Software · head to head
MQTT vs Zigbee Alliance
Zigbee Alliance
Software
Low-power wireless standard for IoT and smart home
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: MQTT mQTT is an OASIS standard messaging protocol maintained by a standards committee, not sold by a vendor; there is no company-controlled price list, subscription, or edition to compare because implementations are independent open source or commercial products built on the spec; 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: MQTT covers Publish-Subscribe, Zigbee Alliance covers Low Power.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which MQTT and Zigbee Alliance actually diverge.
| Attribute | MQTT | Zigbee Alliance |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Any platform, Embedded devices, Cloud, Edge computing | Zigbee devices, Mesh networks, Smart home hubs, IoT platforms |
| Founded | 1999 | 2002 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (open-source), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 MQTT
- Publish-Subscribe
- Lightweight
- QoS Levels
- Retained Messages
- IoT platforms
- Home automation
- Cloud services
- Edge devices
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.
MQTT
- IoT messagingnot Zigbee Alliance
- Sensor datanot Zigbee Alliance
- Real-time updatesnot Zigbee Alliance
- Device telemetrynot Zigbee Alliance
Zigbee Alliance
- Smart lightingnot MQTT
- Sensor networksnot MQTT
- Home automationnot MQTT
- Industrial monitoringnot MQTT
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
MQTT
- MQTT is an OASIS standard messaging protocol maintained by a standards committee, not sold by a vendor; there is no company-controlled price list, subscription, or edition to compare because implementations are independent open source or commercial products built on the spec
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
MQTT
Free- Open ProtocolFree
- Publish-subscribe
- Lightweight
- QoS levels
Zigbee Alliance
Free- Open SpecificationFree
- Low power mesh
- Self-healing
- Interoperable
Which should you pick?
Choose MQTT if
- You need publish-subscribe.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Any platform, Embedded devices, Cloud, Edge computing.
- You also want lightweight.
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.
Questions people ask
- Is MQTT or Zigbee Alliance better?
- Neither clearly leads. MQTT starts at Free and Zigbee Alliance at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, MQTT or Zigbee Alliance?
- MQTT starts at Free and Zigbee Alliance at Free.
- Does MQTT or Zigbee Alliance run on more platforms?
- MQTT runs on Any platform, Embedded devices, Cloud, Edge computing. Zigbee Alliance runs on Zigbee devices, Mesh networks, Smart home hubs, IoT platforms.
- Can I use MQTT for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is MQTT best used for?
- MQTT is most often used for iot messaging, sensor data, real-time updates, device telemetry. Of those, iot messaging and sensor data are not what Zigbee Alliance is typically brought in for.
- What can MQTT do that Zigbee Alliance cannot?
- MQTT covers Publish-Subscribe, Lightweight, QoS Levels, Retained Messages. Zigbee Alliance covers Low Power, Mesh Networking, Self-Healing, Scalable.