Updated October 2026
Data from Amazon and official Aeotec and Nabu Casa sites.
2026 verdict
Building a Zigbee or Thread network for Home Assistant?
The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 is the stronger choice of these two dongles, and the better rated. It is the official Home Assistant hardware, recognized automatically and especially plug-and-play on Home Assistant Green, and it adds a Thread border router and an external antenna the Aeotec Z-Stick 7 does not have. The Aeotec Z-Stick 7 answers back with a lower price and something the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 cannot do at all: control a Z-Wave network. The two solve different radios more than they compete on quality, so which one fits your setup depends entirely on the protocol your devices speak. Pick the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 for Zigbee or Thread and an easy Home Assistant setup, and the Aeotec Z-Stick 7 for an affordable, dedicated Z-Wave controller.
vs
Winner
Deals by email
Dongle prices change while you decide
We follow prices across the catalog and email you the best deals we find.
No spam. Unsubscribe in one click.
| Feature | Aeotec Z-Stick 7 | Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $39.99 | $65.00 | Aeotec Z-Stick 7 |
| Rating | 4.5 | 4.7 | Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 |
| Z-Wave Controller | YES | NO | Aeotec Z-Stick 7 |
| Thread Border Router | NO | YES | Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 |
| Transmit Power | +9.3dBm | +10dBm | Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 |
| Warranty | 1 year | 1 year | Tie |
| Power | USB | USB | Tie |
| Connectivity | USB | USB | Tie |
| Zigbee Router | NO | NO | Tie |
| Matter Bridge | NO | NO | Tie |
| Dual Network | NO | NO | Tie |
| Bluetooth Proxy | NO | NO | Tie |
What the differences mean
Radio protocol
The Aeotec Z-Stick 7 is a Z-Wave 700 controller with no Zigbee, Thread or Matter of its own. The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 is the opposite: a Zigbee 3.0 coordinator and Thread border router with no Z-Wave. Whichever protocol your existing devices speak decides this pairing before anything else.
External antenna
The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 ships with an external antenna for stronger whole-home range. The Aeotec Z-Stick 7 has no external antenna option at all, which is part of why its own review notes range that sometimes needs a USB extension cable.
Thread support
The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 doubles as a Thread border router for Matter-over-Thread devices. The Aeotec Z-Stick 7 has none, since Thread and Matter sit outside Z-Wave entirely.
First setup
The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 is recognized automatically by Home Assistant, especially Home Assistant Green, and is essentially plug-and-play. The Aeotec Z-Stick 7 typically needs its shipping firmware updated first, a two-step process owners call fiddly.
Price
The Aeotec Z-Stick 7 is the more affordable of the two, while the official Nabu Casa hardware carries a premium its own review credits to guaranteed compatibility and support.
Which one to buy if
- your devices are Z-Wave
The Aeotec Z-Stick 7 is a Z-Wave controller; the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 has none.
- you are adding Zigbee or Thread and Matter devices to Home Assistant
It is the official Nabu Casa radio, recognized automatically, and it doubles as a Thread border router.
- range is a concern in a larger home
Its external antenna is a spec the Aeotec Z-Stick 7 does not have at all.
- you want the lower priced option and only need Z-Wave
It does one job at a lower cost, without paying for a Zigbee radio you would not use.
- you do not want to touch firmware before it works
Owners describe it as plug-and-play, especially with Home Assistant Green, while the Aeotec Z-Stick 7 usually needs a firmware update first.
- + Price: $39.99
- + Z-Wave Controller: YES
- - Rating: 4.5 vs 4.7
- - Thread Border Router: NO vs YES
Winner
- + Rating: 4.7
- + Thread Border Router: YES
- + Transmit Power: +10dBm
- - Price: $65.00 vs $39.99
- - Z-Wave Controller: NO vs YES
What owners say
Owners of both dongles describe a similar arc: a rough first step followed by years of quiet service. Aeotec Z-Stick 7 owners commonly find the stick shipped with old firmware, sometimes on the wrong regional frequency, and call the update process fiddly enough that one owner bricked a unit, but they then run it for years with a dozen mixed-brand Z-Wave sensors and no dropouts. Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 owners describe the opposite order: setup that just works, especially on Home Assistant Green, with the external antenna reaching a device across a 2000 sq ft home with no repeaters. Their one recurring snag is Thread rather than Zigbee, a few needed to disable IPv6 on their router before the OpenThread Border Router would cooperate, a step the Aeotec Z-Stick 7 never asks of anyone since it has no Thread radio at all.
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 7
- Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2
Loading price history...
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better overall: Aeotec Z-Stick 7 or Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2?
The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2, for a Zigbee or Thread network: it is the better rated of the two, adds an external antenna and a Thread border router, and sets up almost automatically. The Aeotec Z-Stick 7 wins only when Z-Wave is what you actually need, since the ZBT-2 has no Z-Wave radio at all.
What is the biggest difference between the Aeotec Z-Stick 7 and the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2?
The protocol each one speaks. The Aeotec Z-Stick 7 is Z-Wave only. The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 is Zigbee and Thread only, with no Z-Wave, so the two never actually compete for the same devices.
Does the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 support Z-Wave?
No. It is a Zigbee 3.0 coordinator and Thread border router with no Z-Wave radio. A Z-Wave network still needs a dedicated controller such as the Aeotec Z-Stick 7.
Does the Aeotec Z-Stick 7 support Zigbee or Thread?
No. It is a dedicated Z-Wave 700 Series controller with no Zigbee or Thread radio, so those devices need a separate coordinator like the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2.
Who should buy the Aeotec Z-Stick 7?
Anyone who specifically needs a Z-Wave controller for Home Assistant, openHAB or ioBroker, and wants the more affordable of these two dongles.
Who should buy the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2?
Anyone adding Zigbee or Thread and Matter devices to Home Assistant who wants the official, near-automatic setup and the strongest range of the pair from its external antenna.
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
SmlightSLZB-MRW10
$100.00
SmlightSLZB-06 U
$72.99
SmlightSLZB-MR3
€158.13
SmlightSLZB-MR5U
$119.99
SmlightSLZB-07
$34.99
SmlightSLZB-MR1U
$102.99
SmlightSLZB-07p7
$36.99
SonoffZBDongle-E
$24.90
SonoffDongle Plus MG24
$35.90- Nabu Casa
Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2
$65.00 
SonoffZBDongle-P
16% OFF$39.99$33.45
ZoozZ-Wave Long Range Stick
$39.95
Nabu CasaHome Assistant Connect ZWA-2
$79.00
SonoffDongle-PZG23
$39.90
SmlightSLZB-06M
$72.99
SonoffDongle Plus PP10
$35.90
SmlightSLZB-06p7U
$78.99
SmlightSLZB-MR2
€111.97
SonoffDongle Lite MG21
$24.90- Aeotec
Z-Stick 7
$39.99
DonglesAeotecZ-Stick 10 Pro
4.5(182)$59.99- DonglesAeotec
Z-Stick 7
4.5(256)$39.99 
DonglesAeotecZi-Stick
4.0(26)14% OFF$34.95$29.95
Door & Window SensorsAeotecDoor Window Sensor 7
4.2(47)$34.99
Door & Window SensorsAeotecMultipurpose Sensor
4.5(366)$38.99
Door & Window SensorsAeotecRecessed Door Sensor 7
3.8(353)5% OFF$39.99$37.99
Energy MonitorsAeotecHome Energy Meter 8
4.2(24)$95.99
HubsAeotecSmart Home Hub 2
3.9(41)$129.99
HubsAeotecSmart Home Hub
4.2(2,138)$159.99
Motion SensorsAeotecMotion Sensor
4.6(422)$48.99
Motion SensorsAeotecMultiSensor 7
3.8(112)29% OFF$69.99$49.99
Motion SensorsAeotecTriSensor 8
3.6(37)$39.99
PlugsAeotecSmart Switch 7
4.1(115)$69.94
RelaysAeotecPico Duo Switch
3.8(4)$34.95
RelaysAeotecPico Switch
3.6(13)$34.95
SirensAeotecSiren 6
3.4(380)50% OFF$79.99$39.99
Temperature & Humidity SensorsAeotecaerQ Temperature & Humidity Sensor
3.5(173)14% OFF$35.99$30.99
Temperature & Humidity SensorsAeotecMultipurpose Sensor
4.5(366)$38.99
Temperature & Humidity SensorsAeotecTriSensor 8
3.6(37)$39.99
Wall SwitchesAeotecIllumino Dimmer Switch
3.6(25)23% OFF$47.99$36.99
