Zigbee vs zwave ecosystem

[JDRoberts]

The community-created wiki has a zwave vs Zigbee article that might be of interest:

http://thingsthataresmart.wiki/index.php?title=Z-wave_versus_Zigbee

There is also a forum FAQ that covers some additional points regarding protocol selection:

New to SmartThings should I avoid Wifi devices over alternative Z Wave or Zigbee devices?

I haven’t purchased a home automation system yet but my research has me choosing SmartThings. I understand the goal of ST is to integrate all connected devices but are there any benefits to choosing Z Wave vs. Zigbee vs Wifi devices? It seems to me that there aren’t many complaints about z wave and zigbee devices but there are many complaints about waiting around/hoping for support for Wifi devices. Should I strategically avoid certain Wifi Device if there’s a Z wave or Zigbee alternative? To be more specific, my dilemma is regarding a connected thermostat and a connected garage door opener. Lift master sells a wifi module for my garage door (I’ve read claims that there are delays in communicating with the SmartThings hub) . Alternatively I could choose a z wave device to signal the…