Zigbee vs Matter vs Z-Wave
A clear, neutral guide to the three main smart home standards, and how to choose between them.
If you're building a smart home, you'll quickly run into three names: Zigbee, Z-Wave and Matter. They're often presented as rivals, but they don't all play the same role, and that's the first thing to get straight.
This guide explains what each one really is, how they compare, and which to choose, in plain language and without taking sides.
First, the key thing most articles get wrong
Zigbee and Z-Wave are wireless protocols: they define the radio that carries the signal between your devices. Matter is different. It is not a radio protocol, but an interoperability standard that runs on top of other networks, either Wi-Fi or Thread.
Thread is the part that's actually comparable to Zigbee and Z-Wave: it's a low-power wireless mesh radio. So the real-world picture is "Zigbee vs Z-Wave vs Thread" at the radio level, with Matter sitting on top to make devices from different brands and ecosystems talk to each other.
Keep that in mind as you read: when people say "Matter device", they usually mean a Matter-over-Thread or Matter-over-Wi-Fi device.
Quick comparison
| Zigbee | Z-Wave | Matter | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Wireless protocol (mesh) | Wireless protocol (mesh) | Interoperability standard over Wi-Fi & Thread |
| Radio frequency | 2.4 GHz | Sub-GHz (868 MHz EU / 908 MHz US) | Wi-Fi (2.4/5 GHz) or Thread (2.4 GHz) |
| Network topology | Mesh | Mesh | Mesh (over Thread) or star (over Wi-Fi) |
| Interoperability | Good, best through open hubs | Strong, thanks to strict certification | Cross-ecosystem by design |
| Device choice | Huge and very affordable | Narrower and pricier | Growing fast, newer |
| Local control | Yes | Yes | Yes, local by design |
| Wi-Fi interference | Possible (shares 2.4 GHz) | Low (sub-GHz) | Thread shares 2.4 GHz; Wi-Fi uses Wi-Fi |
| Backed by | Connectivity Standards Alliance | Z-Wave Alliance / Silicon Labs | CSA (Apple, Google, Amazon, Samsung…) |
| Licensing | Open, very open via Zigbee2MQTT | Proprietary for years, opened ~2020 | Open standard with a public SDK |
| Maturity | Mature | Mature but aging | New (since 2022), maturing |
| Outlook | Thriving | Declining for new devices | Fastest-growing |
| Needs | A USB coordinator | A USB controller | A Thread border router and/or Matter controller |
Zigbee
The popular, affordable mesh. Zigbee is a low-power wireless mesh protocol on the 2.4 GHz band. Mains-powered devices relay messages for battery ones, so the network gets stronger as you add devices. It powers a huge, affordable ecosystem (Aqara, IKEA, Sonoff, Philips Hue and many more), and it's still thriving. Along with Matter-over-Thread, it's one of the two protocols worth betting on today.
- A massive choice of inexpensive devices.
- Self-healing mesh that extends as you add mains-powered devices.
- Fully local, and very open through projects like Zigbee2MQTT.
- 2.4 GHz can clash with Wi-Fi and other wireless gear.
- Cross-brand behavior can be hit-or-miss on closed hubs (open hubs solve most of it).
- You need a coordinator (a USB dongle).
Z-Wave
The aging, certified veteran. Z-Wave is the veteran of the three: a low-power wireless mesh protocol on sub-GHz frequencies (868 MHz in Europe, 908 MHz in the US). Strict certification earned it a reputation for reliable cross-brand behavior, and it has a large installed base. But it's also the aging option, it was proprietary for most of its life and only opened up as a ratified standard around 2020, its devices are pricier, and many manufacturers are now shifting new products to Matter and Thread.
- Strict certification gives reliable cross-brand behavior.
- Sub-GHz radio means less Wi-Fi interference and good wall penetration.
- A large installed base, especially in professionally installed systems.
- Fewer devices and noticeably pricier than Zigbee, with a new-device catalog that's shrinking as makers move to Matter and Thread, especially in Europe.
- Proprietary for most of its history; it only opened up as a ratified standard around 2020.
- Region-locked frequencies (EU and US devices aren't interchangeable), a classic network caps at ~232 devices, and it has a reputation for being fiddly to integrate.
Matter & Thread
The interoperability standard. Matter is the newest of the three, and it's different: it isn't a radio protocol, but an application standard that runs over Wi-Fi or over Thread, a low-power mesh radio comparable to Zigbee and Z-Wave. Backed by Apple, Google, Amazon and Samsung, its goal is for one device to work across every major ecosystem. Together with Zigbee, Matter-over-Thread is widely seen as the future of the smart home.
- Cross-ecosystem by design: one device can work with Apple Home, Google Home, Alexa and more.
- Local control is part of the standard.
- Strong industry backing, so it's where the market is heading.
- Still young (launched late 2022): features and device support are maturing.
- Matter-over-Thread needs a Thread border router; setups can be confusing at first.
- Some early devices and bridges expose only basic features.
So which one should you choose?
For a brand-new smart home today, the two to bet on are Zigbee and Matter-over-Thread. Here's the quick guidance:
You want the widest, cheapest choice of devices and a big local mesh right now. It's the safe, proven pick today, ideally with an open hub for the best interoperability.
You want future-proof, cross-ecosystem devices and care about backing the standard the whole industry is rallying behind. It's where the market is heading.
You already have a Z-Wave setup, or specifically need its certified sub-GHz devices, knowing it's the legacy option, with a pricier and shrinking catalog.
Good news: with Gladys, you don't have to choose
These standards aren't mutually exclusive. A good local hub speaks several of them at once, so you can pick the best device for each need instead of betting everything on a single technology.
Gladys Assistant supports Zigbee (through Zigbee2MQTT), Matter and Thread, and Z-Wave (through Z-Wave JS), plus MQTT for everything else. They all live side by side in one clean interface, fully local, with no lock-in.
Go further
Set up each standard in Gladys, or step back and see the bigger picture:
Add Zigbee devices to Gladys through Zigbee2MQTT.
Pair Matter and Thread devices directly in Gladys.
Bring your Z-Wave network into Gladys through Z-Wave JS.
The bigger picture: a private, local smart home built on open standards.
Frequently asked questions
Is Matter a replacement for Zigbee and Z-Wave?
Not exactly. Matter is an interoperability standard, not a radio protocol. It runs over Wi-Fi or over Thread, a low-power mesh radio comparable to Zigbee and Z-Wave. Matter aims to unify ecosystems, but Zigbee and Z-Wave remain widely used and supported, and many hubs run all of them side by side.
What's the difference between Matter and Thread?
Thread is the low-power wireless mesh radio (like Zigbee or Z-Wave). Matter is the application layer that defines how devices talk, and it can run on top of Thread or Wi-Fi. "Matter over Thread" simply means Thread carries the signal while Matter defines the language.
Zigbee vs Z-Wave: which is better?
For a new setup, Zigbee usually makes more sense today: a far larger, cheaper and still-growing catalog on the 2.4 GHz band. Z-Wave remains reliable on sub-GHz frequencies with less Wi-Fi interference and strict certification, but its devices are pricier and its new-device range is shrinking as makers shift to Matter and Thread. Both are local, mesh-based protocols.
Do Zigbee, Z-Wave and Matter work without the cloud?
Yes, all three support local control. With a local hub like Gladys Assistant, your devices run on your own network and keep working without depending on a manufacturer's cloud.
Which protocol has the most devices?
Zigbee has the largest and most affordable catalog today. Matter's catalog is growing quickly thanks to strong industry backing, while Z-Wave's is smaller but strong on reliability.
Can I mix Zigbee, Z-Wave and Matter in one smart home?
Yes. A hub like Gladys Assistant supports Zigbee, Matter, Thread and Z-Wave at the same time, so you can mix devices from all of them freely in a single, local interface.
Build your smart home on open standards
Gladys is free, open-source and local-first, and it speaks Zigbee, Matter, Thread and Z-Wave, so you're never locked into one technology.