Four radio technologies power almost every smart home device. Understanding them in five minutes will save you years of buying mistakes.
Wi-Fi: the default
Good: no hub needed, works with what you own. Bad: power-hungry (bad for battery sensors) and routers struggle past a few dozen clients. Use for: cameras and video doorbells (they need the bandwidth), and starter plugs/bulbs in small setups.
Thread: the future
A low-power mesh network designed for smart homes: every mains-powered Thread device repeats the signal, so the network gets stronger as it grows — the opposite of Wi-Fi. Battery devices last years. Requires a Thread border router (built into HomePods, Apple TV 4K, Nest Hubs, Echo 4th gen and newer). Paired with Matter, this is where the industry is heading. Use for: sensors, locks, bulbs, plugs going forward.
Zigbee: the veteran
The same mesh idea as Thread, a generation earlier. Massive device catalogue (Hue, IKEA legacy, Aqara sensors), cheap and battle-tested, but needs a compatible hub and does not speak IP natively. Use for: extending an existing Zigbee system — no shame in it, it works.
Z-Wave: the specialist
Long range, excellent reliability, strong in security systems and North American installs. Smaller catalogue, and momentum has clearly shifted elsewhere. Use for: existing Z-Wave alarm/lock systems.
The 2026 buying rule
Cameras: Wi-Fi. Everything battery-powered: Thread. Everything else: Thread if available, Zigbee if it is much cheaper. When two products are otherwise equal, pick the one with Thread + Matter on the box — it will outlive the other.