Comparison
Airthings vs Govee: Is the Extra $140 Worth It?
The Govee H5179 costs $40 and tracks PM2.5, temperature, and humidity. The Airthings Wave Plus costs $229 and adds radon, CO2, and VOC monitoring. The gap is not about quality — it is about what each device was built to measure.
April 2026 · 6 min read · By the CleanAirHomeLab team
Govee H5179
~$40
PM2.5, Temperature, Humidity, WiFi, Color LCD display
Best for:
Particle monitoring, cooking checks, wildfire season, budget-conscious households
Airthings Wave Plus
$229
Radon, CO2, VOCs, Humidity, Temperature, Air Pressure. Battery-powered.
Best for:
Homeowners who have never tested for radon, basement monitoring, full indoor air picture
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | Govee H5179 | Airthings Wave Plus |
|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (fine particles) | Laser particle sensor | Wave Plus has no PM2.5 sensor |
| Temperature | Within 0.5°F | Within 0.5°F |
| Humidity | Within 3% | Within 3% |
| Radon gas | Not available on any Govee device | Only consumer monitor in its class |
| CO2 | No CO2 sensor | Estimated (not true NDIR) |
| VOCs | No VOC sensor | TVOC total only |
| Display | Color LCD — easy to read | Wave gesture only (LED color: green/yellow/red) |
| App | Govee Home — basic but functional | Airthings app — long-term trends and alerts |
| WiFi | Built in | Bluetooth only (hub required for WiFi) |
| Power | USB-C required (no battery) | 2x AA batteries (~16 months) |
| Price | ~$40 | $229 |
| Where to buy | Amazon | Airthings.com (best price + supports this site) |
What Govee Does Well
The Govee H5179 is the best $40 air quality monitor you can buy. It tracks the three sensors most people actually use day-to-day: fine particles, temperature, and humidity. The color LCD display is easy to read from across a room — something the Airthings Wave Plus cannot do at all.
The WiFi connection means data goes to the Govee app automatically. You can see how PM2.5 spikes when you cook, when a candle is burning, or when wildfire smoke seeps in from outside. That real-time feedback is genuinely useful for making daily decisions.
It also requires USB-C power, which means you need a nearby outlet. But at $40, the limitation is minor. If you just want to know whether your air purifier is working, the Govee gives you that data.
What Only Airthings Does
The Airthings Wave Plus is the only consumer air quality monitor in its price range that measures radon. Not one other device under $500 does it. This is the single most important reason to choose Airthings over Govee for most homeowners.
The Radon Financial Argument
Radon mitigation costs $800-2,500 installed. But before you can fix it, you need to find it. A $15 mail-in test tells you whether you have a problem. An Airthings Wave Plus ($229) tracks it continuously so you can confirm the problem is real, monitor seasonally, and verify that mitigation worked.
The EPA estimates 1 in 15 US homes has radon at or above the 4 pCi/L action level. If you have never tested, the $229 Airthings is cheap insurance.
Beyond radon, the Wave Plus also tracks CO2 and VOCs. These are less critical for most households, but CO2 above 1,000 ppm causes measurable cognitive slowdown — useful data for home offices and bedrooms. VOC spikes tell you when new furniture, paint, or cleaning products are off-gassing.
The battery power (2x AA, ~16 months) is a real advantage. You can mount the Wave Plus in your basement without running a cable. Basements are where radon concentrations are highest — and most basements have limited outlet locations near the floor.
We link to Airthings.com directly — same price as Amazon, and we earn 25% commission vs 3% on Amazon. Full disclosure below.
Who Should Buy Which
Buy the Govee H5179 ($40) if:
- You already know your radon level is fine (or you live on an upper floor of a building)
- You mainly want to track PM2.5 — cooking smoke, candles, outdoor pollution coming in
- You want a display you can read from the couch without opening an app
- You need to stay under $50
Buy the Airthings Wave Plus ($229) if:
- You have never tested your home for radon (especially if you have a basement)
- You want continuous radon monitoring after mitigation to confirm it worked
- You want CO2 and VOC data alongside radon in one battery-powered device
- You need to mount it in a location without a nearby outlet
Consider both (or the Airthings View Plus at $299) if:
- You want PM2.5 plus radon in one device — the Wave Plus misses PM2.5, the View Plus adds it
- You want a display that shows current readings without waving at the device or opening an app
The Bottom Line
These are not competing products. They measure different things. Govee is a PM2.5 monitor that also tracks temperature and humidity. Airthings is a radon and air quality monitor that does not track PM2.5.
If you have never tested your home for radon, the $229 Airthings Wave Plus is the right first monitor. The peace of mind alone justifies the price — and if radon is a problem, finding it early saves tens of thousands in health costs down the road.
If you want a basic, affordable way to see whether your air purifier is working or how bad your cooking fumes get, the $40 Govee is an easy yes.
Common Questions
Is Govee accurate enough for real air quality monitoring?
For PM2.5, temperature, and humidity — yes, within reasonable limits. The Govee H5179 uses a laser particle sensor that is accurate enough to spot trends: cooking spikes, wildfire smoke events, dusty rooms. It is not lab-grade, but it tells you when to open a window or run your purifier. For CO2 or radon, Govee offers nothing. If you need those sensors, you need Airthings or AirGradient.
Can Airthings Wave Plus detect PM2.5?
No. The Wave Plus tracks radon, CO2 (estimated), VOCs, humidity, temperature, and air pressure. It does not have a PM2.5 sensor. If you want radon and PM2.5 in one device, you need the Airthings View Plus ($299), which adds both a PM2.5 sensor and a built-in e-ink display.
Do I need both a Govee and an Airthings?
If you want complete air quality data, yes — or you can step up to the Airthings View Plus ($299) and skip the Govee entirely. The View Plus adds PM2.5, so it covers everything both devices would cover. The combination of Govee ($40) + Airthings Wave Plus ($229) costs $269 and gives you more sensors than either alone. The View Plus at $299 is simpler and $30 more. If you have never tested your home at all, start with the Govee for $40 and the $15 RadonAway test kit. You will have PM2.5 data and radon data for $55.
Why do you link to Airthings.com instead of Amazon?
Airthings sells through their own website at the same price as Amazon, and they offer us a 25% affiliate commission versus roughly 3-4% on Amazon. That higher commission is what keeps this site free. The price you pay is identical either way. We disclose this relationship on every page.
Keep Reading
Affiliate Disclosure: Airthings links go to airthings.com where we earn 25% commission. Govee and other Amazon links use our Associates tag (cleanairhome-20). The price you pay is the same either way. Our recommendations are based on what each device actually measures, not what pays more. Full disclosure.