SwitchBot
SwitchBot Pan/Tilt Cam Plus 3K
- Native integration
- Local control
- Wi-Fi
Prices verified October 2026
See more cameras picks on our Amazon storefront →Our verdict
At £59.99 this costs about £20 more than the Tapo C225 already on this list, and the extra buys real upgrades: 3K/5MP resolution against the Tapo's 2K, and colour night vision reaching 10m via invisible 940nm IR rather than a visible red glow. Two-way audio ships with a built-in siren for scaring off intruders — the Tapo has none. It takes microSD up to 256GB for local clips, though the Tapo's card slot goes higher at 512GB. Buy this one for a brighter overnight image and audible deterrent; the Tapo remains the pick for a smaller HA integration headache.
What can Home Assistant control on the SwitchBot Pan/Tilt Cam Plus 3K?
| Control | Type | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Live video stream | Camera | RTSP main stream (3K/5MP) or a lower-bitrate substream; add via HA's generic camera platform or the ONVIF integration once the app-side Camera Account is created. |
| Pan/tilt control | Service (ONVIF PTZ, partial support) | Exposed through the ONVIF integration's PTZ service, but SwitchBot's ONVIF compliance is incomplete — directional commands from HA are unreliable. |
| Person/motion detection | Derived (via Frigate) | No native HA motion entity from the camera itself; feed the RTSP stream into Frigate for local person-detection binary sensors and event clips. |
| Camera Account credentials | Config (app-side) | A local username/password pair created in the SwitchBot app's camera settings, required before RTSP/ONVIF ports open on the LAN. |
Enabling local streaming isn't a toggle on the main camera screen — open the camera's advanced settings in the SwitchBot app and create a dedicated Camera Account with its own username/password before RTSP (port 554) or ONVIF (port 2020) will respond on the LAN. In HA, pointing the generic camera platform at the RTSP main stream (or the lower-bitrate substream) is the dependable path for video; the ONVIF integration also discovers the camera, but SwitchBot's ONVIF implementation only partially covers the spec, so PTZ pan/tilt calls issued from HA are inconsistent — treat it as a fixed-view feed for automations and leave physical pan/tilt driving to the SwitchBot app. Because it's a genuine RTSP stream rather than a cloud relay, it drops straight into Frigate for local person detection with no cloud bridge needed — something SwitchBot's non-Plus, app-only cameras can't offer at all.
Specs
| wifi | 2.4GHz |
|---|---|
| power | mains, USB-A to USB-C 5V/2A (no internal battery) |
| storage | microSD up to 256GB (not included), optional cloud storage |
| pan tilt | 360° horizontal / 115° vertical, AI-powered motion auto-tracking |
| placement | indoor |
| streaming | RTSP + ONVIF (Plus range only, camera account required) |
| dimensions | 79 x 79 x 107mm (3.1 x 3.1 x 4.2in), ~197g |
| resolution | 3K 5MP (2592x1620), f/1.6 aperture |
| night vision | colour + IR night vision, 8x 940nm invisible IR LEDs, up to 10m range |
| field of view | 107° diagonal / 81° horizontal / 43° vertical |
| two way audio | yes, with built-in siren |
How does the SwitchBot Pan/Tilt Cam Plus 3K compare?
| Product | From | Protocol | Local control | Integration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SwitchBot Pan/Tilt Cam Plus 3K (this product) | £79.99 | Wi-Fi | Yes | Native |
| Aqara Camera E1 | £48.98 | Wi-Fi | Yes | Native |
| Aqara Camera Hub G3 | £119.99 | Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Matter | Yes | Native |
| Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro (Wi-Fi) | £159.98 | Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Thread, Matter | Yes | Native |
Frequently asked questions
- Does the SwitchBot Pan/Tilt Cam Plus 3K work with Home Assistant locally?
- Yes. The SwitchBot Pan/Tilt Cam Plus 3K is controlled locally in Home Assistant through a built-in Home Assistant core integration (generic_camera), so it keeps working if your internet connection or the SwitchBot cloud goes down. Control and state updates stay on your own network.
- Which protocol does the SwitchBot Pan/Tilt Cam Plus 3K use, and do I need a hub?
- The SwitchBot Pan/Tilt Cam Plus 3K uses Wi-Fi. To pair it with Home Assistant you need no hub — it joins your Wi-Fi network directly. SwitchBot's own hub is not required when you integrate through a built-in Home Assistant core integration (generic_camera).
- How much does the SwitchBot Pan/Tilt Cam Plus 3K cost in the UK?
- The lowest price we have listed for the SwitchBot Pan/Tilt Cam Plus 3K is £79.99 at SwitchBot UK. Prices were last checked in October 2026 and change often, so confirm on the retailer's page before buying.