Live nowPrime Day 2026October 6 to 7, 2026Starts in--d--h--m--sSee the deals
Dongles · Head to head

Aeotec Z-Stick 10 Pro vs Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2

Full Smart Dongles comparison in 2026

Updated October 2026
Data from Amazon and official Aeotec and Nabu Casa sites.
2026 verdict
Choosing a radio protocol is the whole job of a USB dongle, and the Aeotec Z-Stick 10 Pro covers Z-Wave and Zigbee together.
Aeotec Z-Stick 10 Pro
Winner
Aeotec Z-Stick 10 Pro
$59.99
Buy on Amazon USACheck price
It controls Z-Wave Series 800, coordinates Zigbee 3.0 on an EFR32MG21, and publishes +20 dBm of transmit power in a 3.5 g stick with no external antenna. The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 is the Thread border router, on an EFR32MG24, with one antenna at +4.16dBi and transmit power published at 10 dBm. It coordinates Zigbee, does not control Z-Wave, and does not run a dual network. Both work with Home Assistant and Zigbee2MQTT. Pick the Aeotec Z-Stick 10 Pro for Z-Wave plus Zigbee. Pick the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 when Thread is the missing radio.
vs
Price alerts

Dongle prices change while you decide

We check the price of every Dongle in the catalog daily and email you the drops, whichever one you pick.

Smart home deals and news, straight to your inbox

Price drops, new releases and the smart home news worth knowing.

No spam. Unsubscribe in one click.

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Please enter a valid email address.
Your subscription has been successful.
FeatureAeotec Z-Stick 10 ProNabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2Winner
Price$59.99$65.00Aeotec Z-Stick 10 Pro
Rating4.54.7Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2
Z-Wave ControllerYESNOAeotec Z-Stick 10 Pro
Thread Border RouterNOYESNabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2
Transmit Power+20dBm+10dBmAeotec Z-Stick 10 Pro
Zigbee Chip ModelEFR32MG21EFR32MG24Different strengths
Warranty1 year1 yearTie
PowerUSBUSBTie
ConnectivityUSBUSBTie
Zigbee RouterNONOTie
Matter BridgeNONOTie
Dual NetworkNONOTie

What the differences mean

Z-Wave on the stick

The Aeotec Z-Stick 10 Pro is a Z-Wave Series 800 controller on an EF32ZG23 and a Zigbee 3.0 coordinator. The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 coordinates Zigbee and borders Thread, and its Z-Wave controller value is no. One stick can front both a Z-Wave and a Zigbee network. The other cannot touch Z-Wave.

Thread

The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 is a Thread border router. The Aeotec Z-Stick 10 Pro is not, and it is not a Matter bridge either. Dual-network is unsupported on the ZBT-2, so Thread and Zigbee are not simultaneous even though both appear on the spec sheet.

Antenna and transmit power

The Aeotec Z-Stick 10 Pro publishes +20 dBm of transmit power and lists no external antenna, in a 49 x 17 x 7 mm, 3.5 g body. The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 publishes 10 dBm of transmit power, and it has one external antenna at +4.16dBi on a much larger 157 g unit.

Zigbee role

Both coordinate Zigbee 3.0 and both work with Zigbee2MQTT and Home Assistant. Neither is a Zigbee router. The Aeotec chip is an EFR32MG21. The Nabu Casa chip is an EFR32MG24, which is also what gives that dongle its Thread border router. Router duty, if you need a repeater, is a different product.

Which one to buy if

What owners say

Both groups run Home Assistant locally and both praise range, then they split. Aeotec Z-Stick 10 Pro owners single out two radios in one stick, fast local response, and a backup migration from an older Z-Stick. They complain that Zigbee stays dark until a firmware update, that the update guide assumes Windows, and that the pairing button can break. Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 owners single out automatic setup, especially next to a Home Assistant Green, and the external antenna. They complain that the dongle runs Zigbee or Thread rather than both, and that the OpenThread border router is the fiddly step. USB-only is the limit they share, because neither dongle has Ethernet or PoE.

Price history compared

Every price change of both, in the same store, so the gap between the two lines is what one costs more than the other.

  • Aeotec Z-Stick 10 Pro
  • Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2

Loading price history...

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better overall: Aeotec Z-Stick 10 Pro or Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2?

The Aeotec Z-Stick 10 Pro when one USB dongle should control Z-Wave Series 800 and coordinate Zigbee 3.0. The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 when you need a Thread border router and an external antenna, and Z-Wave already has another controller.

Does the Aeotec Z-Stick 10 Pro work with Home Assistant?

Yes. The Aeotec Z-Stick 10 Pro lists Home Assistant and Zigbee2MQTT. The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 lists both as well. The split is the radio: Z-Wave plus Zigbee on the Aeotec, Zigbee plus Thread on the Nabu Casa, not a difference in Home Assistant support.

What is the biggest difference between the Aeotec Z-Stick 10 Pro and the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2?

The Aeotec Z-Stick 10 Pro adds a Z-Wave Series 800 controller beside Zigbee, with no Thread radio and no external antenna. The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 adds a Thread border router beside Zigbee, with one external antenna, and it does not control Z-Wave.

Can either dongle run Zigbee and Thread together?

The Aeotec Z-Stick 10 Pro has no Thread border router. The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 has one, and dual-network is unsupported, so Zigbee and Thread are not on at the same time. Neither dongle is a Matter bridge.

Who should buy the Aeotec Z-Stick 10 Pro?

Home Assistant users who want Z-Wave Series 800 and a Zigbee 3.0 coordinator in one 3.5 g USB stick and do not need Thread.

Who should buy the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2?

Home Assistant users who want an official Zigbee coordinator that can also border-route Thread, with an external antenna, and who do not need Z-Wave on that dongle.

Full comparison table

Compare all 36 Dongles side by side

You are looking at two of them. The full table lines up all Dongles in the catalog with the same specs, so you can filter by what you need and sort by price or rating.

  • 36 Dongles
  • 32 specs compared
  • 29 filters
Open the full comparison
More Dongles

Top Dongles to compare next

36 Zigbee, Thread and Z-Wave dongles compared: Smlight, Sonoff, Aeotec, Nabu Casa and more. Chipsets, antenna range, firmware and Home Assistant support.

All Dongles
Aeotec

More Aeotec products

A sharper look at other Aeotec products worth comparing.

Explore Aeotec
Nabu Casa

More Nabu Casa products

A sharper look at other Nabu Casa products worth comparing.

Explore Nabu Casa
Independent · Not sponsoredBrands never pay for placement or rankings. Affiliate commissions never influence our comparisons.
© 2026 Smart Home Compared
Search