Updated October 2026
Data from Amazon and official Nabu Casa and Sonoff sites.
2026 verdict
Zigbee plus Thread is a different protocol job from Z-Wave, and the Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24 is the dongle for the first.
It coordinates and routes Zigbee 3.0 on an EFR32MG24, borders Thread, and has one antenna at +4.5dBi with +20 dBm of transmit power. The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 is the Z-Wave Series 800 controller, a 350 g unit 315 mm tall, with one antenna at +3.38dBi and no Zigbee or Thread. Both are USB and both work with Home Assistant. Only the Sonoff works with Zigbee2MQTT. Choose the Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24 for Zigbee and Thread. Choose the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 for Z-Wave with a large antenna.
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| Feature | Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 | Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $79.00 | $35.90 | Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24 |
| Rating | 4.6 | 4.7 | Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24 |
| Zigbee Router | NO | YES | Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24 |
| Z-Wave Controller | YES | NO | Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 |
| Thread Border Router | NO | YES | Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24 |
| Antenna Gain | +3.38dBi | +4.5dBi | Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24 |
| Warranty | 1 year | 1 year | Tie |
| Power | USB | USB | Tie |
| Connectivity | USB | USB | Tie |
| Matter Bridge | NO | NO | Tie |
| Transmit Power | +20dBm | +20dBm | Tie |
| Dual Network | NO | NO | Tie |
What the differences mean
Z-Wave antenna versus Zigbee stick
The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 controls Z-Wave Series 800 on an EF32ZG23 and nothing else. It measures 125 x 125 x 315 mm and weighs 350 g, with one antenna at +3.38dBi and +20 dBm of transmit power. The Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24 is a long USB stick, 10 x 18 x 214 mm, for Zigbee and Thread. Its weight is not documented, so compare the bodies by the measurements that are.
Thread and Zigbee routing
The Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24 coordinates Zigbee 3.0, routes Zigbee and borders Thread on an EFR32MG24, with +20 dBm of transmit power and a +4.5dBi antenna. The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 does none of those three. Zigbee2MQTT is supported on the Sonoff and is not applicable on the Z-Wave controller.
Home Assistant, USB only
Both work with Home Assistant. Neither has Ethernet, Wi-Fi or PoE, and neither is a Matter bridge or a Bluetooth proxy. Placement is still different: the ZWA-2 is a tall antenna unit, the Sonoff is a stick owners move off the port with an extension cable. Power is USB either way.
Antenna hardware
Both list one external antenna. The Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24 publishes +4.5dBi, and owners say that antenna is fixed. The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 publishes +3.38dBi on a much larger enclosure, which is the range story its owners tell. Transmit power is the same on both, +20 dBm.
Which one to buy if
- the mesh is Zigbee and you may add Thread
The Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24 coordinates and routes Zigbee 3.0 and borders Thread. The ZWA-2 is Z-Wave only.
- you need a Z-Wave 800 controller with a big antenna
The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 is the Series 800 controller, 350 g, with one external antenna. It does not speak Zigbee.
- the stack you run is Zigbee2MQTT or ZHA
The Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24 supports Zigbee2MQTT and Home Assistant. Zigbee2MQTT is not applicable to the Z-Wave-only ZWA-2.
- hard walls have beaten a small Z-Wave stick
ZWA-2 owners describe the large antenna reaching through stucco and glass. The Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24 is not a Z-Wave controller.
- + Z-Wave Controller: YES
- - Price: $79.00 vs $35.90
- - Rating: 4.6 vs 4.7
Winner
- + Price: $35.90
- + Rating: 4.7
- + Zigbee Router: YES
- - Z-Wave Controller: NO vs YES
What owners say
These owners are happy about range and unhappy about different limits. Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 owners single out an antenna that reached devices through stucco and glass where a smaller coordinator had failed, an easy migration, and local Z-Wave JS with no cloud. They are clear that it is Z-Wave only. Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24 owners single out Zigbee that appears in ZHA or Zigbee2MQTT without a flash, the USB extension cable, and Thread after a web-flasher firmware. They complain the antenna cannot be swapped, there is no mounting point, and Hyper-V needs a COM-port workaround. Both accept a USB host. They are not describing one radio with two labels.
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 Plus MG24
Loading price history...
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better overall: Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 or Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24?
The Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24 for Zigbee 3.0 plus a Thread border router. The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 for Z-Wave Series 800 with a large external antenna. A win on one side does not make it the other protocol.
What is the biggest difference between the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 and the Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24?
Protocol and shape. The ZWA-2 is a 350 g, 315 mm tall Z-Wave controller. The Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24 is a Zigbee coordinator and router and a Thread border router on an EFR32MG24, with a +4.5dBi antenna. Its weight is not documented.
Does the Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24 do Z-Wave like the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2?
No. The Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24 is Zigbee and Thread. The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 is Z-Wave Series 800 only. Both work with Home Assistant over USB, and neither has PoE or Ethernet.
Which one is a Thread border router?
The Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24. The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 is not a Thread border router and not a Zigbee coordinator. The Sonoff also routes Zigbee, which the ZWA-2 cannot do.
Who should buy the Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24?
Home Assistant users who want a Zigbee 3.0 coordinator that can also route and border-route Thread, with an external antenna and Zigbee2MQTT support.
Who should buy the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2?
Home Assistant users who need Z-Wave Series 800 coverage from a large antenna, including difficult walls, and who run Zigbee on a different dongle.
Full comparison table
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