Best Air Quality Monitors · head-to-head

IQAir AirVisual Pro vs PurpleAir Touch

A sourced, side-by-side comparison. PurpleAir Touch is cheaper at $209. Every spec and price links to its source.

Which is better: the IQAir AirVisual Pro or PurpleAir Touch?

On the specs we track, they're closely matched. The PurpleAir Touch is the cheaper at $209.

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Full spec sheet

marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.

Spec IQAir AirVisual Pro PurpleAir Touch
US price $329.99 MSRP per IQAir US store $209
BrandIQAirPurpleAir
Released20182023
Pm25 sensor Yes Yes
CO₂ sensor Yes No
Voc sensor No Yes
Radon sensor No No
Display screen 5 in color LCD No screen - full-color LED ring (AQI color scale)
App connectivity Yes Yes
Power 5 V USB plug-in (included); internal Li-ion battery (up to 4 hr) USB Micro plug-in, 5 V (adapter not included)
Release year 2018 2023

Sources — IQAir AirVisual Pro: iqair.com (verified 2026-06-20). PurpleAir Touch: www2.purpleair.com (verified 2026-06-20).

What's the difference between the IQAir AirVisual Pro and PurpleAir Touch?

Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (4 of 7). Matching specs are omitted.

  • CO₂ sensor: IQAir AirVisual Pro true vs PurpleAir Touch false
  • Voc sensor: IQAir AirVisual Pro false vs PurpleAir Touch true
  • Display screen: IQAir AirVisual Pro 5 in color LCD vs PurpleAir Touch No screen - full-color LED ring (AQI color scale)
  • Power: IQAir AirVisual Pro 5 V USB plug-in (included); internal Li-ion battery (up to 4 hr) vs PurpleAir Touch USB Micro plug-in, 5 V (adapter not included)

What reviewers say

Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.

IQAir AirVisual Pro

Only one whitelisted outlet, Wirecutter (NYT), hands-on tested this exact model, and it landed in their 'competition' section rather than among the picks. Reviewers praised its easy Wi-Fi setup and clear, practical app, but panned a clunky physical interface and a steep price for a monitor that measures only PM2.5 and CO2 (plus humidity and temperature). No lab numbers were published for this model. (1 sourced review, 1 lab-tested.)

Praised: Easy Wi-Fi setup and connection; Clear, well-laid-out app offering simple, practical air-quality advice.

Flagged: Clunky, frustrating physical interface on the device itself; Too expensive for a monitor measuring only PM2.5 and CO2 (plus humidity and temperature).

PurpleAir Touch

No sourced tester review yet.

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