Guides
Zigbee or Wi-Fi for your smart home
Smart sensors and lights can work via wifi, Zigbee or newer standards like Matter and Thread. Which one is right for you? Below are the differences, followed by simple advice.
In brief: Zigbee and wifi
| Zigbee | Wifi | |
|---|---|---|
| Power consumption | Very low: batteries often last a long time | Higher: usually on mains power |
| What do you need? | A Zigbee stick or hub | Only your existing wifi |
| Range | Mesh: devices on mains power relay the signal | Depends on your wifi coverage |
| Number of devices | Dozens to hundreds is common | Many devices can strain your router |
| Local control | Yes, without cloud | Depends on the brand; some require a cloud |
| Interference | Can interfere with wifi on 2.4 GHz; choose channels carefully | Shares the busy 2.4 GHz band with many other devices |
Choose Zigbee for…
- battery-powered sensors: motion, door and window contacts, temperature, buttons;
- many lights and plugs, where you want a stable, local system;
- a smart home that continues to work even without internet.
See Zigbee in Home Assistant and use the wifi channel selector to prevent interference.
Choose wifi for…
- devices that transmit a lot of data, like cameras, and devices with their own app;
- a few standalone devices, where you don’t want to buy an extra stick;
- self-built ESP32 projects (see ESPHome).
Keep your network in mind: many wifi devices on one network can strain it. A separate network for your devices helps with security.
And Matter, Thread and Z-Wave?
- Matter is a new standard that allows devices from different brands to work together. It runs over wifi or over Thread.
- Thread is a low-power network with a mesh, comparable to Zigbee, that Matter devices can use. You need a Thread router for it (many newer devices have one).
- Z-Wave operates on a different frequency (not on 2.4 GHz) and therefore has less interference from wifi, but is more expensive and less widespread.
The range and support are changing rapidly. When buying, check whether the device works with your hub or Home Assistant.
Our advice
- Start with Zigbee for sensors, lights and plugs if you’re running Home Assistant.
- Use wifi for cameras and your own ESP32 projects.
- When looking at new devices, check if they support Matter; that makes it easier to switch systems later.