Module or finished sensor?

Bare LD2410C and LD2450 modules are cheapest and most flexible but need an ESP32 and ESPHome. Ready sensors like Akamatis, meross and LWR02 work out of the box.

Pick your ecosystem first

ESPHome sensors need Home Assistant. Matter over Thread needs a border router. Matter over Wi-Fi and vendor apps work with Alexa, Google and Apple Home directly.

Presence vs tracking

LD2410-based sensors report presence and distance. LD2450 and zone-capable sensors track position so one sensor can cover desk, bed and sofa zones.

Wired or battery

USB-powered radar reacts instantly and never needs batteries. Battery models such as the LWR02 and SwitchBot go anywhere but may report more slowly.

Check ratings and firmware

Several finished sensors here sit below 4 stars. Favour devices with local control and updatable firmware so tuning can improve over time.

The LD2450 is a different kind of radar: instead of a simple present or absent flag, it tracks the position of moving targets in real time. The listing gives a maximum sensing distance of 8 m, 0.15 m distance accuracy, azimuth ±60° and tilt ±35°, and serial ASCII output at 256000 baud through a 1.5 mm 4-pin connector. It has 4.4 stars from 45 ratings. Use it for zones such as “desk” and “sofa” in one room.

Building sensors for several rooms? This XIITIA 3-pack of LD2410C modules has 4.6 stars from 51 ratings. The listing highlights a coverage range of ±60 degrees, sensing up to 5 m, GPIO and UART output, and multi-level parameter adjustment over Bluetooth or the serial port, plus distance-interval division that shields interference outside the zone you set.

The v1.3L pairs the same HLK-LD2410B radar with an ESP32-C3-WROOM and adds a light sensor, so an automation can skip turning on lights when the room is already bright. It is pre-flashed with ESPHome, requires Home Assistant and quotes detection up to 20 ft (6 m). Its 4.9 stars come from only 28 ratings, so treat the score as early.

LITOS v3 uses the HLK-LD2401 24GHz radar and a VEML7700 ambient light sensor behind a light-permeable 3D-printed front panel. Like the other Akamatis sensors it comes pre-flashed with ESPHome and works only with Home Assistant, with detection of moving and stationary people up to 20 ft (6 m). It has 4.4 stars from 41 ratings.

The LWR02 packs presence, motion, temperature, humidity and light into one battery device. The listing describes 24GHz radar for static presence plus PIR for larger motion, 4 m presence and 8 m motion range over about 120°, two AAA batteries with up to 2 years of life, and an IPX3 splash-proof case for bathrooms. It uses Matter over Thread with Apple Home, Alexa, Google Home, SmartThings, Home Assistant and Homey, so you need a Thread border router. It has 4.4 stars from 136 ratings.

The meross MS600 combines mmWave radar, PIR and a light sensor and connects through Matter over Wi-Fi, so the listing says no hub is needed for HomeKit, Alexa, Google Home or the meross app. It is wired with a 1.5 m cord and needs continuous power, has an adjustable base that pivots 180° and rotates 360°, and includes a pet-proof shield to avoid triggers from pets or robot vacuums. It has 3.8 stars from 192 ratings, so expect some tuning.

GoveeLife uses mmWave radar together with an infrared probe to detect moving and static people, with smart target exclusion to improve accuracy. The listing mentions a pasteable magnetic base that folds 120° and rotates 360°, and integration with Alexa, IFTTT and Google Assistant through Govee automations. It has the most ratings of the wired sensors here, 3.9 stars from 263.

The SwitchBot sensor is battery powered and Bluetooth based, combining mmWave radar with PIR and light sensing. The listing gives 120° coverage with up to 8 m for moving people and 5 m for stationary people, zone positioning, and a one-click AI anti-interference mode that learns to ignore fans and air conditioners. Apple Home support goes through a SwitchBot Matter-capable hub. It has the most ratings here, 453, but only 3.4 stars, so read recent reviews first.

eMotion Ultra is the feature-packed option: a 60GHz radar with up to 4 drawable detection zones and live tracking, local operation with Home Assistant and other MQTT platforms, a built-in 360° IR blaster for TVs and air conditioners, brightness, temperature and humidity sensing, and a BLE hub for LinknLink accessories. Its 3.4 stars from 76 ratings suggest the software is still maturing.

The XIAO MR60BHA2 kit is a development platform rather than a finished sensor. It pairs a 60GHz radar for breathing and heartbeat detection up to 1.5 m plus presence detection with a XIAO ESP32C6 (Wi-Fi, BLE, Zigbee and Thread), a BH1750 light sensor, an RGB status LED and a Grove connector, pre-loaded with ESPHome for Home Assistant. A 3D-printable enclosure is included per the listing. Its 2.8 stars from 23 ratings are the lowest here, so buy it for experiments, not as a medical or safety device.

Lights that stay on while you sit still

AKAMATIS v2.2 in Home Assistant, or a DIY LD2410C plus ESP32.

Bathroom without an outlet

LAFAER LWR02: battery, IPX3 and Matter over Thread.

Desk, sofa and bed zones in one room

JMT LD2450 for DIY, or eMotion Ultra for a finished device.

Apple Home, Alexa and Google together

meross MS600 with Matter over Wi-Fi and no hub.

A presence sensor in every room

XIITIA LD2410C 3-pack with ESP32-C3 boards and ESPHome.

Sleep and breathing experiments

Seeed XIAO MR60BHA2 60GHz kit with ESPHome.

What is the difference between a PIR and an mmWave presence sensor?

A PIR sensor detects changes in infrared heat as a person moves, so it misses someone sitting still. An mmWave radar measures tiny movements such as breathing, so it can keep reporting presence while you read or work. Many finished sensors here combine both for fast motion triggers and steady presence. See our PIR motion sensor guide for the PIR side.

How do I connect an LD2410C to an ESP32?

Power the module from 5V, connect its UART TX and RX to two ESP32 GPIO pins (crossed over), and optionally wire the OUT pin to a GPIO for a simple presence signal. ESPHome includes an ld2410 component that exposes presence, moving and still targets and the distance gates in Home Assistant.

Do mmWave sensors work through walls?

Radar passes through thin walls, glass and plastic, which is useful for hiding a sensor in an enclosure but can also detect people in the next room. Reduce the maximum distance gate, angle the sensor away from thin walls and test with the room empty.

Can I run an mmWave sensor on batteries?

Bare 24GHz modules draw tens of milliamps, so they are best on USB or mains power. Battery products such as the LAFAER LWR02 (two AAA cells, up to 2 years per listing) and SwitchBot are designed for battery operation. For DIY battery builds, see our LiFePO4 batteries guide.

Which mmWave sensor works without the cloud?

The ESPHome-based Akamatis sensors and DIY LD2410C or LD2450 builds run fully locally in Home Assistant. Matter devices such as the LWR02 and meross MS600 also work locally once paired to a Matter controller, and eMotion Ultra lists local MQTT.