Technology Comparison
LoRaWAN vs Cellular IoT
Comparing LoRaWAN with NB-IoT and LTE-M for your IoT connectivity needs.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | LoRaWAN | Cellular (NB-IoT/LTE-M) |
|---|---|---|
| Infrastructure | Private or public | Carrier-dependent |
| Range | Up to 15km | Carrier coverage |
| Battery Life | 10+ years | 5-10 years |
| Data Cost | Free (private) / Low | Monthly subscription |
| Device Cost | $10-50 | $15-80 |
| Mobility | Limited | Full roaming |
| Latency | 1-10 seconds | 100ms-1s |
| Coverage Flexibility | Deploy anywhere | Carrier limited |
| Quality of Service | Best effort | Guaranteed |
| Remote Areas | Self-deployed | Often unavailable |
Sources: LoRa Alliance technical overview; IEEE 802.11 (Wi‑Fi) specifications; 3GPP NB‑IoT/LTE‑M documentation; Zigbee Alliance cluster specifications. Range and battery figures are typical lab or field values — confirm for your site survey and SKU.
Best Use Cases
Choose LoRaWAN When...
- Fixed asset monitoring
- Agriculture in remote areas
- Private campus deployments
- Utility metering
- Smart city infrastructure
Choose Cellular When...
- Mobile asset tracking
- Fleet management
- Remote health monitoring
- Point of sale systems
- Security systems with SLA