Updated October 2026
Data from Amazon and official Nabu Casa and Sonoff sites.
2026 verdict
In the plain USB coordinator category, the Sonoff ZBDongle-P comes out ahead of the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 on cost, a two-year warranty and its Zigbee router mode.
The catch is that they speak different languages: the Sonoff ZBDongle-P is a Zigbee 3.0 coordinator on a Texas Instruments CC2652P, and the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 a Z-Wave Series 800 controller with a stronger +3.38dBi antenna. Owners of the Nabu Casa adapter rate it very highly for range that reaches devices other coordinators lost; Sonoff ZBDongle-P owners treat theirs as the reference Zigbee stick. Buy the one that matches your devices: the Sonoff ZBDongle-P for Zigbee, the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 for Z-Wave, or both for a mixed home.
vs
Winner
16% OFF
$33.45
$39.99
11% above its lowest price of the last 6 months ($30.26)
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| Feature | Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 | Sonoff ZBDongle-P | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $79.00 | $33.45 | Sonoff ZBDongle-P |
| Warranty | 1 year | 2 years | Sonoff ZBDongle-P |
| Zigbee Router | NO | YES | Sonoff ZBDongle-P |
| Z-Wave Controller | YES | NO | Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 |
| Antenna Gain | +3.38dBi | +2dBi | Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 |
| Rating | 4.6 | 4.6 | Tie |
| Power | USB | USB | Tie |
| Connectivity | USB | USB | Tie |
| Thread Border Router | NO | NO | Tie |
| Matter Bridge | NO | NO | Tie |
| Transmit Power | +20dBm | +20dBm | Tie |
| Dual Network | NO | NO | Tie |
What the differences mean
Protocol
The Sonoff ZBDongle-P coordinates Zigbee devices; the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 controls Z-Wave devices. One cannot stand in for the other.
Antenna
Both have +20 dBm of transmit power. The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 has a +3.38dBi antenna against 2 dBi on the Sonoff ZBDongle-P, and its owners single out range as its best trait.
Official hardware
The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 is made by the company behind Home Assistant and set up from inside it. The Sonoff ZBDongle-P also works with Zigbee2MQTT, beyond Home Assistant's own ZHA.
Warranty
Sonoff covers the Sonoff ZBDongle-P for two years, Nabu Casa covers the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 for one.
Which one to buy if
- your devices are Zigbee
The Sonoff ZBDongle-P is the Zigbee coordinator here, and the more affordable of the two.
- your locks and switches are Z-Wave
Only the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 controls Z-Wave, with range owners call outstanding.
- you want to drop a Philips Hue or IKEA bridge
Owners run Hue and IKEA devices directly on the Sonoff ZBDongle-P in Home Assistant.
- you run Zigbee2MQTT
The Sonoff ZBDongle-P is supported by Zigbee2MQTT; the Nabu Casa adapter is Z-Wave only.
- + Z-Wave Controller: YES
- + Antenna Gain: +3.38dBi
- - Price: $79.00 vs $33.45
- - Warranty: 1 year vs 2 years
Winner
16% OFF
$33.45
$39.99
- + Price: $33.45
- + Warranty: 2 years
- + Zigbee Router: YES
- - Z-Wave Controller: NO vs YES
- - Antenna Gain: +2dBi vs +3.38dBi
What owners say
Both groups talk about reliable, local control in Home Assistant and quick migrations from an older stick. Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 owners single out range, with most Z-Wave sensors now reaching the adapter directly and devices behind stucco or glass finally staying connected, and they like that Home Assistant offers to set it up on insertion. Their complaints are few: it is Z-Wave only and costs more than generic sticks. Sonoff ZBDongle-P owners focus on broad compatibility across HAOS, Docker, Proxmox and NAS hosts and on snappy control, some finding it smoother than a ConBee II. They complain that its aluminium case is bulky, that VM passthrough can need troubleshooting and that the optional flashing instructions are rough.
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 ZBDongle-P
Loading price history...
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better: Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 or Sonoff ZBDongle-P?
The Sonoff ZBDongle-P scores higher overall on cost, warranty and its router mode, but it is a Zigbee stick. For Z-Wave devices, the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 is the only choice of the two.
What is the biggest difference between the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 and the Sonoff ZBDongle-P?
The protocol: the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 is a Z-Wave 800 controller and the Sonoff ZBDongle-P is a Zigbee 3.0 coordinator.
Can I use both in Home Assistant at once?
Yes. Home Assistant can run Zigbee on the Sonoff ZBDongle-P and Z-Wave on the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 side by side.
Do either of them support Thread?
No. Neither the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 nor the Sonoff ZBDongle-P is a Thread border router.
Who should buy the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2?
Home Assistant users with Z-Wave devices who struggle with range and want official, fully local hardware.
Who should buy the Sonoff ZBDongle-P?
Zigbee users who want the community's reference coordinator, with Zigbee2MQTT support and a two-year warranty.
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