Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2

Quick verdict

The ZBT-2 is Nabu Casa's successor to the ZBT-1, a first-party USB stick that can run either a Zigbee or a Thread network with native Home Assistant support. It uses a newer, more powerful radio than the ZBT-1. Like any coordinator it runs one radio role at a time and benefits from a USB extension cable, but as the least-drama first-party option it is an easy recommendation.

Standout: First-party Zigbee and Thread coordinator built on the EFR32MG24, the successor to the ZBT-1.

Last checked: 2026-05-25

Compatibility snapshot

Why it stands out

• first-party Nabu Casa hardware with native Home Assistant support for both Zigbee and Thread
• newer, more powerful EFR32MG24 radio than the ZBT-1
• runs either a Zigbee or a Thread network, both fully local

Reasons to hesitate

• runs one radio role at a time: Zigbee or Thread, not both simultaneously
• USB placement (use an extension cable away from USB 3.0 ports) matters for performance
• a coordinator alone cannot fix poor mesh planning in large homes

Best for

• Home Assistant users building a new local-first Zigbee or Thread network
• ZBT-1 owners wanting a more capable first-party coordinator

Avoid if

• you specifically need an Ethernet-attached coordinator for placement flexibility
• you want to run Zigbee and Thread simultaneously on one stick

Privacy and local-control notes

First-party Nabu Casa radio dongle. All radio control happens locally inside Home Assistant; there is no vendor cloud in the control path.

Home Assistant support: supported · integration path: native ZBT-2 support (ZHA / OpenThread).

Buying reality check

Price notes: MSRP around 49 USD. The successor to the Connect ZBT-1 (formerly SkyConnect).

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