HomeKit, and Home Assistant.
- Rich sensors: Built-in temperature, humidity, and light sensors (in cable) plus motion sensors enable smart automation and real-time monitoring. It can display weather forecasts and door lock alerts on the screen.
- Comprehensive automation: Supports sophisticated routines – for instance, auto-adjusting AC, energy-saving features via motion or geofencing, scheduled home or away scenes, and ambient-light-based actions. However, you can also create these with Home Assistant.
- Wide integration: Works with Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri (HomeKit), SmartThings, IFTTT, Homey, and now officially with Home Assistant. Also offers Siri Shortcuts and voice alerts.
Cons:
- Higher price: At approximately €130, it’s more expensive than Hub 2 (approximately €80), which may deter casual users with smaller setups.
- Limited customization of controls: The physical scene buttons and dial are fixed in function – you can’t fully reprogram every button, only assign them to predefined scenes or devices. The button actions are not very customizable.
- Not all events are passed through: Some built-in functions don’t appear in Home Assistant (For instance, the dial’s movements and the SwitchBot Lock Keypad’s face/fingerprint events). This is a Matter limitation, so advanced events can’t trigger Home Assistant automations.
- No Ethernet or Thread: Hub 3 is Wi‑Fi only and does not act as a Thread border router, so it relies on a stable Wi‑Fi network.
Overall, the SwitchBot Hub 3 is a great upgrade if you need a central control panel. It adds robust home automation features, local sensors, and improved Matter integration while retaining the Hub 2’s core strengths. For heavy SwitchBot users and Home Assistant enthusiasts, the expanded device support and on‑hub controls are worth the extra cost. However, if you only have a few SwitchBot devices, the Hub 2 or a Hub Mini may still suffice. The Hub 3 shines for those building a large, cross-branded smart home and wanting a single point of control. I must say that if you use Home Assistant on a tablet, I doubt that you will use the controls on the Hub 3 itself. I’m so accustomed to Home Assistant that I often use my phone or tablet to control my devices when needed.
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⭐ You can buy the Switchbot Hub 3 at: ⭐
Switchbot store:
Amazon:
- US: https://amzn.to/3U26508
- UK: https://amzn.to/3Gvo2RO
- DE: https://amzn.to/4exTH1r
- NL: https://amzn.to/4nvJrep
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
