Zigbee or Z-Wave — which protocol should I prioritize in a hub?

Across the reviewers we read, Zigbee tends to win on device variety and price (especially for bulbs and sensors), while Z-Wave is favored for in-wall switches, locks, and long-range mesh reliability. The safest path for a future-proof setup is a hub that supports both, plus Matter/Thread — which is why multi-protocol hubs like the Hubitat C-8 Pro and Aeotec dominate recommendation threads.