Matter Smart Home Hub M1 Pro, Thread Border Router, Zigbee… vs ESP Thread Border Router/Zigbee Gateway Board
Matter Smart Home Hub M1 Pro, Thread Border Router, Zigbee and IR Hub speaks Matter, so it also works with Google Home and Alexa; ESP Thread Border Router/Zigbee Gateway Board is Apple-only. On Amazon, Matter Smart Home Hub M1 Pro, Thread Border Router, Zigbee and IR Hub has the higher rating (4.2 vs 4.0★).
| Matter | ESP | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Hubs | Hubs |
| Protocols / works with | Matter Thread ZigbeeApple Home Matter | Thread Zigbee |
| Needs a hub | No | No |
| Amazon rating | ||
| Report | Open → | Open → |
| Buy | Check price on Amazon ↗ | Check price on Amazon ↗ |
Which should you pick?
If you are all-in on Apple, either works. If you want one accessory that keeps working if you later add Google or Alexa hardware, choose the Matter one from the table above. Check the “Needs a hub” row before buying — a Thread device needs a border router (HomePod mini / Apple TV 4K) either way.
Full report: Matter Smart Home Hub M1 Pro, Thread Border Router, Zigbee… → · Full report: ESP Thread Border Router/Zigbee Gateway Board →