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Do Sonoff Zigbee devices work with Home Assistant?
The short answer is yes… Sonoff Zigbee devices can be connected directly to Home Assistant.
Home Assistant supports Zigbee devices through platforms such as ZHA (Zigbee Home Automation) and Zigbee2MQTT, making Sonoff a very popular option for anyone building an open and locally controlled smart home. Home Assistant’s ZHA integration is specifically designed to connect compatible Zigbee devices directly to Home Assistant through a Zigbee coordinator.
But there are a few things you need to know before getting started…
What do you need to connect Sonoff Zigbee devices to Home Assistant?
Unlike Wi-Fi devices, Zigbee sensors, switches and relays do not connect directly to your home Wi-Fi.
Instead, they connect to a small device called a Zigbee coordinator.
You can think of the coordinator as the bridge between Home Assistant and your Zigbee devices.
The coordinator connects to your Home Assistant system, and then your Zigbee sensors, switches and relays connect to the coordinator.
Zigbee Coordinators
Sonoff Zigbee/Matter over Thread USB Dongle
The new and improved SONOFF Dongle-Plus-MG24 is a compact Zigbee and Matter over Thread USB dongle that works as a reliable coordinator for Home Assistant, Zigbee2MQTT, openHAB and other open smart home platforms. Powered by the upgraded EFR32MG24 chip and supporting local control, it is an easy way to build or expand a flexible Zigbee or Matter-over-Thread smart home setup.
Sonoff Zigbee/Matter over Thread Max Dongle
The SONOFF Dongle-M is a high-performance Zigbee or Matter over Thread PoE gateway designed to provide flexible, reliable smart home connectivity for Home Assistant, Zigbee2MQTT and other open platforms. With Ethernet, Wi-Fi and USB connection options, dual antennas and support for local control, it is ideal for expanding Zigbee coverage and building Matter-over-Thread capable systems.
Aeotec Zigbee & Thread USB Zi-Stick
The Aeotec Zi-Stick (Zigbee) allows you to create your own smart home automation gateway using Zigbee 3.0 technology. It seamlessly integrates with popular home automation software solutions like Home Assistant, openHab or Zigbee2MQTT, and can connect to any Zigbee 3.0 device. Host platforms like Raspberry Pi, Orange Pi, BeagleBone, PC’s or Laptops can be transformed into universal Zigbee gateways connecting Zi-Stick to the USB interface.
Home Assistant ZBT-2 Connect Zigbee / Thread Adapter
The ultimate way to connect Zigbee or Thread devices to Home Assistant. Fully certified and approved for Australia and New Zealand. The antenna and base are precisely tuned to the ideal Zigbee & Thread wavelength, working in harmony to improve reliability and maximise range. Easy plug-and-play setup with Home Assistant via its USB adapter.
So the setup is basically:
Home Assistant > Zigbee Coordinator > Zigbee Devices
Once the coordinator is connected, Home Assistant can find, control and receive information from compatible Zigbee devices around your home.
After selecting and setting up your Zigbee coordinator with Home Assistant, there is another import decision you will need to make…
ZHA vs Zigbee2MQTT
There are two common ways to connect Zigbee devices to Home Assistant: ZHA (Zigbee Home Automation) and Zigbee2MQTT.
Both options allow Home Assistant to communicate with Zigbee devices through a compatible Zigbee coordinator, but they manage the Zigbee network in slightly different ways.
ZHA is built directly into Home Assistant and is generally the simpler option to set up and manage. Zigbee2MQTT runs as a separate Zigbee management layer and is often preferred by more advanced users who want broader device support, more detailed controls and greater visibility into their Zigbee network.
For most users, either platform can provide a reliable Zigbee setup. The best choice usually comes down to how simple you want the system to be, which Zigbee devices you plan to use, and how much control or configuration you want over the network.
ZHA (Zigbee Home Automation)
ZHA – Zigbee Home Automation – is built directly into Home Assistant.
It provides a relatively simple way to create and manage a Zigbee network without installing a separate Zigbee management platform.
Once your compatible coordinator has been connected, you can add the ZHA integration and begin pairing devices from within Home Assistant.
Sonoff provides official instructions for using its Zigbee dongles with ZHA, and Home Assistant maintains compatibility with a wide range of Zigbee coordinator hardware.
For many users wanting a straightforward Home Assistant Zigbee setup, ZHA is a good place to start.
ZHA (Zigbee Home Automation)
Zigbee2MQTT is another popular option, particularly amongst more advanced Home Assistant users.
Instead of Home Assistant communicating directly with the Zigbee network through ZHA, Zigbee2MQTT manages the Zigbee network and communicates with Home Assistant using MQTT.
Sonoff officially supports Zigbee2MQTT with a range of its Zigbee coordinators.
Zigbee2MQTT can be particularly useful if you want more detailed Zigbee network information or prefer the additional configuration options it provides. New Zigbee devices tend to be added to Zigbee2MQTT before ZHA – so if you like to stay on the bleeding-edge, this may be the best option for you.
I guess you could say ZHA is the “safe” option, Zigbee2MQTT is the “adventurous” option.
Is Sonoff a good choice for Home Assistant?
Yes! Sonoff Zigbee products are an excellent option for Home Assistant. In fact, Sonoff have been a very popular choice for HA users form many, many years – it is a trusted and reliable brand with excellent Home Assistant integration.
The combination of affordable Zigbee sensors, relays, switches, presence sensors and dedicated Zigbee coordinators makes it possible to build a substantial locally controlled smart home with Home Assistant.
One of the great advantages of Home Assistant and Zigbee is that you don’t necessarily need to stay with a single manufacturer.
A Home Assistant Zigbee network may contain devices from brands such as:
- Sonoff
- Aqara
- Philips Hue
- IKEA
- Tuya
- Other compatible Zigbee manufacturers
Sonoff themselves note that its coordinators can be used with Zigbee devices from multiple manufacturers, although individual device compatibility ultimately depends on the Zigbee software platform being used (ZHA or Zigbee2MQTT).
This allows you to choose the device that best suits each particular application rather than being locked into one ecosystem.
Final thoughts
Sonoff offers a wide range of smart home devices that can suit everything from simple app-controlled switching through to more advanced Home Assistant and Zigbee systems.
The key is choosing the right device for the job. Whether you are just getting started with smart home automation or planning a larger project, Sonoff gives you a practical and affordable way to add smart control throughout your home.
And if you are not sure where to start, feel free to contact us — we are always happy to help.
