9 of the 10 features in our table differ between the DHT22 and the BME280.
±0.5 °C · ±2 %RH · Single wire (own protocol) · 3.3 to 6 V
A step up from the DHT11: ±0.5 °C, ±2 %RH typical and down to −40 °C, still on one data wire.
Watch out: The humidity error can reach ±5 %RH, one reading every 2 s at most, and its own protocol needs precise timing. About 50 µA between readings.
±1 °C · ±3 %RH · I²C/SPI · 1.71 to 3.6 V
Temperature, humidity and pressure in one I²C or SPI chip: the classic weather-station sensor.
Watch out: ±1 °C and ±3 %RH, less accurate than a dedicated humidity sensor. Check the chip: the BMP280 looks almost the same and has no humidity sensor.
| Feature | DHT22 | BME280 |
|---|---|---|
| Measures | temperature · humidity | temperature · humidity · pressure |
| Temperature accuracy | ±0.5 °C | ±1 °C |
| Humidity accuracy | ±2 %RH | ±3 %RH |
| Temperature range | −40 to 80 °C | −40 to 85 °C |
| Interface | Single wire (own protocol) | I²C, SPI |
| I²C address | Not I²C | 0x76, 0x77 (set with a pin) |
| Supply | 3.3 to 6 V | 1.71 to 3.6 V |
| Current between readings | 50 µA | 0.1 µA |
| ESPHome | dht | bme280_i2c / bme280_spi |
Same on both: status.
Open the sensor comparison →Tick what your project needs and see which sensor fits best.
BME280: I²C address, wiring and pull-ups →
The DHT22 offers better temperature accuracy, better humidity accuracy, and a 5 V supply. The BME280 offers barometric pressure too, a standard I²C bus shared with other sensors, and less current between readings.
Typical datasheet figures: temperature ±0.5 °C for the DHT22 and ±1 °C for the BME280; humidity ±2 %RH and ±3 %RH. Placement matters as much as accuracy: keep either away from the board’s warm parts.
Not as a drop-in: the DHT22 uses a proprietary single-wire protocol and the BME280 I²C or SPI, so the wiring and the code change. Check the supply too: 3.3 to 6 V for the DHT22, 1.71 to 3.6 V for the BME280.
DHT11 vs DHT22 AHT20 vs DHT22 DHT22 vs SHT31 DS18B20 vs DHT22 BME680 vs BME280 BME280 vs BMP280
Figures from the makers’ datasheets and product pages and the ESPHome documentation, checked in November 2026.