Winner
Updated October 2026
Data from Amazon and official Smlight and Sonoff sites.
2026 verdict
Treated as a Zigbee coordinator for a whole house, the Smlight SLZB-06 beats the Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24 because it connects over Ethernet, PoE or Wi-Fi as well as USB.
It also acts as a Bluetooth proxy for Home Assistant and carries a +5dBi antenna against +4.5dBi. The Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24 is the more affordable choice and the one owners find better received: a compact USB stick on the newer EFR32MG24 that is truly plug-and-play and cool-running. Both are Zigbee 3.0 coordinators and routers, both can be a Thread border router, and both carry a one-year warranty. Choose the Smlight SLZB-06 when the coordinator has to sit away from the server, and the Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24 when a USB port is in the right place.
vs
Price alerts
Dongle prices change while you decide
We check the price of every Dongle in the catalog daily and email you the drops, whichever one you pick.
No spam. Unsubscribe in one click.
| Feature | Smlight SLZB-06 | Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $72.99 | $35.90 | Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24 |
| Rating | 4.2 | 4.7 | Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24 |
| Power | USB, PoE | USB | Smlight SLZB-06 |
| Connectivity | USB, Ethernet, 2.4 GHz WiFi | USB | Smlight SLZB-06 |
| Antenna Gain | +5dB | +4.5dBi | Smlight SLZB-06 |
| Bluetooth Proxy | YES | NO | Smlight SLZB-06 |
| Zigbee Chip Model | CC2652P | EFR32MG24 | Different strengths |
| Warranty | 1 year | 1 year | Tie |
| Zigbee Router | YES | YES | Tie |
| Z-Wave Controller | NO | NO | Tie |
| Thread Border Router | YES | YES | Tie |
| Matter Bridge | NO | NO | Tie |
What the differences mean
Connection
The Smlight SLZB-06 connects over Ethernet, Wi-Fi or USB and runs on PoE, so it can sit in a hallway or ceiling on one cable. The Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24 is USB only and stays near the host, with an extension cable to move it a little.
Bluetooth proxy
The Smlight SLZB-06 relays Bluetooth sensors to Home Assistant. The Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24 does not.
Chip
The Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24 uses the newer Silicon Labs EFR32MG24; the Smlight SLZB-06 a Texas Instruments CC2652P. Both run as Zigbee coordinator or router and can switch to Thread, so the chip matters less than it looks.
Antenna
Both have +20 dBm of transmit power, with +5dBi on the Smlight SLZB-06 and +4.5dBi on the Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24. That gap is too small to notice; placement matters far more.
Size
The Smlight SLZB-06 is a 160 mm box owners call unsightly, while the Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24 is a slim stick.
Which one to buy if
- the server is in a closet or basement
The Smlight SLZB-06 can move to the centre of the home on an Ethernet cable powered by PoE.
- you want the cheapest good Zigbee coordinator
The Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24 is the more affordable of the two and owners call it truly plug-and-play.
- you want a dedicated Thread radio
Owners of the Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24 describe flashing it for Thread through Sonoff's web flasher as easy.
- you have Bluetooth sensors to bring into Home Assistant
The Smlight SLZB-06 doubles as a Bluetooth proxy.
Winner
- + Power: USB, PoE
- + Connectivity: USB, Ethernet, 2.4 GHz WiFi
- + Antenna Gain: +5dB
- - Price: $72.99 vs $35.90
- - Rating: 4.2 vs 4.7
- + Price: $35.90
- + Rating: 4.7
- - Power: USB vs USB, PoE
- - Connectivity: USB vs USB, Ethernet, 2.4 GHz WiFi
What owners say
Owners of the Smlight SLZB-06 and the Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24 both report stable Zigbee networks of dozens of devices in Home Assistant, with ZHA or Zigbee2MQTT. Smlight SLZB-06 owners single out placement: on Ethernet and PoE it moves to the centre of the house, which several say fixed a flaky mesh. They complain that it is large and a bit unsightly, and a minority needed to power-cycle it often. Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24 owners praise a compact, cool-running stick that is recognised instantly, an extension cable in the box and an easy web flasher when they dedicate it to Thread. Their gripes are small: the antenna is fixed and cannot be swapped, there is no mounting point and Hyper-V needs a workaround.
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.
- Smlight SLZB-06
- Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24
Loading price history...
Frequently Asked Questions
Smlight vs Sonoff: is the Smlight SLZB-06 better than the Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24?
For placement and extras, yes: the Smlight SLZB-06 adds Ethernet, PoE, Wi-Fi and a Bluetooth proxy. The Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24 is the simpler, more affordable USB stick on a newer chip.
Which is cheaper, the Smlight SLZB-06 or the Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24?
The Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24 is the more affordable one, as a plain USB stick. The Smlight SLZB-06 costs more for its Ethernet, PoE and Wi-Fi connectivity.
What is the biggest difference between the Smlight SLZB-06 and the Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24?
Where the coordinator can go. The Smlight SLZB-06 can sit anywhere on your network over Ethernet or PoE, while the Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24 has to plug into the Home Assistant host over USB.
Can both be used as a Thread border router?
Yes. The Smlight SLZB-06 and the Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24 can both act as a Thread border router, but neither runs Zigbee and Thread at the same time.
Who should buy the Smlight SLZB-06?
Home Assistant users with a badly placed server or a PoE switch, who want a central Zigbee coordinator and a Bluetooth proxy.
Who should buy the Sonoff Dongle Plus MG24?
Anyone who wants a compact, plug-and-play Zigbee or Thread stick for a well-placed Home Assistant host, at a lower cost.
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- Sonoff
Dongle Plus MG24
$35.90 
Nabu CasaHome 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
AeotecZ-Stick 7
$39.99
DonglesSmlightSLZB-06 MG24
4.5(6)$82.99
DonglesSmlightSLZB-06 MG26
3.4(7)$84.99- DonglesSmlight
SLZB-06 U
5.0(5)$72.99 - DonglesSmlight
SLZB-06
4.2(182)$72.99 - DonglesSmlight
SLZB-06M
4.6(111)$72.99 
DonglesSmlightSLZB-06P10
4.4(11)$85.99
DonglesSmlightSLZB-06p7
4.4(11)$79.99- DonglesSmlight
SLZB-06p7U
4.6(33)$78.99 
DonglesSmlightSLZB-07 MG24
3.3(5)$45.99
DonglesSmlightSLZB-07 MG26
4.5(86)- DonglesSmlight
SLZB-07
4.9(20)$34.99 
DonglesSmlightSLZB-07P10
3.0(1)$48.99- DonglesSmlight
SLZB-07p7
4.8(8)$36.99 
DonglesSmlightSLZB-MR1
4.4(11)$103.99- DonglesSmlight
SLZB-MR1U
4.8(16)$102.99 - DonglesSmlight
SLZB-MR2
4.6(8)€111.97 - DonglesSmlight
SLZB-MR3
5.0(1)€158.13 
DonglesSmlightSLZB-MR4
4.0(5)$130.00- DonglesSmlight
SLZB-MR5U
5.0(1)$119.99 - DonglesSmlight
SLZB-MRW10
5.0(11)$100.00
Air Quality MonitorsSonoffSAWF-07P Air Quality Monitor
3.7(193)$39.90
Air Quality MonitorsSonoffSAWF-08P Air Quality Monitor
4.3(169)$49.90
CamerasSonoffCAM GlassView
4.4(30)$34.90
CamerasSonoffCam Outdoor DUO
$79.90
CamerasSonoffCam Slim Gen2
4.4(176)$19.90
CamerasSonoffGK-200MP2-B
4.0(149)30% OFF$9.99$6.99
DisplaysSonoffNSPanel Pro Gen2
3.4(11)€149.90
DisplaysSonoffNSPanel Pro
4.1(75)$129.90- DonglesSonoff
Dongle Lite MG21
4.5(452)$24.90 
DonglesSonoffDongle Max
4.3(603)18% OFF€38.99€32.13- DonglesSonoff
Dongle Plus MG24
4.7(690)$35.90 - DonglesSonoff
Dongle Plus PP10
4.6(99)$35.90 - DonglesSonoff
Dongle-PZG23
4.6(175)$39.90 
DonglesSonoffZ-Wave 800 PoE Dongle Max
4.5(26)$44.90- DonglesSonoff
ZBDongle-E
4.7(3,743)$24.90 - DonglesSonoff
ZBDongle-P
4.6(5,678)16% OFF$39.99$33.45 
Door & Window SensorsSonoffDW2-WIFI
3.8(1,057)$12.23
Door & Window SensorsSonoffSNZB-04 ZigBee Wireless Door/Window Sensor
3.7(101)$17.99
Door & Window SensorsSonoffSNZB-04P ZigBee Door/Window Sensor
4.0(13)$18.99
Door & Window SensorsSonoffSenseGuard DW Gen2
4.4(203)£35.00