Airthings
Airthings View Plus
$299
Released 2021-03-11
Best Air Quality Monitors · head-to-head
Airthings View Plus vs Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor is cheaper at $69.99. Every spec and price links to its source.
Amazon
Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor
$69.99Cheaper
Released 2021
Which is better: the Airthings View Plus or Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor?
On the specs we track, they're closely matched. The Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor is the cheaper at $69.99.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Prices verified at capture; live price may differ.
Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | Airthings View Plus | Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $299 | $69.99 |
| Brand | Airthings | Amazon |
| Released | 2021-03-11 | 2021 |
| Pm25 sensor | Yes | Yes |
| CO₂ sensor | Yes | No |
| Voc sensor | Yes | Yes |
| Radon sensor | Yes | No |
| Display screen | 2.9 in ePaper, 296x128 px | No screen - LED color indicator only |
| App connectivity | Yes | Yes |
| Power | 6 AA batteries (up to 2 yr) or USB-C | Micro USB plug-in (5 W) |
| Release year | 2021 | 2021 |
Sources — Airthings View Plus: airthings.com (verified 2026-06-20). Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor: amazon.com (verified 2026-06-20).
What's the difference between the Airthings View Plus and Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (4 of 7). Matching specs are omitted.
- CO₂ sensor: Airthings View Plus true vs Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor false
- Radon sensor: Airthings View Plus true vs Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor false
- Display screen: Airthings View Plus 2.9 in ePaper, 296x128 px vs Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor No screen - LED color indicator only
- Power: Airthings View Plus 6 AA batteries (up to 2 yr) or USB-C vs Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor Micro USB plug-in (5 W)
What reviewers say
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
Airthings View Plus
Two whitelisted testers (TechHive, Reviewed/USA Today) rate the Airthings View Plus the best overall home air-quality monitor for its seven sensors, radon detection, easy setup and app, and smart-home integration. Both flag its high price (~$300–$330) and the lack of an included AC power adapter; TechHive additionally dings the missing carbon-monoxide sensor and up-to-a-month sensor calibration. Neither published benchmarked accuracy numbers, so real-world sensor precision is untested in these sources. (2 sourced reviews, 1 lab-tested.)
Praised: Seven built-in sensors with comprehensive coverage including radon; Easy setup and an easy-to-navigate companion app; Smart-home integration (Alexa/Google) plus hub functionality.
Flagged: Expensive (~$300+), among the priciest options; No AC power adapter included in the box; No carbon monoxide sensor.
Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor
Three whitelisted hands-on testers—Tom's Guide, Reviewed, and TechHive—agree Amazon's ~$70 monitor is an inexpensive, easy-to-set-up tracker with no screen that lives entirely inside the cluttered Alexa app. None ran reference-grade accuracy benchmarks; all judgments are observational. TechHive panned its unfinished software in 2022; Reviewed and Tom's Guide warmed up once Alexa Routines matured. (3 sourced reviews.)
Praised: Quick, painless setup and fast (~7 min) calibration; Responsive and seemingly accurate at detecting pollutants (cooking, painting, chemicals, cologne triggered alerts); Inexpensive at roughly $70.
Flagged: No onboard display; data is buried in the cluttered Alexa app; Must stay plugged in via micro-USB — no battery or wireless option; Software felt rushed/unfinished, with limited Alexa answers and no Routines at launch.