Updated October 2026
Data from Amazon and official Nabu Casa and Sonoff sites.
2026 verdict
For a Home Assistant install that only needs Zigbee, the Sonoff ZBDongle-E is the better USB coordinator of these two, with a two-year warranty and higher transmit power (+20 dBm).
It is also the lower priced stick, and it can be reflashed as a Zigbee router later, which the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 cannot. What the official Nabu Casa radio adds is Thread: its Silicon Labs EFR32MG24 works as a Thread border router for Matter devices, it has a higher gain antenna, and owners describe setup on Home Assistant Green as fully automatic. Both are USB only, with no Ethernet or PoE. Pick the Sonoff ZBDongle-E for a Zigbee network on a budget, and the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 if Matter over Thread is part of the plan.
vs
Winner
$24.90
17% above its lowest price of the last 6 months ($21.37)
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| Feature | Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 | Sonoff ZBDongle-E | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $65.00 | $24.90 | Sonoff ZBDongle-E |
| Warranty | 1 year | 2 years | Sonoff ZBDongle-E |
| Zigbee Router | NO | YES | Sonoff ZBDongle-E |
| Thread Border Router | YES | NO | Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 |
| Transmit Power | +10dBm | +20dBm | Sonoff ZBDongle-E |
| Antenna Gain | +4.16dBi | +2dBi | Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 |
| Zigbee Chip Model | EFR32MG24 | EFR32MG21 | Different strengths |
| Rating | 4.7 | 4.7 | Tie |
| Power | USB | USB | Tie |
| Connectivity | USB | USB | Tie |
| Z-Wave Controller | NO | NO | Tie |
| Matter Bridge | NO | NO | Tie |
What the differences mean
Thread support
The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 can act as a Thread border router for Matter devices. The Sonoff ZBDongle-E is Zigbee only, so a Thread accessory would need a second radio.
Transmit power and antenna
The Sonoff ZBDongle-E pairs +20 dBm of transmit power with a 2 dBi antenna, while the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 uses 10 dBm of transmit power with a +4.16 dBi antenna. Owners of both describe whole-home range, so neither approach leaves you short in a typical house.
Router mode
The Sonoff ZBDongle-E can also run as a Zigbee router, so an old stick can later extend the mesh from a spare USB port. The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 is listed as a coordinator only.
Warranty
Sonoff covers the ZBDongle-E for two years, against one year for the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2.
Which one to buy if
- your smart home is Zigbee only and the budget is tight
The Sonoff ZBDongle-E is the lower priced stick and owners run dozens of Zigbee devices on it.
- you plan to add Matter over Thread devices
The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 works as a Thread border router; the Sonoff ZBDongle-E has no Thread.
- you run Home Assistant Green and want zero setup
Owners describe the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 being recognised and configured automatically on Home Assistant Green.
- you want a stick you can reuse as a Zigbee router later
The Sonoff ZBDongle-E supports router mode, the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 does not.
- + Thread Border Router: YES
- + Antenna Gain: +4.16dBi
- - Price: $65.00 vs $24.90
- - Warranty: 1 year vs 2 years
Winner
- + Price: $24.90
- + Warranty: 2 years
- + Zigbee Router: YES
- - Thread Border Router: NO vs YES
- - Antenna Gain: +2dBi vs +4.16dBi
What owners say
Owners of both sticks agree on the basics: Home Assistant finds them right away and the external antenna gives good range across a home. Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 owners single out the official, zero-effort setup, fast pairing of Matter over Thread sensors and a design that looks fine on a shelf; their complaints are the price, the fact that it runs Zigbee or Thread but not both, and an OpenThread Border Router setup that some found fiddly. Sonoff ZBDongle-E owners talk about scale and value instead, dozens of mixed-brand devices running without trouble and a clean replacement for a Philips Hue bridge, while their advice is to use a USB 2.0 extension cable against interference, and a few mention trouble pairing certain Aqara sensors.
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.
- Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2
- Sonoff ZBDongle-E
Loading price history...
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better overall: Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 or Sonoff ZBDongle-E?
For a Zigbee-only setup, the Sonoff ZBDongle-E: it costs less, carries a two-year warranty, has +20 dBm of transmit power and can double as a Zigbee router. The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 is the better choice when you also need a Thread border router for Matter devices.
Is the Sonoff ZBDongle-E a good alternative to the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2?
For Zigbee, yes. The Sonoff ZBDongle-E works with Home Assistant and Zigbee2MQTT out of the box and owners run large Zigbee networks on it. It is not an alternative for Thread, because it has no Thread border router support, which the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 does.
What is the biggest difference between the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 and the Sonoff ZBDongle-E?
Thread. The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 uses a Silicon Labs EFR32MG24 that can run as a Thread border router, while the Sonoff ZBDongle-E, built on the EFR32MG21, is a Zigbee 3.0 coordinator and router only.
Do the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 and the Sonoff ZBDongle-E work with Zigbee2MQTT?
Yes, both do, as well as with Home Assistant's own ZHA integration. Owners of the Sonoff ZBDongle-E recommend a USB 2.0 extension cable to keep it away from interference, and the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 runs either Zigbee or Thread, one at a time.
Who should buy the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2?
Home Assistant users who want the official radio, plan to add Matter over Thread devices, or run Home Assistant Green and want the coordinator set up for them.
Who should buy the Sonoff ZBDongle-E?
Anyone building or replacing a Zigbee network in Home Assistant who wants a proven, lower priced USB stick with a two-year warranty and no need for Thread.
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