RELEASED 2017.07REASSESSED 2026.09.20Compare

SwitchBot

SwitchBot Bot

Name: SwitchBot Bot
Brand: SwitchBot

One motion, reliably repeated. The Bot does not decide anything; it presses when told. That narrow contract is exactly the point, and nine years of sustained market presence confirms owners find it sufficient.

Autonomy Ladder

Why Level I.

One five-rung scale, every category, from acting only on command to working unsupervised anywhere.

VGeneralized AutonomyAny task, any setting. No consumer robot has reached it.
IVEnvironmental AutonomyCopes with everyday clutter and frees itself, shown by independent testing.
IIIConditional AutonomyFinishes whole jobs in familiar spaces; struggles at the edges.
IIAssisted AutonomyRuns preset routines; stalls at anything new.
To reach Level IIRuns a scheduled routine end to end without a command for each step.
IManual AutomationThis robot

SwitchBot Bot acts only on command, one motion at a time.
What it does on its own
- Extends a plastic arm on schedule or app command to depress a physical button.
- Optional string mode pulls rocker and toggle switches back to the off position.
- Bluetooth Low Energy pairing with SwitchBot app for manual presses and time-based schedules held on the device.
- Hub-mediated integration supports Alexa, Google Home, HomeKit, and IFTTT routines.
- CR2 coin cell delivers approximately 600 days of operation per manufacturer specification; the Bot Rechargeable variant uses an integrated 370 mAh cell charged over USB-C, rated at roughly six months per charge.
Why this level
- Level I classification reflects a device that takes no inputs from the environment and produces no output feedback.
- Manufacturer documentation confirms the Bot responds to a single trigger (schedule, app command, or voice via Hub) with a fixed mechanical motion.
- There is no sensor layer, no state awareness, and no adaptive behavior of any kind.
What holds it at Level I
- No contact sensing: The arm cannot detect whether the button was depressed or the press force was sufficient.
- No state feedback: The device does not report the current position of the controlled appliance or switch to the app or Hub.
- Fixed arm travel: Extension depth is not adjustable per press; buttons at variable depths will be missed without physical repositioning.
- Command-only execution: Every action requires an external trigger; the Bot initiates nothing autonomously.
Autonomy dimension 15 / 100 · 6 sources reviewed

How we assign a level →

Behind the classification

Sources we reviewed.

Provisional6 sources reviewed

Enough has been reviewed to classify, but gaps remain across source types.

Sources reviewed

Manufacturer documentation3 sourcesReviewed

Manufacturer specifications, Hub compatibility documentation, and mode descriptions

Press & video reviews3 sourcesOngoing

Smart-home press coverage across product revisions and Hub ecosystem updates

Owner reports1 sourceOngoing

Consumer forum aggregates covering adhesive longevity, arm alignment, and Hub reliability

Switchbot bot !! : r/HomeKitReddit · r/HomeKit

Longitudinal signal2 sourcesReviewed

Robovations dated log for this robot: 3 tracked entries spanning ~112 months.

Specification sources1 sourceReviewed

Pages the published specifications were read from.

switch-bot.comswitch-bot.com

Monitoring record2 sourcesReviewed

Sources behind the tracker entries following this robot.

How we evaluate evidence →

Human Readiness

Ready Now.

One question: what does buying this robot today walk you into? The state is computed from the record, and recomputed daily.

Ready NowThis robot

SwitchBot Bot is on sale, assessed, and nothing on its record argues for waiting.
How this was derived
- Shipping past the first-90-day ownership window with a published assessment, no documented issues on record, and no announced successor.
Notes on the record
- Available at $29 from SwitchBot directly and major retailers since 2017.
- Setup requires mounting via 3M VHB adhesive and app pairing in under ten minutes.
- Owner reports describe a low but recurring maintenance burden: adhesive re-mount when the unit drifts, battery replacement roughly every two years.
On the record
- Shipping since July 2017 · 111 months on the market
- Retail listings on file: Amazon
- No successor announced
- 6 sources reviewed
What would move it
A documented problem, an announced successor, or a withdrawn listing moves it out; the rating recomputes daily.
New to MarketOn sale under 90 days; the ownership record is still forming.
WaitA successor is announced and has not shipped; re-read the decision when it arrives.
Known IssuesDocumented problems stand on the record; read the case before buying.

How we assess readiness →

Robovations Score

How this number was reached

54of 100

LimitedAt or above 13% of the 447 robots we scoreand 52% of the 25 scored specialty robots

DeficientLimitedCapableStrongExemplary

Held below its arithmetic64 → 54

Capped at 54: a Capable rating requires capability at 40 or above. Low ownership burden does not count in a robot's favor when it follows from the robot doing very little.

What moved itpoints gained or lost against a typical robot

Carried by

Routine maintenance100+3.8
Field failure rate88+2.9
Consumables100+2.5

Held back by

Coverage and navigation15−5.7
Task completion50−3.5
Edge-case recovery18−3.5

Capability40% of the score34What it does without you.

Task completion16% of the score50

Evidence

Pocket-lint's review reports the Bot "functions exactly as intended," turning the hallway lights on and off from the app "smoothly" and running unattended on a schedule that switches the light off each morning before 5 AM. It acts on one switch, so it is scored on the single-function row, where task completion is capped at 50: performing one action on demand is not completing a job across a work area. Two other reviewers needed a second unit to reach the reverse direction on their switch.

Coverage and navigation10% of the score15

Evidence

TechRadar's review describes the mechanism: "The main unit attaches to any flat surface with an adhesive strip on its back, and the robotic arm then moves to press any button or switch within reach." It is fixed in place and traverses nothing, so there is no coverage logic to assess; it reaches only whatever the arm's 43x37x24mm body was stuck next to.

Edge-case recovery10% of the score18

Evidence

This row asks whether it detects a failed action and retries or reports it, and the Bot does neither. A missed press produces no automatic retry because the device cannot detect that the press failed, and recovery is a manual re-trigger in the app. Bluetooth loss puts it in a listening state and scheduled triggers missed during the outage are never replayed. A low battery is run to depletion with no proactive alert. Owner reports describe fitting a smart plug to the controlled appliance as a workaround to confirm the state changed, which is the owner building the feedback loop the device lacks.

Operating envelope4% of the score55

Evidence

Expert Home Tips found the strength limit in use: "switches for extractor fans are stiff, and this is where it struggled… when it came to pulling the Add-on to turn it off, it wasn't strong enough, and the fan switch stayed on," forcing the reviewer to mount two Bots. The Ambient adds that "if the switch that you want to control is on an irregular surface, then the Bot may not fit," and that in its default press mode the short tap will not serve anything needing a held button, such as a garage opener. How-To Geek notes it is "purely for mechanical switches" and not touchscreens, though a computer power switch and a power strip toggle "worked well." It handles a wide range of controls but needs a prepared, flat, low-force mounting.

Dependability40% of the score77Whether it keeps doing it.

Field failure rate16% of the score88

Evidence

Nine years in market since July 2017 with sustained retail availability, no recall and no systemic defect, which is a long field record. Two recurring modes are documented and neither is a mechanical failure of the arm: VHB adhesive release after 12 to 24 months on smooth surfaces, and Bluetooth connectivity interruptions. The adhesive mode does stop the job, but it is remedied with a replacement strip in under a minute for a couple of dollars, which is about as proportionate a repair as exists. Failure evidence specifically is owner forum aggregate, so this sits under the retail-review ceiling.

Software stability14% of the score60

Evidence

An update channel exists and is documented: How-To Geek's review shows the app "checking the device's firmware version," and SwitchBot's help center publishes a firmware recovery procedure for the Bot (vendor source, used only to establish that updates ship). Against that, a Home Assistant core issue (#116253, Apr 2024) from an owner who upgraded two Bots for advanced features, bumping them to firmware 6.3 and 6.4, reports they "stop responding on HA" while units still on FW 4.9 "work reliably"; the vendor's firmware recovery "doesn't work," the problem persisted "since months," and the issue closed stale. A post-update problem documented and not shown fixed, but narrow (one report, surfacing through a third-party Bluetooth integration while the official app kept working), so it sits just under the silent-record mark rather than at the unfixed-regression floor.

Support longevity10% of the score85

Evidence

Genuinely the strongest input on this record, and it is achievement rather than absence. Nine years of continuous production and retail availability without a fundamental redesign, and SwitchBot sells replacement 3M VHB adhesive strips, which is the exact part the one recurring failure consumes, as a catalog item. The CR2 is a commodity cell available anywhere, and a Rechargeable variant now removes it entirely. Held below the top because no parts-availability window or end-of-support commitment is published, and the Hub-mediated half of the product depends on SwitchBot's cloud remaining live.

Ownership burden20% of the score100What it asks of you.

Routine maintenance12% of the score100

Evidence

Measured in minutes per year. A CR2 coin cell every 18 to 24 months at $1 to $2, tool-free, or a USB-C recharge roughly every six months on the Rechargeable variant; a replacement VHB strip when the unit drifts, remounted in under a minute; string length recalibrated if the toggle moves; and app and Hub firmware approved when prompted. Deducted for one item the schedule does not list: because nothing reports a missed press, the owner has to periodically verify the thing actually worked, which is unbudgeted attention rather than a task.

Consumables8% of the score100

Evidence

A very low consumable position, and these are real parts that must be bought rather than an absence being credited. A CR2 coin cell at $1 to $2 roughly every 600 days, and 3M VHB replacement strips as needed, both stocked by SwitchBot or any general retailer. The Rechargeable variant at $33.99 removes the disposable cell entirely in exchange for a six-month recharge interval. Nothing is proprietary and nothing is captive.

middle half of the databaseits medianthis robot

Reported, not scoredneither measures how well the robot works

Five-year cost$50

The cheapest machine to own in this corpus. $29 at retail plus roughly three CR2 cells and a few VHB strips across five years, totalling around $20. The Hub Mini or Hub 2 at $39 to $69 is deliberately excluded: it is required for remote access outside Bluetooth range, voice assistants and third-party routines, but the record establishes that basic operation and time-based scheduling both work without it, with schedules held on the device and running with the phone out of range. A buyer who wants the voice and remote half should read this as $89 to $119 all in.

Data postureCloud-optional

Full core function without an account; cloud adds convenience.

What leaves the homeDocumented

Standalone Bluetooth-only operation transmits no data beyond the local Bluetooth link between the Bot and the paired phone. Pairing with the SwitchBot Hub introduces cloud routing: trigger events, device state, and schedule data pass through SwitchBot (Wonderlabs) servers to enable remote access and platform integrations. Smart-home press coverage notes standard cloud data practices; no documented data resale or security incidents have been reported for the SwitchBot ecosystem.

On-device processingYes

Read the full methodology →

FIT CHECK

Will the SwitchBot Bot fit your application?

Describe your use case using the controls. Each choice reads the spec sheet for you, flagging where the SwitchBot Bot is built for your space and where it isn’t.

What you’ll control

Mounting surface

Ecosystem

Reliability need

A classification of fit for the conditions you set, not a recommendation. Verdicts describe engineering design intent, not test results.

OWNERSHIP

Living with it.

Nine-year market veteran with simple mechanical design; adhesive drift and Bluetooth instability are the only recurring failure modes.

Stableowner-reported arc

The record so far

No mechanical failures of arm mechanism documented. Two recurring issues: VHB adhesive failure after 12-24 months on smooth surfaces causing missed button targets, and Bluetooth connectivity interruptions when Hub involved, typically resolved by power-cycling.

What goes wrong3 documented · 1 self-recover

Common

Adhesive drift from mount surfaceVHB adhesive releases over 12-24 months, shifting arm alignment until press misses target

Owner fixRe-mount with replacement 3M VHB adhesive strip

Occasional

Bluetooth connection lossConnection loss between Bot and Hub results in missed triggers

Self-recoversPower-cycle the Hub to reconnect

Occasional

Battery depletion without alertApp indicator not proactive in all Hub configurations, missed triggers result

Owner fixCheck battery manually in app regularly

Upkeep routine

Yearly1×/yr

Replace CR2 coin cell; approximately $1 to $2 per battery, no tools required. On the Bot Rechargeable this becomes a USB-C recharge roughly every six months instead.

As neededno fixed schedule

Re-mount using replacement 3M VHB adhesive strip when unit shifts or adhesive loses tack; strips sold by SwitchBot separately.

Recalibrate string length in switch mode if the controlled toggle or rocker shifts position.

Update SwitchBot app and Hub firmware via the app when prompted; no user intervention beyond approval.

Cost over timeabout $36 past the sticker over three years

PurchaseRunning cost

Year 1

$41

Year 3

$65

Year 5

$89

$29 to buy, then about $12 a year in replaceable parts. Over three years that is roughly $36 past the sticker price. Excludes electricity and any repairs.

Safety notes2 cautions

CautionAdhesive mount can fail near heatUnit can fall on vertical surfaces if adhesive fails, especially near heat sources
CautionNo motion sensing or state confirmationArm extends regardless of obstruction; not suitable for gas or safety-critical appliances

SPECIFICATION

The full spec sheet.

Priced below the category median, with every figure charted against the category below.

Dimensional drawing

Key specificationsManufacturer-published

FootprintThe width, depth and height of the robot itself, without its dock.: 1.7 × 1.5 in · 0.9 in tall•
WeightThe robot alone, without its dock, as the maker states it.: 0.09 lbs✓

Where it lands · ranked across 45 specialty robotsThis robotMedianTypical range

PriceThe maker's list price, not a price found in a shop.$29

$29$100,000

Bottom of range

WeightThe robot alone, without its dock, as the maker states it.0.09lbs

0.09 lbs131.79+ lbs

Bottom of range

Position shows where the figure sits across the tracked category, not a quality judgment.

Official referencesManufacturer support Product page

RECORD

How the assessment has moved.

Every announcement, release and reassessment behind the current classification.

Coming soon

Just launched

Active updates

Settled

Discontinued

Sep 2026 · AssessmentRecord status: Verified → Provisional
Sep 2026 · NewsPrice climbs 28% in Robovations price-history tracking
Sep 2026 · AssessmentRobovations Score revised 69 → 54
Aug 2026 · AssessmentRobovations Score rescored under v4.2: 64 → 69
Jul 2026 · AssessmentRobovations Score recorded at 64 of 100
Apr 2026 · ReleaseRechargeable variant released with USB-C power option
Jul 2017 · ReleaseCommercially released as physical button automation device

Common questions

What people actually ask.

6 answered

OperationDo I need the SwitchBot Hub to use the Bot?

Not for basic operation, and not for scheduling. The Bot pairs directly to the SwitchBot app over Bluetooth and holds time-based schedules itself, running them with the phone out of range. The Hub Mini or Hub 2 is required for remote access outside Bluetooth range, voice assistant integration, and IFTTT or HomeKit routines.

OperationCan the Bot tell me if it actually pressed the button?

No. The device has no contact sensor, force sensor, or camera. It extends the arm on command and retracts; whether the button registered is not reported. Owner reports describe using a smart plug on the controlled appliance as a workaround to confirm state change.

OperationHow long does the battery last?

Manufacturer specification lists approximately 600 days on one CR2 coin cell under typical use. Owner reports broadly confirm this range, with some variation based on trigger frequency. The CR2 is user-replaceable with no tools. SwitchBot also sells a Bot Rechargeable at $33.99, with an integrated 370 mAh cell charged over USB-C at roughly six months per charge under daily use, which removes the disposable cell at the cost of more frequent attention.

OperationWill the adhesive hold long term?

3M VHB is the mount mechanism. Owner forum aggregates report that adhesive failure is the most common maintenance event, typically after 12 to 24 months or following surface cleaning. SwitchBot sells replacement adhesive strips. Remounting takes under a minute.

OperationWhat is the difference between press mode and switch mode?

Press mode extends the arm to push a momentary button, then retracts. Switch mode uses a tethered string looped around the arm to pull a rocker or toggle switch back to the off position after the arm extends. Manufacturer documentation covers both configurations; string length requires manual calibration per switch.

CompatibilityDoes this work with Apple HomeKit without a hub?

HomeKit integration requires the SwitchBot Hub 2, which acts as the HomeKit bridge. The Bot itself does not expose a HomeKit accessory interface directly. Manufacturer documentation and smart-home press coverage both confirm the Hub 2 as the HomeKit entry point.

Availability

Where it's sold

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Amazon Check price & availability

Cite & Embed

Reference the SwitchBot Bot classification.

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Citation

Robovations. "SwitchBot Bot: Autonomy Level I (Manual Automation)." Autonomy Ladder™, assessed September 2026. https://robovations.com/robots/switchbot-bot/

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Where to next

Three ways to keep going.

For evaluators

Compare with a peer.

See the SwitchBot Bot and Ropet KAMOMO side by side: autonomy level, Robovations Score, readiness, and price. Classification, not a verdict.

See the full comparison

Or compare with Yukai Engineering Qoobo, Moflin, ElliQ 3.

For browsers

See every Level I.

Every robot we’ve classified at manual automation. Sorted by readiness, score, and price. Filter by category, manufacturer, or release date.

Browse the database

Updated weekly with new entries and reclassifications.

SwitchBot Bot

Will the SwitchBot Bot fit your application?

Living with it.

The full spec sheet.

How the assessment has moved.

What people actually ask.

SwitchBot Bot in the analysis archive.

Does the Matter standard work with robot vacuums and other home robots?

Other specialty robots we have classified.

Yukai Engineering Qoobo

Ropet KAMOMO

Moflin

ElliQ 3

Where it's sold

Reference the SwitchBot Bot classification.

Three ways to keep going.

Get the next reassessment.

Compare with a peer.

See every Level I.