Lutron RA3 vs Caséta: The 75-Device Ceiling Decides It
Caséta and RadioRA 3 are both Lutron wireless lighting systems, and the question of which one a house needs usually comes down to one number: Caséta's limit of 75 devices per hub. Here's how fast a house reaches it, what RadioRA 3 changes, and what carries over if you move up. Every number below is from Lutron's own spec sheets.
The two side by side
| Caséta (Smart Hub PRO) | RadioRA 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Devices | 75 per hub, the hub counting as one | 100 per processor (Sunnata/Type X), 200 per system |
| Hubs or processors | one hub is one system | up to 4 processors in one system |
| Range | every device within 30 ft of the hub; no repeaters | repeaters (Type A) or a 75 ft mesh (Type X) |
| Keypads | Pico remotes | Sunnata and seeTouch keypads, engraved, plus Picos |
| Shades | Serena; the PRO hub adds Sivoia QS, Triathlon and some Sivoia QS Wireless | Sivoia QS Wireless, Triathlon, Palladiom shades |
| Set up and programmed with | the Lutron app, by the homeowner | Lutron Designer, by a trained dealer |
Sources: Caséta Smart Hub PRO spec · RadioRA 3 processor spec · RadioRA 3 system overview.
How fast 75 goes
Everything counts: every dimmer, switch, plug-in, Pico, sensor and shade. A house with 40 lighting circuits is not a 40-device house once each room gets a Pico or two, a few shades and the sensors in the laundry and closets. Count what you'd want at the end, not what you're buying this month.
A second Caséta hub gives you another 75, and the Lutron app can run both. But they are two separate systems: a Pico paired to one hub can't turn off lights on the other, and a scene lives on one hub. The single "all off" by the door is the feature that breaks. A control system above both (Control4 can run two Caséta hubs) can bridge the gap. On its own, Caséta can't.
What RadioRA 3 changes
- Size: 200 devices in one system, across up to 4 processors, all one set of scenes and keypads.
- Range: no 30-foot rule. Repeaters or the Sunnata mesh reach the far end of a large house.
- Keypads on the wall: engraved buttons for scenes, instead of a Pico for everything.
- Who sets it up: RadioRA 3 is programmed in Lutron Designer, which Lutron makes available only to people who have completed its training. That's the real trade: you give up doing it yourself in the app.
Moving up: what carries over
Lutron's RadioRA 3 compatibility list includes Pico remotes, and devices from RadioRA 2 (seeTouch keypads, Maestro dimmers). Caséta dimmers and switches are not on it, so moving a Caséta house to RadioRA 3 means replacing the wall devices. That's the strongest argument for deciding early: a house that will clearly pass 75 is cheaper to start on RadioRA 3 than to convert.
When Caséta is the right answer
A smaller house, or a few rooms, where the owner wants to set it up themselves and is comfortable in an app: Caséta is excellent at that, and there's no need to spend more. Buy the PRO hub even for a few switches. It's the one that can talk to a control system later, so you won't be re-pairing everything if the house grows. More on that in Lutron Caséta with Control4.
Beyond RadioRA 3
Past 200 devices, for wired keypads or panel dimming, or for Ketra lighting, the step is HomeWorks. We lay out Lutron's numbers for the two in RadioRA 3 vs HomeWorks QSX. And if you're not sure which Lutron system is already in the house, which system do you have? covers where to look.
