| Market name | ANT | ZigBee | Bluetooth |
| Standard | Proprietary | IEEE802.15.4 | IEEE802.15.1 |
| Application | PANs and WSNs | PANs and WSNs | PANs |
| Host resources (kByte) | 2(0 with SensRcoreâ„¢) | 100 | 250 |
| Battery life (with coin-cell battery)§ | 3+ years | 4 to 6 months* | 1 to 7 days* |
| Max. network size (nodes) | 2^32 | 2^64 | 7 |
| Over the air transmission rate (kbit/s) | 1000 | 250 | 1000 |
| Required PCB area (mm2) | 125 | Depends on architecture | Depends on architecture |
| Range (metres) | 1 to 30 | 1 to 100+ | 1 to 10+ |
| Success metrics | Ultra-low power, cost | Power, cost | Cost, convenience |
| Supported networks | Peer-to-peer, star, tree, mesh | Peer-to-peer, star, tree, mesh | Peer-to-peer, star |
| Min. node configuration | Transmit only or transceiver | Transceiver | Transceiver |
§ 8 Byte data message, 2 second message interval, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.
* Theoretical only. Peak current requirement for ZigBee and Bluetooth exceeds coin cell battery capability so coin cell operation is impractical.
Current data on the not-yet-released Bluetooth Low Energy indicates that it will cost 25%-35% more per sensor node and consume a minimum of 25% more power for the same data transmitted.
In addition, ZigBee’s relatively complex protocol increases the external micro controller burden compared with ANT, demanding micro controllers that are more powerful and increasing system cost by 60 percent. ANT’s requirement for external host resources is eliminated when using SensRcore™.
In operation, ANT’s ultra-low power consumption makes ZigBee look distinctly power hungry. In similar applications with similar usage patterns, ANT transceivers using coin cell-type batteries can extend battery life up to four years compared to just a few months for ZigBee.