LoRa & LoRaWAN vs. Sigfox
Comparing 2 standards across 14 specifications. 14 key differences identified.
LoRa (Long Range) is a proprietary Chirp Spread Spectrum (CSS) physical radio modulation developed by Semtech, paired with the open LoRaWAN MAC protocol governed by the LoRa Alliance. Operating in unlicensed sub-GHz bands (868 MHz EU, 915 MHz US), it delivers transmission ranges from 5 to 15+ kilometers with 10+ year battery life.
Sigfox is a proprietary, global Low-Power Wide-Area Network (LPWAN) protocol developed by Sigfox (now UnaBiz). Operating in unlicensed sub-GHz ISM bands (868 MHz EU / 902 MHz US), it utilizes Ultra-Narrowband (UNB) modulation with a microscopic 100 Hz channel bandwidth to transmit tiny 12-byte payloads over extreme distances with ultra-low power.
Specification Comparison Table
14 Parameters| Parameter / Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Typical Range
|
2–5 km (urban) / 15–20 km (rural line-of-sight) | 10 km (urban) / up to 40–50 km (rural line-of-sight) |
|
Physical Modulation
|
LoRa (Chirp Spread Spectrum / CSS) | — |
|
MAC Layer Protocol
|
LoRaWAN (Class A, Class B, Class C) | — |
|
Operating Frequency Bands
|
EU868 (863–870 MHz), US915 (902–928 MHz), AS923, AU915 | — |
|
Spreading Factors
|
SF7 (fastest / shortest) to SF12 (slowest / maximum link budget) | — |
|
Bandwidths Available
|
125 kHz, 250 kHz, 500 kHz | — |
|
Max Link Budget
|
Up to 157 dB (receives signals below thermal noise floor) | — |
|
Device Classes
|
Class A (All battery nodes / bi-directional), Class B (Beacon slots), Class C (Continuous listen) | — |
|
Modulation Scheme
|
— | UNB (Ultra-Narrowband) DBPSK uplink / GFSK downlink |
|
Channel Bandwidth
|
— | 100 Hz (Europe) / 600 Hz (US) |
|
Frequency Bands
|
— | RC1 (868 MHz EU), RC2 (902 MHz US), RC3 (Japan), RC4 (Latin America/APAC) |
|
Uplink Payload Limit
|
— | 12 bytes per message |
|
Daily Message Cap
|
— | 140 messages/day per device (ETSI 1% duty cycle limit) |
|
Transmission Data Rate
|
— | 100 bps (EU) / 600 bps (US) |