# PurpleAir Touch vs Aranet4 Home: specs and price compared

A sourced, side-by-side comparison of the PurpleAir Touch (PurpleAir) and Aranet4 Home (Aranet) among air quality monitors. Aranet4 Home is the cheaper of the two at $189.

## Side by side

| Spec | PurpleAir Touch | Aranet4 Home |
| --- | --- | --- |
| US price | $209 | $189 |
| Brand | PurpleAir | Aranet |
| Released | 2023 | 2019 |
| Pm25 sensor | Yes | No |
| CO₂ sensor | No | Yes |
| Voc sensor | Yes | No |
| Radon sensor | No | No |
| Display screen | No screen - full-color LED ring (AQI color scale) | E-ink display (numeric CO2 ppm readout) |
| App connectivity | Yes | Yes |
| Power | USB Micro plug-in, 5 V (adapter not included) | 2 AA batteries (up to 4-7 yr depending on battery type) |

## Key differences

- Pm25 sensor: PurpleAir Touch Yes vs Aranet4 Home No
- CO₂ sensor: PurpleAir Touch No vs Aranet4 Home Yes
- Voc sensor: PurpleAir Touch Yes vs Aranet4 Home No
- Display screen: PurpleAir Touch No screen - full-color LED ring (AQI color scale) vs Aranet4 Home E-ink display (numeric CO2 ppm readout)
- Power: PurpleAir Touch USB Micro plug-in, 5 V (adapter not included) vs Aranet4 Home 2 AA batteries (up to 4-7 yr depending on battery type)

## What reviewers say

**Aranet4 Home** — Only one whitelisted tester covers the Aranet4: NYT Wirecutter, which reports hands-on use over years and praises its accuracy and reliability, but flags that it only tracks CO2. In its October 2025 update Wirecutter places the Aranet4 in the 'competition' section rather than as a pick, favoring the multi-pollutant AirGradient One (which uses the same NDIR CO2 sensor plus more). No lab-measured Aranet4 figures were published; the surviving quotes come from Wirecutter's competition write-up. (1 sourced review.)

## Sources

- PurpleAir Touch: https://www2.purpleair.com/products/purpleair-touch (www2.purpleair.com, verified 2026-06-20)
- Aranet4 Home: https://aranet.com/en/home/products/aranet4-home (aranet.com, verified 2026-06-20)

Canonical: https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/air-quality-monitors/purpleair-touch-vs-aranet4-home/
Cite: Per The Front Desk Review, PurpleAir Touch ($209) vs Aranet4 Home ($189) — sourced spec-by-spec comparison at https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/air-quality-monitors/purpleair-touch-vs-aranet4-home/
License: CC BY 4.0.