ZWave vs Zigbee: Who wins the duel? These 2 home automation technologies are powerful for creating your smart home, but if you want to unify your installation, you’ll have to decide between one or the other… or maybe you want to combine the 2.
Comparison of ZWave vs Zigbee
| ZIGBEE | Z-Wave | |
|---|---|---|
| Frecuency | 2.4 GHz | 868 MHz (Europe) |
| Communication range | ⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Secure communications | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Mesh network | ✅ | ✅ |
| Device prices | € | €€ |
| Number of devices for sale | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ |
| Adjustable parameters | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Low energy consumption | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| State feedback | ✅ | ✅ |
| Direct Association | ⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Compatibility between devices | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Use of the device without a hub | ⭐ | ⭐⭐ |
| Ease of developer integration | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Advantages and disadvantages of ZWave technology
Advantages
- No saturation of your WIFI network: Like Zigbee, Z-Wave home automation technology works with a network that is independent of your WIFI network, so it doesn’t slow down your Internet connection.
- Low energy consumption: As Z-Wave technology has improved over time, with versions 100, 300, 500, 700 and now Z-Wave 800, we get better and better performance in terms of energy consumption.
- Mesh networking: If you want to improve the communication range of your devices in your home, you can use devices with Z-Wave home automation technology that are electrically connected to the mains and will repeat the signal.
- Direct associations: Z-Wave is very powerful when it comes to using direct associations between devices, with more advanced features than Zigbee, since you can associate motion sensors, door sensors, controls, switches and much more with actuators such as light bulbs, light modules, shutter modules, sockets and much more.
- Device compatibility: Z-Wave stands out for being a technology with excellent device compatibility, being much more efficient than Zigbee in this respect.
- Parameters: If you use Z-Wave devices, you generally have access to a wide variety of parameters to customise the use of your devices, which gives you the greatest flexibility.
Disadvantages
- Need for a Z-Wave hub: To use a Z-Wave device, you need to purchase a Z-Wave compatible home automation hub.
- Variety of devices on the market: Although you can control various aspects of your home with Z-Wave home automation technology, it is not the technology that offers the greatest variety of devices.
- Price of devices: If we compare Z-Wave home automation technology with Zigbee home automation technology, the price of Z-Wave devices is often a disadvantage for users looking to reduce the cost of their installation.
Advantages and disadvantages of Zigbee technology
Advantages
- No saturation of your WIFI network: The Zigbee network is independent of your WIFI network, which is very interesting if you don’t want to slow down your Internet connection.
- Low energy consumption: Zigbee is appreciated for its low energy consumption, and it is possible to use sensors with batteries that last several years. There are even devices that work without batteries and cables thanks to the Green Power function, i.e. they recover energy from the environment (solar panel, piezoelectric effect, etc.).
- Local use: Even if the Internet fails, your Zigbee devices will still work, of course, if you use a Zigbee hub that doesn’t need the Internet to work, such as Home Assistant or Jeedom.
- Direct associations: You can use a Zigbee controller with a Zigbee lamp, a Zigbee plug or any other device to switch it on/off, dim the lights or use colours thanks to the Binding or Touchlink mode.
- Compatibility between devices: By being able to join the same Zigbee hub, your devices can communicate with each other on the same network and you can also create scenes for them to act according to defined criteria.
Disadvantages
- Youneed a Zigbee hub: if you want to use a Zigbee device, you need to buy a compatible Zigbee hub.
- Variety of devices on sale: Being a niche market, there is still a lack of Zigbee device profiles that exist in WIFI (e.g. Zigbee rain gauge, Zigbee anemometer, etc.).
- Some incompatibilities: Before every purchase of a Zigbee device, it is necessary to check that it is compatible with your Zigbee hub. It’s a common mistake for users to think that just because they buy a Zigbee hub, they can use any Zigbee device. You should always check compatibility. For example, if you use a Tuya hub, 99% of your Zigbee devices must belong to the Tuya ecosystem. If you use Home Assistant or Jeedom, then 99% of Zigbee devices on the market are compatible thanks to Zigbee2MQTT (you can check Zigbee compatibility with Zigbee2MQTT before making any purchase).
ZWave vs Zigbee: Which should you choose?
As you can see from the ZWave vs Zigbee comparison, both Z-Wave and Zigbee have their advantages and disadvantages, so I personally can’t recommend either of them. Each user has different needs, so you’ll have to assess what’s right for you.
If you’re looking for the cheapest, Zigbee will undoubtedly be your best ally, although there are Z-Wave brands such as Zooz or Neo that have smart devices at affordable prices, even so, Zigbee is still the most economical.
If you’re looking for a variety of devices, once again, Zigbee beats Z-Wave by far. What’s more, Zigbee uses the worldwide frequency of 2.4 GHz (just like WIFI or Bluetooth), so you can buy Zigbee devices without worrying about where they come from, whereas Z-Wave, by using different frequencies in each area of the world, further limits the purchase of devices. For example, if an American company designs devices exclusively with an American frequency, it won’t be able to use them in Europe unless it also uses a Z-Wave hub with the same American frequency, but it is forbidden to use frequencies other than those indicated by the regulations.
If you’re looking for the best reliability for your home, Z-Wave is often recommended by home automation professionals, as it generally creates fewer problems in the long term. Zigbee tends to be more problematic in terms of technical failures.
Here’s the main thing you need to know between ZWave and Zigbee.