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Smart Home · head to head

Crestron vs Zigbee Alliance

Crestron logo

Crestron

Smart Home

Enterprise-grade control and automation technology

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zigbee Alliance logo

Zigbee Alliance

Smart Home

Low-power wireless standard for IoT and smart home

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Zigbee Alliance has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Crestron no published pricing or pricing tiers; no specific product prices disclosed.; Zigbee Alliance the Internet Archive's capture of the Connectivity Standards Alliance's Zigbee page on 4 January 2024 confirmed Zigbee is a protocol standard rather than a purchased product, with the Alliance's revenue coming from member dues and per-device certification fees rather than a software price list.
  • They diverge on capability: Crestron covers Enterprise Control, Zigbee Alliance covers Low Power.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Crestron and Zigbee Alliance actually diverge.

Attributes where Crestron and Zigbee Alliance differ
AttributeCrestronZigbee Alliance
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsControl systems, Mobile apps, Web interfaces, Touch screensZigbee devices, Mesh networks, Smart home hubs, IoT platforms
Founded19712002

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Smart Home).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Crestron

  • Enterprise Control
  • Powerful Programming
  • Extensive Integration
  • Reliability
  • 5000+ devices
  • Custom protocols
  • Web/Mobile apps
  • Touch panels

Only in Zigbee Alliance

  • Low Power
  • Mesh Networking
  • Self-Healing
  • Scalable
  • Smart home devices
  • Hubs
  • Controllers
  • Integration platforms

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Crestron

  • Conference room automationnot Zigbee Alliance
  • Building managementnot Zigbee Alliance
  • Campus-wide controlnot Zigbee Alliance
  • Corporate AVnot Zigbee Alliance

Zigbee Alliance

  • Smart lightingnot Crestron
  • Sensor networksnot Crestron
  • Home automationnot Crestron
  • Industrial monitoringnot Crestron

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Crestron

  • No published pricing or pricing tiers; no specific product prices disclosed.
  • The pricing page only announces a 10% global price increase effective March 1, 2022, without listing actual prices.

Zigbee Alliance

  • The Internet Archive's capture of the Connectivity Standards Alliance's Zigbee page on 4 January 2024 confirmed Zigbee is a protocol standard rather than a purchased product, with the Alliance's revenue coming from member dues and per-device certification fees rather than a software price list.

Pricing, plan by plan

Crestron

On request
  • Professional$1000/month
    • Programming tools
    • Device control
    • Advanced features
  • Enterprise$10000/month
    • Large deployments
    • Custom solutions
    • Enterprise support

Zigbee Alliance

Free
  • Open SpecificationFree
    • Low power mesh
    • Self-healing
    • Interoperable

Which should you pick?

Choose Crestron if

  • You need enterprise control.
  • You work on Control systems, Mobile apps, Web interfaces, Touch screens.
  • You also want powerful programming.
Crestron review

Choose Zigbee Alliance if

  • You need low power.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Zigbee devices, Mesh networks, Smart home hubs, IoT platforms.
  • You also want mesh networking.
Zigbee Alliance review

Questions people ask

Is Crestron or Zigbee Alliance better?
Neither clearly leads. Crestron starts at On request and Zigbee Alliance at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Crestron or Zigbee Alliance?
Zigbee Alliance has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Crestron and Free for Zigbee Alliance.
Does Crestron or Zigbee Alliance run on more platforms?
Crestron runs on Control systems, Mobile apps, Web interfaces, Touch screens. Zigbee Alliance runs on Zigbee devices, Mesh networks, Smart home hubs, IoT platforms.
Can I use Zigbee Alliance for free?
Yes. Zigbee Alliance has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Crestron starts at On request.
What is Crestron best used for?
Crestron is most often used for conference room automation, building management, campus-wide control, corporate av. Of those, conference room automation and building management are not what Zigbee Alliance is typically brought in for.
What can Crestron do that Zigbee Alliance cannot?
Crestron covers Enterprise Control, Powerful Programming, Extensive Integration, Reliability. Zigbee Alliance covers Low Power, Mesh Networking, Self-Healing, Scalable.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Crestron: How much do Crestron products cost?

Crestron does not publish specific product pricing or pricing tiers on their website. Customers must contact Crestron directly for pricing information on AV control systems and related products.

Source
Zigbee Alliance: Does the Connectivity Standards Alliance charge membership fees?

Membership information is not publicly disclosed on the main website. Prospective members must contact the organization directly or access the member login portal at community.csa-iot.org.

Source
Crestron: What was Crestron's most recent price change?

Crestron implemented a 10% global price increase effective March 1, 2022 on all products and services. Orders placed before March 1, 2022 that shipped by December 31, 2022 were honored at prior pricing. No retroactive increases applied to existing orders.

Source
Zigbee Alliance: What are the costs for CSA certification or standards development?

Pricing for certification and standards development services is not posted online. Contact the CSA directly through their contact page for specific pricing.

Source
Zigbee Alliance: Is there a free tier or trial for CSA services?

The homepage does not disclose trial or free tier information. Contact the organization to learn about available options.

Source
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