Last updated on November 29th, 2024
What’s the average cost of a smart thermostat in the UK?
This cost guide was written in partnership with our professional estimators here at Checkatrade. Our estimators are Chartered Members (MRICS) of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and Members of the Chartered Institute of Building (MCIOB).
Fast Facts
- The cost of a smart thermostat can range from £120 – £220 for the unit itself
- Installation costs are typically between £30 – £80
- Overall costs will vary based on factors like the make and model of your smart thermostat
- Smart thermostats and smart meters are not the same thing (although both are great!)
Smart thermostats are brilliant devices for the home. They can save you money and let you control your home’s heating with a tap of the screen.
But what’s the average cost of a smart thermostat?
Here, we’ll explore the ins and outs of how much you can expect to pay – from the prices for different brands to the factors that can influence your overall cost. But first…
What is a smart thermostat and how does it work?
A smart thermostat is a clever piece of technology that connects your home’s heating system to the internet.
In this way, it gives you more control over when your heating comes on, the temperature and how much energy you’re using.
Different smart thermostats come with different features and benefits.
However, as a general rule, your smart thermostat will enable you to set up and amend your heating system’s schedule and temperature on the go (usually via a smartphone app).
They may also make use of energy-saving algorithms and learn your habits to reduce your energy usage while keeping you comfortable.
Keep in mind that a smart thermostat is not the same thing as a smart meter (although they’re both great pieces of kit!).
A smart thermostat allows you to control your heating system remotely, whereas a smart meter automatically sends gas and electricity readings to your energy suppliers. We’ll talk a bit about both in this article!
How much does a smart thermostat cost in the UK?
The cost of a smart thermostat can range from £120 – £220, depending on the make and model that you choose.
However, on top of the unit cost, you’ll also have to factor in the smart thermostat installation cost. This is because you’ll need the help of a qualified electrician or Gas Safe registered engineer to install your smart thermostat safely.
Installation costs are typically around £30 – £80 (based on 1-2 hours of labour).
| Type of smart thermostat | Range - Low | Range - High | Average cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tado installation | - | - | £50 |
| Tado | - | - | £120 |
| Hive (materials and installation) | £175 | £300 | £225 |
| Nest (unit only) | £190 | £220 | £205 |
| Wave (unit only) | - | - | £180 |
| Ecobee (unit only) | £130 | £200 | £165 |
| Honeywell (unit only) | £135 | £210 | £170 |
Last updated: May 2024
Our costs are ballpark averages – get a local tradesperson to quote now
Factors affecting the cost of a smart thermostat
Installing a smart thermostat is fairly straightforward, so there aren’t a huge amount of factors to consider. The main ones that will affect how much you pay for your smart thermostat are:
- Make and model of thermostat
- Installation costs
- Additional features (eg. smart home integration, voice control, sensors)
- Where you live (electrician and gas engineer hourly rates will vary across the country)
Best smart thermostats in the UK and typical costs
The make and model you choose will be one of the biggest factors influencing your smart thermostat’s cost.
Here, we’ll look into the typical costs associated with some of the most popular smart thermostats in the UK.
However, don’t make your choice without first checking with your energy supplier to make sure the thermostat is compatible with your current heating system.
Hive smart thermostat costs
The average cost to supply and install a Hive smart thermostat is about £225.
The main chunk of that cost is the thermostat unit itself, plus labour time to carry out the installation.
If you’re buying your first Hive unit, you’ll need to buy the Hive Hub, which is around £170 when combined with the thermostat. This lets you connect your Hive units to your smartphone.
Any additional Hive thermostat units for your home will cost about £105.
Key features of Hive smart thermostats are multi-zone, hot water control, temperature notifications and holiday mode.
To find out more, check out our Hive installation cost guide.
Nest smart thermostat costs
For Google fans out there, Nest is the smart thermostat that belongs to the Google family.
Depending on the exact unit you choose, you’re looking at around £205 for the Nest smart thermostat, plus the installation cost.
One of the key features of a Nest thermostat is that it can learn your habits, bringing an extra layer of smart to your home heating.
It also has a handy green leaf symbol that appears when you’ve adjusted your thermostat to an energy-efficient temperature, helping you have a greener home.
Find out more about Nest thermostat installation costs.
Tado smart thermostat costs
The average cost of a Tado smart thermostat is around £120 for the unit itself.
You then have the option of booking installation with a Tado engineer for £50 if you pay when buying your thermostat.
Or, you can hire your own electrician to install your Tado unit for you.
A Tado unit offers many of the standard features of other smart thermostats, such as hot water control, frost protection, weather forecasts and holiday mode. It will also estimate your energy savings based on the number of hours you would be heating your home without it.
For more information about installing Tado in your home, check out our Tado installation cost guide.
Wave smart thermostat price
Wave is the smart thermostat brand from Worcester Bosch, and comes with a price tag of around £180 plus labour.
It’s similar to the other major smart thermostat brands, and will allow you to pair up to eight thermostat devices in your home.
Other smart thermostats
Although Hive, Nest, Tado and Wave are the most popular smart thermostat brands in the UK, there are some other popular options such as Ecobee and Honeywell.
The average Ecobee smart thermostat price is around £130 – £200 per unit.
Similarly, the average Honeywell wifi smart thermostat price is around £135 to £210.
Both Ecobee and Honeywell offer a number of different smart thermostat models at different prices.
What’s the typical cost of smart meters?
A smart meter isn’t the same as a smart thermostat, but it’s another important piece of kit that is worth having.
A smart meter takes energy readings for you and automatically sends them to your energy supplier.
In this way, you’ll get more accurate bills and should only pay for what you actually use.
Plus, you’ll be able to see how much energy you’re using on the in-home digital display unit, which can give you greater visibility and help you reduce your usage.
So, how much does a smart meter cost?
Well, luckily, you won’t have to worry about that because your energy supplier should be able to provide and install one for you for free!
If you want a smart meter and you don’t yet have one, simply contact your energy supplier to arrange installation.
They’ll either book a time to install it straight away, or let you know when they’ll next be installing smart meters in your area.
Is the cost of smart heating worth it for UK homeowners?
If you’re still undecided as to whether a smart thermostat is worth it for you and your home, here are a few of the benefits to help you decide.
Complete control of your home heating
Smart thermostats combine the power and convenience of modern technology to help you manage your home heating.
Use your smartphone or tablet to control temperature and hot water with a tap of your finger.
Reduce energy bills
This is one of the biggest motivators for many homeowners, saving money.
Smart thermostats give you greater control, which means you can be more precise with how and when you heat your home and water – and save up to 30% on your heating bills.
Use less energy
Another benefit of controlling your heating with a smart thermostat is that you use a lot less energy.
You can have specific controls for times and days, including holiday mode when you’re out of town. No more wasting energy when you don’t need it!
High tech extras
Enjoy a heap of additional features, powered by the smart thermostat technology.
From monitoring the weather to detecting the location of your phone to see when someone is home, many smart thermostats have features to help give you the best performance for your home heating – and it does all the heavy lifting for you.
How smart thermostats help save on energy bills
We’ve already mentioned that smart thermostats can help you reduce your energy bills.
But how exactly do they do this?
Here are just a few of the ways a smart thermostat can help you save.
- Give you greater visibility around your energy usage
- Offer increased control
- Features like holiday mode
- Learn habits to reduce energy wastage
- Sensors to detect when someone has entered or exited a room
Of course, not all smart thermostats have the same features. For instance, they won’t all have the ability to turn the heating on or off based on whether they detect that someone has entered or exited a room.
However, the goal for smart thermostats is largely the same – to give you greater visibility and control of your energy usage, helping you to reduce waste and therefore only paying for the energy you actually need.
Should you install a smart thermostat yourself or hire a tradesperson?
You might be tempted to reduce your costs by installing a smart thermostat yourself.
However, in most cases, you’ll need the help of a qualified electrician or gas engineer to install your smart thermostat safely.
This is because some thermostats need to be wired in, and they’ll also need to be compatible with your boiler.
That said, if you’re really keen to take the DIY route, there are some smart thermostat products that have been designed especially for DIY installation.
For instance, if you opt for a Tado thermostat, the company has an app that can walk you through how to install it yourself, step by step.
Just bear in mind that they won’t walk you through how to unwire your old thermostat – so, you’ll still need the help of an electrician for this part!
It’s also worth noting that the vast majority of your smart thermostat costs will be the cost of the actual unit itself – rather than installation. So, you won’t save an awful lot by taking the DIY route.
On the other hand, professional installation will give you peace of mind that your smart thermostat has been installed correctly, safely and to a high standard – while saving you a great deal of time and stress!
How to find a reliable tradesperson for local smart thermostat installation
If you’re looking for a reliable tradesperson for professional smart thermostat installation, you’re in the right place.
At Checkatrade, all our tradespeople are carefully vetted and have to pass up to 12 checks to get listed on our directory.
Plus, they regularly receive reviews from homeowners on everything from punctuality and professionalism.
In fact, we’re so confident in the quality of the trades on Checkatrade that if you book through us, we guarantee their work up to £1,000 (guaranteed for 12 months – Eligibility and T&Cs apply).
Enter your postcode below to find and book a trusted tradesperson for smart thermostat installation today.
We check the reviews on Checkatrade are from real people, and that trades meet our high standards.
Working with professional estimators, we collate cost estimates for the common home improvement and repair jobs in the UK.
All the costs are estimates only. For accurate costs for your particular requirements, you are encouraged to reach out to professional tradespeople to receive a quote for your job.
Our estimators are Chartered Members (MRICS) of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and Members of the Chartered Institute of Building (MCIOB). See full disclaimer.
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