| Specifications | Reed Switch | Mechanical Microswitch |
| Sensing Distance – Touch | Up to 40mm effectively | Touch (zero distance) |
| Power Required at all Times | No | No |
| Input Requirements | External magnetic field >5 gauss min. | Mechanical Force |
| Hysteresis | Ability to adjust, to meet design requirements | Differential Travel (D.T.) |
| Life Expectancy: Low Level | 1010 cycles | 106 cycles |
| Switching Voltage | Up to 200V (10,000V available) | 250VAC |
| Switching Current / Carry Current | Up to 3A / Up to 5A | Up to 25A |
| Minimum Switching Load | No load required (μV / pA) | 50mW |
| Maximum Switching Load | Up to 100 Watts | Up to 5,000 Watts |
| Insulation Resistance | 1014 Ohm | 109 Ohm |
| Contact Resistance | 50 milliohm | 100 milliohm |
| Noise | Almost no switching noise | Switching noise |
| Overload | Very sensitive | Insensitive |
| Hermeticity | Yes | No |
| General | Galvanic isolation (air gap) | Galvanic isolation (air gap) |
| Assembly | 20,000 pcs | 5,000 pcs |
