Winner
Updated October 2026
Data from Amazon and official Smlight and Sonoff sites.
2026 verdict
These two take opposite approaches to Zigbee: the Sonoff Dongle Lite MG21 is the budget USB stick, while the Smlight SLZB-MRW10 is a multi-radio network gateway, and the Smlight SLZB-MRW10 wins the comparison.
It adds a Z-Wave Series 800 controller and a Bluetooth proxy on top of Zigbee and Thread, and it connects over Ethernet with PoE, USB or Wi-Fi, where the Sonoff is USB-only. Both put +20 dBm of transmit power behind the Zigbee radio and both work with Home Assistant, and the Sonoff is by far the cheaper way to start. Choose the Smlight SLZB-MRW10 for a home that needs Zigbee, Thread and Z-Wave in one network-placed box, and the Sonoff Dongle Lite MG21 for a cheap first coordinator or router.
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| Feature | Smlight SLZB-MRW10 | Sonoff Dongle Lite MG21 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $100.00 | $24.90 | Sonoff Dongle Lite MG21 |
| Rating | 5.0 | 4.5 | Smlight SLZB-MRW10 |
| Power | USB, PoE | USB | Smlight SLZB-MRW10 |
| Connectivity | USB, Ethernet, 2.4 GHz WiFi | USB | Smlight SLZB-MRW10 |
| Z-Wave Controller | YES | NO | Smlight SLZB-MRW10 |
| Antenna Gain | +5dB | +2dBi | Smlight SLZB-MRW10 |
| Dual Network | YES | NO | Smlight SLZB-MRW10 |
| Bluetooth Proxy | YES | NO | Smlight SLZB-MRW10 |
| Zigbee Chip Model | CC2652P10 | EFR32MG21 | Different strengths |
| Warranty | 1 year | 1 year | Tie |
| Zigbee Router | YES | YES | Tie |
| Thread Border Router | YES | YES | Tie |
What the differences mean
Radios
The Smlight SLZB-MRW10 packs Zigbee, Thread and a Z-Wave Series 800 controller plus a Bluetooth proxy. The Sonoff Dongle Lite MG21 has one Zigbee and Thread radio, so Z-Wave or Bluetooth sensors need another device.
Placement
The Smlight SLZB-MRW10 connects over Ethernet with PoE, USB or Wi-Fi and can be mounted centrally. The Sonoff Dongle Lite MG21 is a USB stick that stays with the host, though its extension cable helps with interference.
Z-Wave
Only the Smlight SLZB-MRW10 has a Z-Wave Series 800 controller. The Sonoff Dongle Lite MG21 does not, so a Z-Wave home must run a second dongle beside it.
Dual network
The Smlight SLZB-MRW10 runs Zigbee and Thread at the same time with a dedicated radio for each. The Sonoff Dongle Lite MG21 works as one or the other, so it cannot serve both protocols at once.
Price
The Sonoff Dongle Lite MG21 is the budget option by a wide margin, which is its appeal as a first coordinator or a cheap router. The Smlight SLZB-MRW10 costs much more and only earns that if you use the extra radios and the network placement.
Which one to buy if
- your home runs Zigbee, Thread and Z-Wave
The Smlight SLZB-MRW10 covers all three plus Bluetooth in one network-placed gateway, where the Sonoff covers only Zigbee and Thread.
- you want the cheapest way into Zigbee
The Sonoff Dongle Lite MG21 is far cheaper, nearly plug-and-play and comes with the extension cable owners rely on.
- the coordinator needs to move away from the server
Ethernet with PoE lets the Smlight SLZB-MRW10 sit where the mesh needs it, which the USB-only Sonoff cannot.
- you want several radios to extend the network
The Sonoff Dongle Lite MG21 works as a Zigbee router, and its low price makes a handful of them practical.
Winner
$100.00
- + Rating: 5.0
- + Power: USB, PoE
- + Connectivity: USB, Ethernet, 2.4 GHz WiFi
- - Price: $100.00 vs $24.90
- + Price: $24.90
- - Rating: 4.5 vs 5.0
- - Power: USB vs USB, PoE
What owners say
Sonoff Dongle Lite MG21 owners frame it as an easy, low-cost way into a local smart home. It is nearly plug-and-play with Home Assistant through Zigbee2MQTT or ZHA, the EFR32MG21 chip is widely supported and stable, and owners run dozens of devices through walls and to the edge of the yard. They like the versatility of using it as a coordinator, a router, or a Thread radio after flashing, and the bundled USB extension cable comes up again and again for moving the stick away from noisy USB 3 ports. The warnings are about Thread and firmware: it ships for Zigbee and flashing it for Matter over Thread takes effort, and a firmware update once broke OpenHAB support for one owner.
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-MRW10
- Sonoff Dongle Lite MG21
Loading price history...
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better overall: Smlight SLZB-MRW10 or Sonoff Dongle Lite MG21?
The Smlight SLZB-MRW10 is the far more capable gateway, covering Zigbee, Thread and Z-Wave with a Bluetooth proxy and Ethernet placement. The Sonoff Dongle Lite MG21 is the excellent budget pick for Zigbee alone, far cheaper and near plug-and-play.
What is the biggest difference between the Smlight SLZB-MRW10 and the Sonoff Dongle Lite MG21?
What each one covers. The Smlight SLZB-MRW10 handles Zigbee, Thread and Z-Wave in one network-connected box, while the Sonoff Dongle Lite MG21 is a USB Zigbee and Thread stick. If Z-Wave is not in your plans, the Sonoff does the Zigbee job for far less.
Does the Smlight SLZB-MRW10 support Z-Wave and Thread?
Yes. The Smlight SLZB-MRW10 carries a Z-Wave Series 800 controller and Zigbee and Thread radios, and it runs Zigbee and Thread at the same time. The Sonoff Dongle Lite MG21 has no Z-Wave and runs Zigbee or Thread one at a time.
Can the Sonoff Dongle Lite MG21 be used as a router?
Yes. Despite the Lite name it can run as a Zigbee coordinator or a router, and owners use several units to extend coverage across a home and yard. It also includes a USB extension cable to keep the antenna clear of interference.
Who should buy the Smlight SLZB-MRW10?
A home with Zigbee, Thread and Z-Wave devices that wants one network-placed coordinator, a Bluetooth proxy and the ability to run Zigbee and Thread together.
Who should buy the Sonoff Dongle Lite MG21?
Anyone starting a local Zigbee smart home on a tight budget, or adding cheap Zigbee routers, who does not need Z-Wave, Ethernet placement or simultaneous Zigbee and Thread.
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
- Smlight
SLZB-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
SonoffDongle Plus MG24
$35.90
Nabu CasaHome Assistant Connect ZBT-2
$65.00
SonoffZBDongle-P
16% OFF$39.99$33.47
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- Sonoff
Dongle 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 
DonglesSmlightSLZB-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$33.47 
Door & Window SensorsSonoffDW2-WIFI
3.8(1,058)$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