PurpleAir Flex Review: Discontinued — Airthings View Plus Is the Best Replacement

Update (April 2026): The PurpleAir Flex has been discontinued and is no longer available on Amazon. After comparing alternatives, we recommend the Airthings 2960 View Plus as the best replacement. The rest of this article explains why.

What Made the PurpleAir Flex Popular

The PurpleAir Flex earned a dedicated following for its dual-laser Plantower PMS5003 sensors, which cross-checked readings in real time for added confidence. It contributed data to the PurpleAir community map — one of the largest real-time pollution networks in the world — making it popular during wildfire seasons. At $229, it offered research-grade PM2.5 accuracy in a compact, USB-C-powered package.

However, the Flex only measured particulate matter (PM1, PM2.5, PM10), temperature, humidity, and air pressure. It had no display, no CO2 sensor, no VOC detection, and no radon monitoring. For users who wanted a complete picture of their indoor air, it left significant gaps.

The Best Replacement: Airthings 2960 View Plus

The Airthings 2960 View Plus monitors seven air quality parameters in a single battery-powered device. Where the PurpleAir Flex focused narrowly on particulates, the View Plus covers the pollutants that matter most indoors: radon (the second leading cause of lung cancer), CO2 (which affects cognitive performance), and VOCs (off-gassing from furniture, paint, and cleaning products).

It runs on two AA batteries for up to two years, meaning you can place it anywhere without running a USB cable. The Airthings app provides historical trends, threshold alerts, and integration with Alexa, Google Home, and IFTTT.

How the Replacement Compares to the Original

The View Plus trades the Flex's dual-laser PM2.5 precision and community mapping for dramatically broader sensor coverage. For most homeowners, detecting radon and CO2 is more actionable than having redundant particulate sensors.

Pros and Cons

Airthings View Plus vs. Temtop M10

The Temtop M10+ ($99.99) is the successor to the discontinued M10, now offering 6-in-1 sensors (PM2.5, CO2, VOC, Temp, Humidity, AQI) with a 60-day battery and Bluetooth app connectivity. It works well for portable monitoring and spot checks. The Airthings View Plus is a different class of device — continuous whole-home monitoring with radon detection that no portable monitor can match.

The Verdict

After extensive research and analysis, here is the AirQualityNest editorial team's verdict.

If you relied on the PurpleAir Flex for particulate monitoring, the Airthings View Plus fills that role while adding the indoor pollutants the Flex ignored entirely. The $100 price increase buys you radon, CO2, and VOC detection — sensors that would cost $300+ if purchased separately.

FAQ

Is the PurpleAir Flex discontinued? Yes. As of early 2026, the PurpleAir Flex is no longer available for purchase on Amazon or through PurpleAir's website. Existing units still function and report to the PurpleAir map, but new buyers need to look at alternatives.

What is the best PurpleAir Flex replacement? The Airthings 2960 View Plus ($329.99) is the best replacement. It monitors PM2.5 like the Flex did, plus adds radon, CO2, VOCs, and runs on batteries for two years. For users who specifically need dual-laser PM2.5 accuracy for outdoor/wildfire monitoring, PurpleAir's outdoor sensors (PA-II) are still available.

Does the Airthings View Plus connect to the PurpleAir map? No. The Airthings View Plus reports data to the Airthings dashboard and app only. If community pollution mapping is essential to you, PurpleAir's outdoor sensor models still support this feature.