Airthings View Plus vs Wave Plus

Buy Airthings View Plus if you want particle readings, numbers on the monitor or current data while away: it adds PM2.5, an e-ink display and Wi-Fi. Choose Wave Plus if you can forgo particles and a screen, and will sync nearby over Bluetooth or already own a compatible Airthings hub. A USB-powered View Plus can also bring a Wave Plus in another room online.

Specifications and support checked November 2, 2026. These recommendations come from documentation; we have not physically tested either monitor.

Quick picks and comparison

Our overall pick: View Plus. Its display, particle sensor and independent Wi-Fi make it the more complete starting point. Our expansion pick: Wave Plus. Consider it when you already have an Airthings hub and do not need particle readings in that room.

Compare specifications and all conditions

Measured quantities

View Plus

Radon, PM2.5, CO2, VOCs, temperature, humidity, pressure

Wave Plus

Radon, CO2, VOCs, temperature, humidity, pressure; no PM2.5

CO2 sensor

View Plus

NDIR; 400–5000 ppm

Wave Plus

NDIR; 400–5000 ppm

On-device readout

View Plus

2.9-inch e-ink; up to four values; glow indicator

Wave Plus

Motion-activated color ring; detailed values in app

Power

View Plus

Six AA batteries or USB-C

Wave Plus

Two AA alkaline batteries

Current readings away from home

View Plus

Own 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi connection

Wave Plus

Requires a compatible internet-connected hub

Role of Bluetooth

View Plus

Setup and configuration, per manual

Wave Plus

Nearby syncing; deactivated after hub linking

Main compromise

View Plus

More features; larger battery requirement

Wave Plus

No particles or numeric display; plan the sync path

Full comparison table ↔

Swipe to compare. Row labels stay visible.

What changes	View Plus	Wave Plus
Measured quantities	Radon, PM2.5, CO2, VOCs, temperature, humidity, pressure	Radon, CO2, VOCs, temperature, humidity, pressure; no PM2.5
CO2 sensor	NDIR; 400–5000 ppm	NDIR; 400–5000 ppm
On-device readout	2.9-inch e-ink; up to four values; glow indicator	Motion-activated color ring; detailed values in app
Power	Six AA batteries or USB-C	Two AA alkaline batteries
Current readings away from home	Own 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi connection	Requires a compatible internet-connected hub
Role of Bluetooth	Setup and configuration, per manual	Nearby syncing; deactivated after hub linking
Main compromise	More features; larger battery requirement	No particles or numeric display; plan the sync path

What changes	View Plus	Wave Plus
Measured quantities	Radon, PM2.5, CO2, VOCs, temperature, humidity, pressure	Radon, CO2, VOCs, temperature, humidity, pressure; no PM2.5
CO2 sensor	NDIR; 400–5000 ppm	NDIR; 400–5000 ppm
On-device readout	2.9-inch e-ink; up to four values; glow indicator	Motion-activated color ring; detailed values in app
Power	Six AA batteries or USB-C	Two AA alkaline batteries
Current readings away from home	Own 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi connection	Requires a compatible internet-connected hub
Role of Bluetooth	Setup and configuration, per manual	Nearby syncing; deactivated after hub linking
Main compromise	More features; larger battery requirement	No particles or numeric display; plan the sync path

Best for most buyers: Airthings View Plus

View Plus suits a room where you want CO2, particles and radon in the same dashboard, with temperature, humidity, pressure and VOCs alongside them. Its display shows up to four values, so you can check selected readings without opening your phone. It handles its own internet connection on batteries; USB-C is needed when you also want it to serve as a hub.

For a quiet bedside spot, note the manual's caveat: the particle sensor has a small fan that can sometimes be heard close to your ear or in a particularly quiet room. We would not promise inaudible operation.

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Best for an existing hub: Airthings Wave Plus

Wave Plus retains radon, NDIR CO2, VOCs, temperature, humidity and pressure, powered by two AA batteries. Wave a hand in front for its color ring; open the app for detailed values. The missing PM2.5 sensor is the decisive compromise if you want particle readings in both rooms.

Without a hub, it keeps measuring while your phone is away and holds up to 80 days locally; syncing uploads readings collected since the previous sync. That is useful history, but current app readings and threshold notifications depend on being nearby until you add a hub.

See Wave Plus at Airthings

Room to phone: three different connection paths

Wave Plus alone: monitor → Bluetooth → nearby phone → Airthings cloud. View Plus alone: monitor → 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi → Airthings cloud → app. Wave through View: Wave → SmartLink → USB-powered View → Wi-Fi → cloud → phone anywhere. The last arrangement lets the devices measure separate rooms:

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1. 01Wave Plus in one room+

   Sends its measurements over SmartLink to the linked hub.

   Sources: 1: Wave sends readings through a SmartLink hub to the cloud for access from anywhere.
2. Airthings SmartLink
   02View Plus in another room+USB power and Wi-Fi required

   Relays Wave data to the cloud. Battery-only operation stops the hub.

   Sources: 1: Wave sends readings through a SmartLink hub to the cloud for access from anywhere., 2: View requires USB power and Wi-Fi to act as a SmartLink hub for Wave Plus.
3. Via Wi-Fi and the Airthings cloud
   03Your phone, wherever you are+

   The app retrieves current measurements from the cloud; your phone need not be near Wave.

   Sources: 1: Wave sends readings through a SmartLink hub to the cloud for access from anywhere., 2: View requires USB power and Wi-Fi to act as a SmartLink hub for Wave Plus.

Source notes2 references+

1. 1

   Wave sends readings through a SmartLink hub to the cloud for access from anywhere.

   www.airthings.com ↗ — source for Wave sends readings through a SmartLink hub to the cloud for access from anywhere.

   The Wave monitors send their readings continuously to the hub device over SmartLink, and the hub device sends the data to your account in the cloud. Then, wherever you are, you can open your Airthings app and check the current air quality measurements taken by your home’s monitors.

2. 2

   View requires USB power and Wi-Fi to act as a SmartLink hub for Wave Plus.

   www.airthings.com ↗ — source for View requires USB power and Wi-Fi to act as a SmartLink hub for Wave Plus.

   When powered over USB, and connected to WiFi, your View device will act as a SmartLink hub for other supported Airthings devices (Wave Mini, Wave Enhance, Wave Plus, or Wave Radon).

An existing Airthings Ethernet Hub offers another Wave path, using Ethernet to the router and its own power supply. When linking Wave to either hub type, keep your phone within Bluetooth range; the Wave manual allows 15 minutes to an hour and says to look for a signal-strength indicator. Hub linking then deactivates Wave's Bluetooth.

A documentation conflict: the View manual says it cannot link through another View or an Airthings Hub, while the product page lists “WiFi or Airthings SmartLink (with Hub).” Plan a direct Wi-Fi connection for each View, and ask Airthings before buying a Hub to relay one.

Accounts, history and CSV exports

Both setup manuals require the app and an Airthings account. Airthings describes the app as free; the View manual calls the dashboard a free platform, and Wave Plus includes dashboard access too. View's manual rules out local data retrieval and Bluetooth downloads: online access goes through the Airthings cloud.

For CSV, sign into the dashboard with your app credentials, choose Devices → your device → Export to CSV, then select a date range. Each export covers up to one year; use adjoining exports for longer periods, and remember timestamps are UTC. Wave's local buffer only reaches that online history after syncing.

Sensor limitations: more measurements do not prove better accuracy

Both have dedicated NDIR CO2 sensing over 400–5000 ppm. Wave Plus's support specification gives optimum accuracy as ±30 ppm ±3% at 15–35°C and 0–80% RH, after multiple settling cycles with natural indoor CO2 fluctuations.

For View Plus, Airthings publishes three CO2 accuracy figures: product page ±50 ppm ±3%; View support page ±30 ppm ±3%; product sheet ±50 ppm ±5%. Their qualifying ranges differ: the sheet limits its accuracy specification to 500–2000 ppm. Ask Airthings which applies to the supplied unit if accuracy decides your purchase; we would not rank these by sensor count or the most favorable number.

Radon also needs time: Airthings advises at least 30 days, ideally two months, for View's longer-term average; the Wave manual describes about a month of setup. This comparison covers measurement and ownership differences without setting radon action thresholds.

Buying guide: power, variants and a useful setup

Battery expectations need context. View's product page says up to two years, depending on sensor interval and router; battery support says typically eight months to a year, with about two years in low-power mode. Wave's product page specifies 16 months over Bluetooth or 18 with SmartLink; support gives roughly 1–1.5 years. These are maker estimates, and View's USB cable does not recharge installed batteries.

Choose the exact package. View Plus Duo means two View Plus monitors, each with its own Wi-Fi path. Wave Plus comes in white and Limited Edition Black; black retains the six-sensor set. Wave Enhance is different: its listed air sensors omit radon and PM2.5, and it adds ambient noise and light. For particles in both rooms, choose two View Plus units; View plus Wave leaves particles unmeasured in the Wave room.

Place, then wait. Follow the manuals' indoor placement guidance: around breathing height and at least one meter from vents or windows. Allow about seven days for CO2 and VOC calibration. View's guidance calls for fresh-air exposure at least weekly; Wave's CO2 sensor needs about seven days again after a battery change.

1. 1

   Choose the data path

   Nearby Bluetooth syncing for Wave, or an internet-connected hub; direct Wi-Fi for View.

2. 2

   Leave the monitor in place

   Follow the placement guidance above and allow the CO2 and VOC calibration period.

3. 3

   Compare the recorded history

   Sync Wave before exporting, and account for UTC timestamps.

Only need CO2? Consider Aranet4 HOME: its NDIR sensor and e-ink display focus on CO2 alongside temperature and humidity, with pressure available in its Bluetooth app. See our CO2 monitor guide for that choice, or our indoor humidity and hygrometer guide if humidity is your main question.

How we choose

We compare official product pages, manuals, product sheets and support instructions for sensors, display, power and the entire data path. We flag conflicting specifications and distinguish stored history from current remote access. We have not performed physical testing or independent accuracy or battery measurements. Our research method explains the approach.

Verdict

Choose View Plus for the display, PM2.5 and independent Wi-Fi access. Choose Wave Plus when those omissions suit you and nearby syncing or an existing hub fits your routine. For two rooms, USB-powered View plus Wave is the useful expansion pairing—provided you only need particle readings in the View room.

Sources

Official documentation checked November 2, 2026:

• Airthings View Plus, product sheet and View manual.
• Airthings Wave Plus, Wave Plus manual and sensor specifications.
• Airthings battery estimates, calibration guidance and CSV export instructions.