Native api vs mqtt when using deep sleep in ESPHome?

[neel-m (Neel Malik)]

@Mr.Selfridge

Q: In 2026: should native API + deep sleep work just fine or should we still use mqtt instead when esp32 uses periodic deep sleep?

Suggest you read this long thread:

Notes on ESPHome deep_sleep

When running from a battery it is often desirable to minimise the power consumption; particularly where the ESP32 is taking sensor reading on a regular basis but doing nothing between them. Deep_sleep allows ESPHome to power off the main CPU when it is not needed, and reboot it after a timer or an external signal. However I found a number of issues with deep_sleep – many are not problems, but just things which aren’t covered in much detail in the docs. This is my attempt to collect the various…

Native API doesn't know you are using deep sleep, so I suspect it is NOT the best choice.

Note that getting good results on battery with esp devices is VERY challenging. You might be able to get results that are acceptable to you, but it will require a fair amount of work and possibly a bigger battery or more frequent charging/replacement than you would like.