Updated October 2026
Data from Amazon and official Nabu Casa and Sonoff sites.
2026 verdict
On sheer versatility as a smart home coordinator, the Sonoff Dongle Max takes this one over the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2.
It connects over USB, Ethernet or Wi-Fi, runs on PoE, pairs Zigbee 3.0 with a Thread border router on its EFR32MG24, carries two +5dBi antennas and offers an experimental dual-network mode. Yet the two answer different questions: the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 is a Z-Wave 800 controller, official Home Assistant hardware that owners rate highly for range and plug-and-play setup, and the Sonoff Dongle Max has no Z-Wave at all. Choose the Sonoff Dongle Max for a Zigbee or Thread network you want to place anywhere, and the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 if your locks, switches and sensors are Z-Wave.
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| Feature | Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 | Sonoff Dongle Max | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $79.00 | €32.13 | Sonoff Dongle Max |
| Rating | 4.6 | 4.3 | Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 |
| Power | USB | USB, PoE | Sonoff Dongle Max |
| Connectivity | USB | USB, Ethernet, 2.4 GHz WiFi | Sonoff Dongle Max |
| Zigbee Router | NO | YES | Sonoff Dongle Max |
| Z-Wave Controller | YES | NO | Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 |
| Thread Border Router | NO | YES | Sonoff Dongle Max |
| Antenna Gain | +3.38dBi | +5dBi | Sonoff Dongle Max |
| Warranty | 1 year | 1 year | Tie |
| Matter Bridge | NO | NO | Tie |
| Transmit Power | +20dBm | +20dBm | Tie |
| Dual Network | NO | NO | Tie |
What the differences mean
Protocol
The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 is a Z-Wave Series 800 controller. The Sonoff Dongle Max is a Zigbee 3.0 coordinator that can also be a Thread border router. They do not overlap, so your installed devices decide it before any spec does.
Connection
The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 plugs in over USB. The Sonoff Dongle Max adds Ethernet, Wi-Fi and PoE, so it can sit anywhere a network cable reaches instead of beside the server.
Antennas
Both have +20 dBm of transmit power. The Sonoff Dongle Max has two external +5dBi antennas and the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 one at +3.38dBi, though owners of the Nabu Casa adapter describe its range as the best they have had on Z-Wave.
Software
The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 is built around Home Assistant and Z-Wave JS. The Sonoff Dongle Max works with Home Assistant and also with Zigbee2MQTT.
Which one to buy if
- your devices are Z-Wave
Only the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 is a Z-Wave controller; the Sonoff Dongle Max cannot pair them.
- you are building a Zigbee network and want Thread too
The Sonoff Dongle Max is a Zigbee coordinator and a Thread border router in one box.
- the server is in a closet far from the devices
Over Ethernet and PoE the Sonoff Dongle Max can move to the centre of the house.
- you want official Home Assistant hardware with guided setup
Owners of the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 say Home Assistant detects it and offers to install what it needs.
- + Rating: 4.6
- + Z-Wave Controller: YES
- - Price: $79.00 vs €32.13
- - Power: USB vs USB, PoE
Winner
18% OFF
Prime exclusive deal€32.13
€38.99
- + Price: €32.13
- + Power: USB, PoE
- + Connectivity: USB, Ethernet, 2.4 GHz WiFi
- - Rating: 4.3 vs 4.6
- - Z-Wave Controller: NO vs YES
What owners say
Both groups of owners report a big step up in coverage, but they get there differently. Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 owners credit its antenna and amplifier: nearly every Z-Wave sensor connects directly, and devices behind stucco or glass that other coordinators lost finally stay online. They like that Home Assistant offers to set it up on insertion and runs it fully local, and their few complaints are that it is Z-Wave only and costs more than generic sticks. Sonoff Dongle Max owners credit placement instead, running it over Ethernet or PoE to reach a garage or a dead zone, and praise smooth ZHA and Zigbee2MQTT support. They complain about thin documentation, a firmware update that needs a physical power cycle and a web portal that keeps asking to log in.
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 ZWA-2
- Sonoff Dongle Max
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better: Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 or Sonoff Dongle Max?
The Sonoff Dongle Max does more, with Zigbee, Thread, Ethernet, PoE and Wi-Fi. But the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 is a Z-Wave controller, so for Z-Wave devices it is the only one of the two that works.
Does the Sonoff Dongle Max support Z-Wave?
No. The Sonoff Dongle Max is a Zigbee 3.0 coordinator and Thread border router. For Z-Wave you need a controller such as the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2.
Does the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 do Zigbee or Thread?
No. The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 is Z-Wave only. Zigbee and Thread need a separate radio, such as the Sonoff Dongle Max.
Is the Sonoff Dongle Max a PoE dongle?
Yes. The Sonoff Dongle Max can be powered over Ethernet with PoE, or run from USB, and connects over Ethernet, Wi-Fi or USB. The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 is USB only.
Who should buy the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2?
Home Assistant users with Z-Wave locks, switches and sensors, especially in homes where range has been a problem, who want official, fully local hardware.
Who should buy the Sonoff Dongle Max?
Zigbee users who want a coordinator they can place centrally over Ethernet or PoE, with Thread on the same hardware, and who do not mind some firmware tinkering.
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