BroadLink SP4 Smart Plug Review: WiFi Energy Monitoring Alternative

BroadLink’s SP4 smart plug has 100,000+ reviews on JD.com with a 4.6/5 rating at ¥69 ($10). It offers energy monitoring, scheduling, remote control, and voice assistant support. Users praise the slim design and energy tracking but note the BroadLink app is less polished than TP-Link’s Tapo. Conclusion: ✅ Worth Buying — a strong alternative to the Tapo P110 with a slimmer profile.

Introduction

BroadLink is a major player in China’s smart home ecosystem, known for their universal IR/RF remotes (the BroadLink RM series) and smart plugs. The SP4 is their latest smart plug with energy monitoring, competing directly with TP-Link’s Tapo P110 and Xiaomi’s smart plug line.

At ¥69 ($10), the SP4 is slightly more expensive than the Tapo P110 (¥59/$8) but offers a slimmer physical design and deeper integration with the BroadLink ecosystem (including the RM universal remote). It supports Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT for automation workflows.

Specifications

Spec	BroadLink SP4	TP-Link Tapo P110	Xiaomi Smart Plug	Meross MSS110
Price	¥69 ($10)	¥59 ($8)	¥39 ($5)	¥79 ($11)
Energy Monitoring	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Max Load	10A / 2200W	10A / 2200W	10A / 2200W	10A / 2200W
WiFi	2.4GHz	2.4GHz	2.4GHz	2.4GHz
Voice Assistants	Alexa, Google, XiaoAi	Alexa, Google, Siri	XiaoAi	Alexa, Google, HomeKit
Scheduling	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Slim Design	Yes (39mm deep)	Standard (52mm deep)	Standard	Standard
App	BroadLink	Tapo	Mi Home	Meross
JD Rating	4.6/5 (100,000+)	4.7/5 (200,000+)	4.6/5 (500,000+)	4.5/5 (50,000+)

Design and Build Quality

The SP4’s standout feature is its slim profile — at 39mm deep, it protrudes from the wall socket less than most smart plugs, making it practical for use in tight spaces behind furniture or on power strips. The matte white finish with rounded edges is clean and minimalist.

Build quality is solid — the SP4 uses flame-retardant PC material and has passed China’s CCC quality certification. The physical on/off button is on the front face with a subtle LED indicator. The socket grip is firm but not overly tight — easy to plug and unplug without struggling.

“Slimmer than my Tapo P110 — this one doesn’t block the adjacent socket on my power strip. Energy monitoring works well. I can see my space heater uses ¥2.5/hour. App is functional but not as polished as Tapo. Solid plug overall.” — JD.com verified buyer ★★★★☆

Performance

The energy monitoring feature provides real-time power consumption data displayed in the BroadLink app. Accuracy is within 3% of a reference power meter — comparable to the Tapo P110. Historical data is available for daily, weekly, and monthly tracking.

Remote control via the app has sub-second latency on the local network and ~1-2 seconds over cellular. Scheduling works reliably for daily timers. Voice assistant integration with Alexa and Google Home is straightforward. The SP4 also integrates with BroadLink’s RM mini series for IR control automation.

“Bought this to work with my BroadLink RM4 Pro Universal Remote. Now I can set automations like ‘when temperature drops below 18°C, turn on the heater via the SP4’. The ecosystem integration is why I chose BroadLink over TP-Link.” — JD.com verified buyer ★★★★★

User Reviews by Theme

Theme 1: Slim Design

“The slim design is the main reason I chose this over Tapo. My power strip has sockets close together and the SP4 doesn’t block the adjacent one. This matters more than you’d think for practical use.” — JD.com verified buyer

💡 Summary: Slim profile is the SP4’s key physical advantage. It’s one of the slimmest smart plugs on JD.com.

Theme 2: BroadLink Ecosystem

“Works seamlessly with my RM4 Pro. Now I can control my AC (via IR blaster) AND the floor heater (via SP4) from one app. The ecosystem integration is really powerful if you already own BroadLink devices.” — JD.com verified buyer

💡 Summary: BroadLink ecosystem integration is a unique selling point for existing BroadLink users.

Theme 3: Energy Monitoring Accuracy

“Checked the energy reading against my home’s smart meter for a 2000W heater running for 1 hour. The SP4 reported 2.03kWh vs the meter’s 1.97kWh — close enough for practical use. Good for tracking appliance costs.” — JD.com verified buyer

💡 Summary: Energy monitoring accuracy is good. Users report readings within 3-5% of reference meters.

Theme 4: App Experience

“The BroadLink app has too many features crammed in. Finding the plug controls takes some navigating. Not as clean as the Tapo app. But once you set up automations, you rarely need to open the app for day-to-day use.” — JD.com verified buyer

💡 Summary: The BroadLink app is more complex than the Tapo app. Initial setup takes longer but automations run reliably.

Purchase Recommendations

✅ Worth Buying: BroadLink ecosystem users (RM series owners), and anyone who needs the slimmest possible smart plug for tight spaces.

💰 Premium Pick: The Meross MSS110 at ¥79 ($11) adds Apple HomeKit support and a cleaner app for iOS users.

⚠️ Budget Warning: If you don’t need ecosystem integration and want the simplest experience, the TP-Link Tapo P110 at ¥59 ($8) offers a better app at ¥10 less.

Pros & Cons

✅ Pros	❌ Cons
Slimmest design — 39mm deep	App is cluttered and less intuitive
Accurate energy monitoring	No Apple HomeKit support
BroadLink ecosystem integration	Slightly more expensive than TP-Link
Alexa, Google, XiaoAi support	2.4GHz WiFi only
Reliable scheduling and timers	Energy history limited to 1 year
Flame-retardant material	No Matter protocol
100,000+ reviews at 4.6/5	No IFTTT free tier (pro only)
Physical button for manual control	Initial setup can be confusing

FAQ

Q1: Can the SP4 work without the BroadLink app? A: Setup requires the BroadLink app, but after setup, you can use Alexa or Google Home voice commands without opening the app. Scheduling also runs from the cloud without app intervention.

Q2: Does the SP4 support energy monitoring for 3-prong appliances? A: Yes. The SP4 supports both 2-prong and 3-prong grounded plugs. Energy monitoring works with all connected appliances as long as they’re within the 10A/2200W limit.

Q3: Can I use the SP4 with air conditioners or space heaters? A: Yes, if the appliance draws under 2200W (10A). Most space heaters (1500-2000W) and window AC units (800-1500W) are fine. For large split AC units, use a dedicated high-power smart switch.

Q4: Does the BroadLink app support scene automation with other smart home devices? A: Yes. The BroadLink app supports scene automation — you can trigger the SP4 based on temperature (via a compatible sensor), time, or other BroadLink device states. This is more powerful than the Tapo app’s scheduling alone.

Q5: What’s the warranty period? A: BroadLink offers a standard 1-year warranty on the SP4. Customer support is available via JD.com’s messaging or BroadLink’s WeChat mini-program. Extended warranty can be purchased at checkout.

Rating

Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.5/5)

• Design (Slim Profile): 4.8/5
• Energy Monitoring: 4.6/5
• Build Quality: 4.4/5
• App Experience: 3.8/5
• Value for Money: 4.5/5