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My computer only has one USB-C port and I want to connect multiple USB-C devices to it.

I have trawled through Amazon but am amazed that I cannot find a single one. There are many hubs that have USB 3.1 USB-A ports but not USB-C ones.

Is there a limitation in the spec that prevents this being possible?

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    I've closed this because a lot of the answers are simply "here's one I've found" rather than answering the specific question of "why" and risks further devolving into nothing more than a collection of "pick my one!" answers. A useful answer has been posted, we don't need or want a hardware shopping thread. The question itself is not bad, but it is attracting the wrong kind of answers.
    – Mokubai ♦
    Commented Apr 4, 2021 at 7:17

6 Answers 6

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Thunderbolt 4

In 2021 Thunderbolt 4 docks are now available, which for the first time allow for USB-C / Thunderbolt true multi-port hubs.

For the first time, Thunderbolt 4 will offer docks with up to four Thunderbolt ports and universal cables up to 2 meters in length. – Intel press release

These hubs also seem to pass through USB-C DisplayPort Alt Mode signals, allowing them to be used with non-Thunderbolt devices.

Thunderbolt 4 hubs:

USB-C

Simple one-to-many USB-C hubs with a large number of ports, for some reason, do not really seem to exist.

There are some 2 and 4-port USB-C hubs now available, but none seem to be cheap, simple, or reliable. It's very easy to find 7-port USB-A 3.0 hubs from well-known companies; the same cannot be said for USB-C. There appears to be some kind of spec, chip, or marketing limitation the prevents them from being made.

Some of the same complaints are outlined here, from when zero port-duplicating "hubs" were available:

https://mjtsai.com/blog/2017/10/14/the-impossible-dream-of-usb-c/

None of these USB-C “hubs” actually give you more USB-C ports.

There is supposedly news for 2019/2020 that suggests hub chips may be coming soon:

Update (2018-07-30): Accidental Tech Podcast reports on a rumor that next year Intel will finally ship the chip that’s needed for making a USB-C that adds additional type-C ports.

http://atp.fm/episodes/284 (19:10)

We've heard from an anonymous person that Intel is finally releasing a hub chip for USB-C next year. We may not see products based on it until 2020.

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  • @pkamb - Do you agree with the most recent edits to your answer?
    – Ramhound
    Commented Apr 5, 2021 at 4:00
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    @chx - That will get you suspended. Stick to editing your own answer to this question
    – Ramhound
    Commented Apr 5, 2021 at 4:03
  • @chx the reason that I reverted your original edits was that large paragraphs of USB-C minutia + product recommendations are out of place in this answer, which is attempting to provide high-level guidance to the question of if any multi-port hubs exist at all.
    – pkamb
    Commented Apr 5, 2021 at 15:42
  • I do think the the question of TB4 hubs working with non-TB USB-C devices is interesting and worth knowing. @chx can you ask and answer that question on Super User? Then we can link to that question in a single sentence in the TB section of this answer.
    – pkamb
    Commented Apr 5, 2021 at 15:43
  • hardwarerecs.stackexchange.com/a/14758/9588
    – chx
    Commented Apr 5, 2021 at 22:06
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Also search a lot and only found one :

The Belkin 4-Port Mini USB-C Hub with Two USB-C

All four ports support only USB 3.0 speed (5 Gbps = 300 MB/sec effective).

However please note:

The USB-C 4-Port Mini Hub does not support pass-through charging and video output to monitor. This hub is only intended to use with USB-A and USB-C peripherals.

Update:

Found a 2nd one from Sitecom the CN-386:

Turn your USB-C port into 3 ultrafast USB-C ports and 1 USB-C Power Delivery Port

  • USB 3.1 Type-C input
  • 3 x USB 3.1 Type-C Output (10Gbps data and 7.5W power)
  • 1 x USB Type-C Power Delivery (100W power)
  • Supports USB SuperSpeed 10Gbps, downwards compatible with USB 3.0 / 2.0
  • Supports USB Battery Charging (BC) 1.2 up to 7.5W (5V / 1.5A)
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    Nice. Although I would really like to see a smaller version of this device, i.e. something that I can attach to a phone. Main goal is to connect USB-C headphones and charge my phone at the same time.
    – Sergiy Belozorov
    Commented Feb 13, 2020 at 16:27
  • Yeah but doesn't somethink like that work? amazon.com/Splitter-Extension-Smartphone-Converter-JKRED/dp/…
    – Lonzak
    Commented Feb 17, 2020 at 13:45
  • Most likely, this cable uses Audio Adapter Accessory mode. Depending on the manufacturer of the phone, this may or may not work. The extra USB-C is for charging only and at 500mA rate only, so fast charging is not possible.
    – Sergiy Belozorov
    Commented Feb 18, 2020 at 14:17
  • The USB-C ports are according to the video "USB 3.1 5Gbps" ports (which means that they are effectively USB 3.0 ports) - not perfect but better than nothing.
    – Robert
    Commented Mar 1, 2020 at 12:45
  • Seeing that Sitecom also has a 1x USB-A (4.5W) int 2x USB-C (7.5W) + 2x USB-A (4,5W), 20.5W total without an additional power input makes the USB power delivery questionable to say the least: sitecom.com/en/usb-a-to-usb-a-usb-c-hub/cn-399/p/1925
    – plaisthos
    Commented Apr 30, 2020 at 22:58
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I found one with four USB-C ports! The Sitecom CN-385. It only goes up to 5GBit/s, but judging by the (admittedly just two) reviews on amazon, it is more reliable than its big brother, the CN-386, which has Power Delivery and 10GBit/s support.

enter image description here

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    i ordered the SiteCom CN-386, where one of the ports is a 100W power delivery port - had to order it from amazon in the UK. But I can't get any display port monitors to work on this hub :(( OSX 10.14.6
    – Tilo
    Commented Jun 23, 2020 at 0:54
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    @Tilo I think this hub doesn't support DP via USB-C, just plain old USB 3.1 Gen 1. This could be one of the reasons why few companies produce hubs like these, they lead to quite a bit of confusion. If you want to be sure, ask SiteCom directly.
    – iFreilicht
    Commented Jun 27, 2020 at 13:43
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Actually OWC is about to create a solution for this stalemate, but you have to look a step up, both in function and in price. However, given how long we waited all is fine: a Thunderbolt 4 hub.

https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/owc-thunderbolt-hub

It should also support USB-C standard, so it is also an USB-C hub.

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So far, I’ve found a few hub chips that support USB 3.1, which can find us some hubs:

  • this forum post mentions the 3.1 chips VIA VL820 and Cypress HX3PD. The former seems to be in production use, I couldn’t find anything at that stage about the latter.
  • I also fount the 3.2 chip Realtek RTS5429, which seems to be used in exactly the following products:
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  • The first one also says Charge up your devices at max speed with up to 2.4 Amps of power delivery. but power delivery can't be measured in amps since the voltage can be varied... hmm... still, proper usb-3 usb-c ports is a step in the right direction!
    – NibblyPig
    Commented Jun 11, 2020 at 14:45
  • You’re right, this review says that it doesn’t actually have Power Delivery or Quickcharge. Disappointing.
    – flying sheep
    Commented Jun 11, 2020 at 16:00
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The Dell WD19 (just plain WD19, not the more expensive WD19TB) has two USB C ports, one of which is DisplayPort alternate mode capable. It provides 60W charging to non-Dell laptops (and 130W via proprietary means to Dell laptops). See the WD19 Userguide specifications.

As with all such products, buying one from eBay is significantly cheaper. Also, Dell has standardized its AC chargers so even if you get one without an AC adapter, any 7.4 mm plug Dell adapter works with it.

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