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Hubs · Head to head

Sonoff Zigbee Bridge Ultra vs SwitchBot Hub 3

Full Smart Hubs comparison in 2026

Updated September 2026
Data from Amazon and official Sonoff and SwitchBot sites.
2026 verdict
Screen and sensors, or Zigbee? The Sonoff Zigbee Bridge Ultra comes out ahead as the smart home hub, with Zigbee, Ethernet, room for 256 devices and a two year warranty.
Sonoff Zigbee Bridge Ultra
Winner
Sonoff Zigbee Bridge Ultra
$79.04
Buy on Amazon USACheck price
It pairs Sonoff and other brands' Zigbee plugs, sensors and switches and bridges them over Matter to Apple Home, Alexa, Google Home, SmartThings and Home Assistant, typically for less money. The SwitchBot Hub 3 is the better gadget on a desk: a 2.4-inch screen with a dial and four programmable buttons, a learning IR blaster, and temperature, humidity, light and presence sensors, with a Matter bridge for SwitchBot's Bluetooth devices. It has no Zigbee and no Ethernet. Choose the Sonoff Zigbee Bridge Ultra to run a Zigbee network, and the SwitchBot Hub 3 for IR control, room sensing and physical buttons in a SwitchBot home.
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FeatureSonoff Zigbee Bridge UltraSwitchBot Hub 3Winner
Price$79.04$99.99Sonoff Zigbee Bridge Ultra
Rating4.43.9Sonoff Zigbee Bridge Ultra
Warranty2 years1 yearSonoff Zigbee Bridge Ultra
Connectivity2.4 GHz WiFi, Ethernet2.4 GHz WiFiSonoff Zigbee Bridge Ultra
SensorsNoneTemperature, Humidity, Light, MotionSwitchBot Hub 3
ProtocolsZigbee Coordinator, Matter Bridge, Third-Party DevicesBluetooth, Matter Bridge, IRTie
IntegrationsGoogle Home, Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Samsung SmartThings, Home AssistantGoogle Home, Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Samsung SmartThings, Home AssistantTie

What the differences mean

Zigbee or infrared

The Sonoff Zigbee Bridge Ultra is a Zigbee coordinator. The SwitchBot Hub 3 has no Zigbee: it controls IR appliances such as TVs and air conditioners and SwitchBot's own Bluetooth devices.

Built-in sensors

The SwitchBot Hub 3 reads temperature, humidity, light and presence, so it can react to a warm room or someone walking in on its own. The Sonoff Zigbee Bridge Ultra has no sensors and relies on paired Zigbee ones.

Controls on the hub

The SwitchBot Hub 3 has a screen, a rotary dial and four programmable buttons, which is why it is meant to sit on display. The Sonoff Zigbee Bridge Ultra is a small box you tuck next to the router.

Network and capacity

The Sonoff Zigbee Bridge Ultra connects by Ethernet or Wi-Fi and supports up to 256 devices. The SwitchBot Hub 3 is 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi only and supports 30.

Warranty

Sonoff backs the Bridge Ultra for two years; SwitchBot gives the Hub 3 one year.

Which one to buy if

What owners say

Owners of both hubs say they work cleanly with Home Assistant and that their Matter bridge brings the brand's devices into the big platforms. Sonoff Zigbee Bridge Ultra owners single out a far steadier Zigbee network than the older ZB Bridge-P, and complain that some third-party Zigbee devices, Philips Hue bulbs among them, will not pair, that the range claim needs repeaters and that Alexa or Google read some sensor values inconsistently. SwitchBot Hub 3 owners talk about the dial and buttons that let the family run scenes without a phone, the clock display with room readings and an IR blaster that cloned remotes other blasters could not. Their complaints are the price, firmware that can be slow or crash, a screen that is not touch and Apple Home control through Matter and Shortcuts rather than native scenes.

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 Zigbee Bridge Ultra
  • SwitchBot Hub 3

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better overall: Sonoff Zigbee Bridge Ultra or SwitchBot Hub 3?

The Sonoff Zigbee Bridge Ultra, as a hub: Zigbee, Ethernet, 256 devices and a two year warranty, typically for less. The SwitchBot Hub 3 wins on built-in sensors and is the pick for IR control and on-device buttons.

Does the SwitchBot Hub 3 support Zigbee?

No. The SwitchBot Hub 3 uses 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and infrared, with no Zigbee, Thread or Z-Wave. The Sonoff Zigbee Bridge Ultra is the Zigbee hub of the two.

Do the Sonoff Zigbee Bridge Ultra and the SwitchBot Hub 3 work with Apple Home?

Yes. Both are Matter bridges and work with Apple Home, Alexa, Google Home, SmartThings and Home Assistant. SwitchBot Hub 3 owners note that Apple Home control goes through Matter and Shortcuts rather than native scenes.

What is the biggest difference between the Sonoff Zigbee Bridge Ultra and the SwitchBot Hub 3?

The Sonoff Zigbee Bridge Ultra runs a Zigbee network from a box by the router. The SwitchBot Hub 3 is a display hub with IR, room sensors, a dial and buttons for SwitchBot devices.

Who should buy the Sonoff Zigbee Bridge Ultra?

Anyone building a Zigbee setup with Sonoff or other brands' devices who wants a wired, high-capacity hub with a Matter bridge.

Who should buy the SwitchBot Hub 3?

SwitchBot owners who want IR control of air conditioners and TVs, climate and presence automations, and physical controls anyone in the house can use.

Full comparison table

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