Illustrative image, not evidence of a product test.
Eero vs Google WiFi vs TP-Link Deco vs Orbi (2026)
This is a head-to-head of four mesh ecosystems on the points that decide whether one fits your home: what the app locks behind a subscription, which ports and backhaul options each node has, which smart-home radios are built in, and how each behaves behind an ISP gateway. It is research from manufacturer pages and support documents, not a HomeTechTested throughput or reliability test, and all prices and warranties are US figures checked on 22 Oct 2026. For a best-of list aimed at smart homes, see best mesh Wi-Fi for smart homes.
“Google WiFi” in the title means Google’s current Nest Wifi Pro. Google states it cannot be combined with older Nest Wifi or Google Wifi units (Google Store specs).
Short answer
| If this describes you | Look first at | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Alexa household with Zigbee or Thread devices | eero (Pro 6E or the newer eero 7 line) | Zigbee hub, Thread border router and Matter controller are built in; the hub features run through Alexa |
| Google Home household using Thread devices | Nest Wifi Pro | Thread border router and Matter, no router subscription listed; only 1 GbE ports and a stated security-update minimum to Oct 2027 |
| Wired multi-gig LAN, willing to manage a TP-Link app | Deco BE63 | Four 2.5 GbE ports per unit and router/AP modes listed; no Thread or Zigbee radio listed |
| 10 GbE wired backhaul and a dedicated wireless backhaul band | Orbi 970 | Quad-band with 10 GbE ports; listed at $1,499.99 for a 2-pack (see the price table) |
Price, warranty and support (US, 22 Oct 2026)
| System | Wi-Fi (maker’s listing) | Price on the maker’s US store | Warranty | Security-update statement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| eero Pro 6E | Wi-Fi 6E, tri-band | 3-pack $499.99; 2-pack $349.99; 1-pack $199.99 | 1 year | Guaranteed to at least 31 Oct 2031 (eero) |
| eero Pro 7 | Wi-Fi 7, tri-band | 3-pack $799.99; 2-pack $549.99; 1-pack $299.99 | 3 years | Same eero date |
| Nest Wifi Pro | Wi-Fi 6E, tri-band (AXE5400) | From $199.99 (1-pack); multi-pack prices load dynamically and were not captured | 1 year | ”At least 5 years” from US launch: 27 Oct 2027 (Google) |
| Deco BE63 (listed as Deco 7 Pro BE10000) | Wi-Fi 7, tri-band | 3-pack $396.99 on TP-Link’s store, shown against a struck-through $599.99, so treat as a sale price | 2 years (TP-Link) | TP-Link’s policy says end of maintenance is usually 3 years after end of sale; no BE63 date found |
| Orbi 970 series | Wi-Fi 7, quad-band (BE27000) | 2-pack $1,499.99; 3-pack $1,999.99; extra satellite $799.99 | 1 year (authorised resellers) | No Orbi 970 end-of-support date found |
eero Pro 6E is still sold, but eero’s current line is eero 7 (dual-band, 2.5 GbE, 3-pack $399.99), Pro 7 and Max 7 (eero comparison). Pricing is list as shown on the store that day; check the current price before buying. The FCC added foreign-produced consumer routers to its Covered List on 23 Mar 2026; its fact sheet says this does not affect routers already owned or the sale of models approved earlier, and applies to new models. Whether a specific model is authorised was not checked here.
Subscriptions: what is gated
| System | Included without paying | Paid tier (US) |
|---|---|---|
| eero | Profiles, pause/block devices, guest Wi-Fi, WPA3, automatic updates, free-app parental controls (eero Plus) | eero Plus $9.99/month or $99.99/year: ad blocking, content filters, active threat protection, VPN, antivirus, password manager, identity protection, remote access, activity history |
| Nest Wifi Pro | Parental controls, guest network, device management per Google’s specs | No paid router tier appears on Google’s product or spec pages |
| Deco BE63 | HomeShield basics: security scan, device visibility, access control, camera security (TP-Link) | Advanced Parental Controls from $2.99/month ($17.99/year); Security+ from $4.99/month ($35.99/year) adds web protection, intrusion prevention and real-time IoT protection; Total Security $69.99 first year, $129.99 renewal (TP-Link) |
| Orbi 970 | WPA3 and automatic firmware updates; Armor is optional | Armor from $99.99/year; Armor Plus $149.99/year (NETGEAR); NETGEAR says price varies by region |
Over three years, using those published prices and assuming no change: eero Plus annual is $299.97, Deco Security+ annual $107.97, Deco Total Security $329.97, Orbi Armor $299.97 (Armor Plus $449.97). These are optional; each system works as a router without them. Subscription cost is separate from the hardware prices above.
Ports, backhaul and router/AP mode
| System | Ethernet per node (maker’s listing) | Wired backhaul | Router vs bridge/AP |
|---|---|---|---|
| eero Pro 6E | 1 × 2.5 GbE + 1 × 1 GbE | Supported (eero) | Bridge mode in the app |
| eero Pro 7 / Max 7 | 2 × 5 GbE / 2 × 10 GbE + 2 × 2.5 GbE | Supported | Bridge mode in the app |
| Nest Wifi Pro | 2 × 1 GbE | Supported (Google) | Bridge works with a single device only |
| Deco BE63 | 4 × 2.5 GbE | ”Optional Ethernet backhaul” | Router Mode and Access Point Mode listed |
| Orbi 970 | Router: 10G WAN, 10G LAN, 4 × 2.5G; satellite: 10G LAN, 2 × 2.5G | Dedicated wireless backhaul band, per NETGEAR | Router and AP modes per NETGEAR’s general documentation; confirm for the 970 |
Deco port count is from TP-Link’s current US page, which notes that hardware versions can differ.
Smart-home radios
| System | Thread | Zigbee | Matter / assistants |
|---|---|---|---|
| eero Pro 6E and later | Border router, Thread 1.3.0 (eero) | Hub, up to 50 devices per eero (eero) | Matter controller only, via Alexa (eero); Zigbee needs a linked Amazon account |
| Nest Wifi Pro | Border router built in | Not listed | Matter; works as a hub for Google Home |
| Deco BE63 | Not listed | Not listed | Voice control of the router via Alexa or Google Assistant |
| Orbi 970 | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
If an eero node is removed or powered off, the Zigbee devices connected to it become unreachable until re-paired. Thread and Wi-Fi are separate networks: a Thread border router in a node does not make Thread coverage match Wi-Fi coverage, so judge Thread range by device placement.
ISP gateway and bridge-mode caveats
- eero: bridge mode turns off eero’s network services. eero lists advanced security, ad blocking, content filters, historical data usage and hotspot backup as eero Plus features that do not work properly in bridge mode, and recommends bridging the ISP gateway instead (eero).
- Nest Wifi Pro: Google says bridge mode works only with a single Wifi device and that a mesh needs the primary unit out of bridge mode; it recommends bridging the ISP gateway (Google).
- Deco: the spec sheet lists Router Mode and Access Point Mode.
- Orbi: NETGEAR recommends bridging the ISP gateway and says AP mode disables features such as guest network and VPN service on the routers covered by its article; confirm the Orbi 970 list in its manual.
Coverage and device counts
Manufacturers publish coverage and capacity figures measured under their own conditions, so they are not comparable across brands. Examples: Google states up to 2,200 sq ft per Nest Wifi Pro router and up to 100 devices per point; TP-Link states a 2-pack covers up to 5,800 sq ft and 200 devices; eero states 100+ devices for Pro 6E. Treat them as claims, and plan node count from your own layout.
Who should buy what
- eero: if you use Alexa with Zigbee or Matter devices and accept that Plus features cost extra. Consider the eero 7 line for Wi-Fi 7, given Pro 6E’s 1-year warranty.
- Nest Wifi Pro: if you run Google Home with Thread and want no subscription, and accept 1 GbE ports and a stated update minimum ending Oct 2027.
- Deco BE63: if you want Wi-Fi 7 with multi-gig ports and no built-in smart-home radios, with optional HomeShield tiers.
- Orbi 970: if 10 GbE ports and dedicated backhaul justify the price.
Related: best smart home hub, best smart home ecosystem, Wi-Fi extenders for a single dead spot, Ubiquiti vs consumer mesh, and starting a smart home from scratch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I mix mesh brands?
No manufacturer page reviewed here describes cross-brand meshing. Within a brand: eero says its products are cross-compatible across generations, though mixing generations can reduce performance; TP-Link says all Deco devices work together; Google says Nest Wifi Pro cannot join older Nest Wifi or Google Wifi meshes; NETGEAR says an RBE970 satellite works only with Orbi 970 series routers.
Do I need the subscription?
Not to run the network. The tables above show which features sit behind each paid tier.
How this was researched
Specifications, prices, warranties and subscription terms come from the manufacturers’ US store and support pages (eero, Google Store and Help, TP-Link, NETGEAR) on 22 Oct 2026. No independent benchmark results are cited, and none of the speed figures are measured here.
See how we compare products for our full methodology.