Sonoff Dongle Max vs Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick

The Sonoff Dongle Max is the more capable device, with Zigbee, Thread, and USB, Ethernet or PoE connectivity. The Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick is the pick if your smart home is Z-Wave, offering a plug-and-play Z-Wave 800 Long Range controller with S2 security, a high rating and a 5-year warranty.

Protocol. The Dongle Max is a Zigbee and Thread radio (over USB, Ethernet or PoE), while the Zooz is a Z-Wave 800 controller over USB. They cover different device ecosystems, so what you already own decides the winner.

The Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick has a 5-year warranty, well ahead of the 1-year warranty on the Sonoff Dongle Max. Both plug into a host running Home Assistant, though the Dongle Max can also connect over Ethernet or PoE.

Buy the Sonoff Dongle Max if you want a flexible Zigbee coordinator and Thread border router you can place away from the host over Ethernet or PoE to cover distant rooms. It has no Z-Wave.

Buy the Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick if your smart home runs on Z-Wave and you want a plug-and-play Z-Wave 800 Long Range controller with S2 security, a high owner rating and a 5-year warranty. It does no Zigbee or Thread and is indoor-only.