The Ecobee Smart Thermostat is well-loved for how easy and understandable it makes efficient home energy consumption. You can easily adjust it at home or from a distance, using voice command, the touchscreen, or the mobile app. This highly customizable, energy-saving thermostat has become a leader in its industry; however, many good alternatives give Ecobee a run for its money, including the following products.
The best alternatives to Ecobee include smart thermostats like Google Nest, Honeywell Home, Emerson Sensi, and The Simple Thermostat. These alternate options provide many of the same key features, like sleek displays, geofencing, and efficient energy consumption with less effort from the homeowner.
In the rest of this article, we’ll take a closer look at the latest model Ecobee offers its consumers. We’ll also see what the best alternatives are. We have four competitors featured here to help you find the best smart thermostat option for your home.
Why Ecobee?
Ecobee makes products at the top of the smart thermostat industry. They’re easily recognizable because of their appealing, sleek display and are easy to access no matter your technological preferences.
You can tap into your Ecobee from your smartwatch, phone, tablet, or any other device where you can download the Ecobee app.
These thermostats are also equipped with Alexa, meaning you can say, “Alexa, set my Ecobee to 70 degrees,” and, just like that, the thermostat will change its setting.
You can also make calls, play music, and do anything that a regular Alexa unit can do.
Ecobee also recognizes when you’ve arrived home and will adjust the temperature accordingly.
This geofencing technology makes sure you’re comfortable when you’re home and that your energy system isn’t working unnecessarily while you’re away.
It also takes advantage of times during the day when energy is less expensive, bringing down your energy bill while maintaining your preferences in the home.
Now that we know what makes the Ecobee Smart Thermostats so appealing, what are some similar options on the market? Let’s look at the top four competitors that’ll give you a similar experience to an Ecobee.
Google Nest Smart Thermostat
This smart thermostat model from Google is one of the top picks when it comes to Ecobee alternatives.
This particular model is really easy to use and doesn’t require much attention from the homeowner to operate efficiently.
As you might expect from Google, the display is well-designed: simple, eye-catching, and functional.
The Google Nest can create its own optimized heating and cooling schedule based on what it’s observed in the home.
It’ll gather data about when you prefer different temperature settings and use this information to make an energy-optimized schedule that meets your preferences. This smart scheduling is a feature unique to this thermostat. It’s something you won’t find with an Ecobee model.
Like the Ecobee models, you can always access your thermostat — no matter where you are — through its signature app. You can also make any adjustments you see fit from a phone, tablet, or computer.
You can view your energy usage right from the app as well.
Accessing this information will allow you to understand exactly how much energy you’ve used and when you’ve used it most. When you can better understand your energy consumption, you can make better choices about your energy needs and budget.
If you’re concerned about the thermostat’s appearance, this model has the most amount of colors to choose from, including multiple external finishes. You can also control and adjust the appearance of its touchscreen display once you install it.
The Google Nest and Ecobee products are typically comparable when it comes to price if you’re choosing between the two. Determining factors may include your preference for Alexa versus Google Assistant or the appeal of the smart scheduling feature.
Honeywell Home T5 Smart Thermostat
Honeywell’s smart thermostat isn’t the option with the most features, but it has the essentials. It’s a more affordable option than Ecobee or Google Nest. You can set your own customized schedule from any of your smart devices using the Honeywell Home app. From this app, you can also view your energy usage.
It also has geofence technology, meaning it can tell if you’ve just come home or are heading out based on your smartphone’s location.
This ability helps control your comfort better when arriving and makes sure energy isn’t going to waste when you leave home for the day.
The Home T5 is also compatible with voice command systems, but it doesn’t come with one installed. If you wanted to use this with Alexa, you would need to purchase an Alexa unit separately. The display may not be as trendy as the other options we’ve explored, but it’s still sleek and simple to use.
Emerson Sensi Smart Thermostat
Another affordable smart thermostat option is the Emerson Sensi. Its recent models with a color touchscreen display have made this company’s product as visually appealing as its competitors.
It comes with the key features I’ve seen so far, such as the ability to adjust the thermostat remotely through its app. You can easily set your heating and cooling schedule from your phone and make adjustments whenever you need.
The Emerson Sensi also features geofencing technology to adjust your energy usage depending on if you’re at home or not.
It’ll work with voice control if you already have a smart home system. Like the Honeywell model, it doesn’t come with a separate smart home unit but will be compatible with your existing Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant.
This model will also send you alerts if it notices unusual temperatures in your home.
With these alerts, you can respond to the current situation from afar. This ability will help you prevent any unnecessarily high energy bills after the fact.
The Simple Thermostat
One last affordable option that’ll give you the same key features is a smart thermostat from Simple.
You can purchase this thermostat with either a white or black display, and it offers a standard sleek touchscreen design. Its simple graphics help you identify when you’re currently saving energy, heating, or cooling your home.
This thermostat can gather data based on your interactions with it. In this way, it learns your preferences and the best times to save energy.
It also comes with nine templates you can use to create your own custom energy schedule. You can choose one of the samples if it fits your routine or use it as a base for further customization.
This model also has its own app to control the thermostat from any compatible device and view your energy usage.
It has the geofencing technology we’ve seen from other options and uses this technology to activate the “Away Mode.” You can also set this mode manually when you know the house will be empty.
It also works with Alexa, allowing you to use your voice to make adjustments to your home’s current temperature.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for an Ecobee alternative, you have four to choose from!
If you want a model that most closely competes with the Ecobee, you should choose the Google Nest. However, if you’re looking for a smart thermostat with a lower price tag, you can look to the Honeywell Home, Emerson Sensi, or the Simple Thermostat. The features are similar among these three options, so you can allow your preference for their design and display to ultimately guide your decision.
Regardless of which model you choose, you’ll soon be enjoying better energy efficiency at home.