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Dongles · Head to head

Sonoff Dongle Max vs Sonoff Dongle-PZG23

Full Smart Dongles comparison in 2026

Updated October 2026
Data from Amazon and official Sonoff site.
2026 verdict
One dongle runs Zigbee and Thread, the other runs Z-Wave, and the Sonoff Dongle Max wins when the network is Zigbee.
Sonoff Dongle Max
Winner
Sonoff Dongle Max
€32.13€38.9918% OFFPrime exclusive deal
Buy on Amazon GermanyCheck price
It can sit on USB, Ethernet or PoE, routes Zigbee, borders Thread and carries two antennas, with dual-network still experimental. The Sonoff Dongle-PZG23 is the dedicated Z-Wave Series 800 controller, with one 2 dBi antenna and +20 dBm of transmit power, and it is the better reviewed of the two. It does not do Zigbee or Thread, and its dimensions and weight are not documented. Choose the Sonoff Dongle Max for a Zigbee coordinator you can place on the network. Choose the Sonoff Dongle-PZG23 for Z-Wave only.
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FeatureSonoff Dongle MaxSonoff Dongle-PZG23Winner
Price€32.13$39.90Sonoff Dongle Max
Rating4.34.6Sonoff Dongle-PZG23
PowerUSB, PoEUSBSonoff Dongle Max
ConnectivityUSB, Ethernet, 2.4 GHz WiFiUSBSonoff Dongle Max
Zigbee RouterYESNOSonoff Dongle Max
Z-Wave ControllerNOYESSonoff Dongle-PZG23
Thread Border RouterYESNOSonoff Dongle Max
Antenna Gain+5dBi+2dBiSonoff Dongle Max
Warranty1 year1 yearTie
Matter BridgeNONOTie
Transmit Power+20dBm+20dBmTie
Dual NetworkNONOTie

What the differences mean

Zigbee network box versus Z-Wave stick

The Sonoff Dongle Max coordinates and routes Zigbee 3.0 on an EFR32MG24 and borders Thread. The Sonoff Dongle-PZG23 controls Z-Wave Series 800 on an EF32ZG23 and is not a Zigbee coordinator. Same brand, opposite radios. A household that runs both protocols still needs both jobs covered, not one dongle pretending to be the other.

How you power and place it

The Sonoff Dongle Max supports USB, Ethernet and PoE, plus 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, so it can leave the server. The Sonoff Dongle-PZG23 is USB only. Dual-network on the Max is experimental. The PZG23 has no second radio to combine with anything.

Antennas

The Sonoff Dongle Max has two external antennas at +5dBi and publishes +20 dBm of transmit power, at 169 x 32.5 x 22 mm and 102 g. The Sonoff Dongle-PZG23 has one antenna at 2 dBi and publishes +20 dBm of transmit power. Its dimensions and weight are not documented, so do not invent a size for it.

Integrations

Both work with Home Assistant. Zigbee2MQTT is supported on the Sonoff Dongle Max. On the Sonoff Dongle-PZG23 it is not applicable, because that stick is not a Zigbee coordinator. Warranties are 1 year on both. Neither is a Matter bridge.

Which one to buy if

What owners say

Sonoff Dongle Max owners praise placement: USB, Ethernet or PoE, range beyond a stick buried on the host, and a calm start in ZHA or Zigbee2MQTT. They complain about a firmware update that needs a physical power cycle, a web portal that asks for login again, and a minority of devices that disconnect, and they treat dual-network as unfinished. Sonoff Dongle-PZG23 owners describe a different first hour: plug in, Home Assistant sees Z-Wave with no flash, and devices stay up, including a lock and older gear. They praise the extension cable and the adjustable antenna. Functional complaints are scarce. What they flag is scope, Z-Wave only, and that some of them have not owned it long enough to judge how it ages.

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.

  • Sonoff Dongle Max
  • Sonoff Dongle-PZG23

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better overall: Sonoff Dongle Max or Sonoff Dongle-PZG23?

The Sonoff Dongle Max when the network is Zigbee or Thread and you want Ethernet or PoE placement. The Sonoff Dongle-PZG23 when the network is Z-Wave Series 800. It is a USB controller with one antenna, and it is not a Zigbee dongle.

What is the biggest difference between the Sonoff Dongle Max and the Sonoff Dongle-PZG23?

Protocol. The Sonoff Dongle Max is a Zigbee 3.0 coordinator and router and a Thread border router, with two antennas and PoE. The Sonoff Dongle-PZG23 is a Z-Wave Series 800 controller on an EF32ZG23, USB only, with one 2 dBi antenna.

Can the Sonoff Dongle-PZG23 run Zigbee the way the Sonoff Dongle Max does?

No. The Sonoff Dongle-PZG23 is Z-Wave only. The Sonoff Dongle Max coordinates and routes Zigbee and borders Thread. Its dual-network mode is experimental, and that still is not a Z-Wave radio.

Do the Sonoff Dongle Max and the Sonoff Dongle-PZG23 both work with Home Assistant?

Yes. Both list Home Assistant. Zigbee2MQTT is for the Sonoff Dongle Max. It is not applicable to the Sonoff Dongle-PZG23, which is a Z-Wave controller rather than a Zigbee coordinator.

Who should buy the Sonoff Dongle Max?

Home Assistant users who want a Zigbee coordinator they can place on Ethernet or PoE, with Zigbee routing and a Thread border router, and who accept that dual-network is experimental.

Who should buy the Sonoff Dongle-PZG23?

Home Assistant or openHAB users who want a dedicated Z-Wave Series 800 stick with an external antenna and no Zigbee or Thread duties mixed in.

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