Winner
Updated October 2026
Data from the official Ecobee and Shelly sites.
2026 verdict
For a home that already runs an ecobee thermostat, the Ecobee SmartSensor is the better sensor of this pair.
It pairs in minutes, measures temperature and detects occupancy so the thermostat can follow the rooms people actually use, and it brings the longest rated battery of the two plus a 3 year warranty and reach through HomeKit, Alexa, Google Home, SmartThings and Home Assistant. The Shelly BLU H&T ZB is the more flexible standalone option, with Zigbee and Bluetooth 5 LE, humidity, an IP54 shell and around three years on a CR2032, but it needs a coordinator or a Shelly gateway and has no occupancy sensing. Pick the Ecobee to complete an ecobee system, and the Shelly for a damp-room or multi-room Zigbee setup.
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| Feature | Ecobee SmartSensor | Shelly BLU H&T ZB | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $97.95 | $22.99 | Shelly BLU H&T ZB |
| Rating | 4.6 | 4.4 | Ecobee SmartSensor |
| Warranty | 3 years | 2 years | Ecobee SmartSensor |
| Battery Life | 5 years | 3 years | Ecobee SmartSensor |
| Connectivity | Other | Bluetooth, Zigbee | Shelly BLU H&T ZB |
| Integrations | Google Home, Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Samsung SmartThings, Home Assistant | Google Home, Alexa, Samsung SmartThings, Home Assistant | Ecobee SmartSensor |
| Alerts | Temperature Alerts | Temperature Alerts, Humidity Alerts | Shelly BLU H&T ZB |
| Screen | NO | NO | Tie |
| Sensors | Temperature, Occupancy | Temperature, Humidity | Tie |
What the differences mean
Occupancy sensing
The Ecobee SmartSensor detects occupancy, letting the thermostat follow the room that is in use and stop conditioning empty ones. The Shelly BLU H&T ZB has no occupancy channel, only temperature and humidity.
Humidity and weather
The Shelly BLU H&T ZB measures humidity and is rated IP54, so it suits a bathroom, garage or sheltered balcony. The Ecobee SmartSensor measures no humidity and carries no weather rating, keeping it strictly indoors.
Radios and host
The Shelly BLU H&T ZB runs Zigbee and Bluetooth 5 LE and needs a coordinator or a Shelly gateway. The Ecobee SmartSensor has a single proprietary link to an ecobee thermostat and no independent radio at all.
Battery
The Ecobee SmartSensor uses a single CR2477 rated for about five years. The Shelly BLU H&T ZB uses a CR2032 rated for around three years, which is generous for its size but shorter than the ecobee cell.
Warranty
Ecobee covers the SmartSensor for 3 years, while Shelly covers the BLU H&T ZB for 2.
Which one to buy if
- you already own an ecobee thermostat
The Ecobee SmartSensor drops into that system with occupancy based room priority in minutes.
- the sensor has to survive a bathroom or a garage
The Shelly BLU H&T ZB is IP54 rated and reads humidity, which the Ecobee does neither.
- you want the thermostat to stop heating empty rooms
Occupancy detection is unique to the Ecobee SmartSensor of these two.
- you want one small sensor in several rooms
The Shelly is 13 g and shares a Zigbee mesh, so it scales across a home more cheaply.
- you want a general-purpose sensor with any hub
The Shelly works with Zigbee2MQTT and a Shelly gateway, with no single-brand lock-in.
Winner
$97.95
- + Rating: 4.6
- + Warranty: 3 years
- + Battery Life: 5 years
- - Price: $97.95 vs $22.99
- - Connectivity: Other vs Bluetooth, Zigbee
$22.99
- + Price: $22.99
- + Connectivity: Bluetooth, Zigbee
- + Alerts: Temperature Alerts, Humidity Alerts
- - Rating: 4.4 vs 4.6
- - Warranty: 2 years vs 3 years
What owners say
Owners of the Ecobee SmartSensor focus on comfort balancing: it lets the thermostat average temperatures across the home or prioritise an occupied room, which several describe as the moment their heating stopped reacting to one hallway. They praise the minutes-long setup, the occupancy detection that avoids conditioning empty rooms, and the single CR2477 rated for around five years, and some run it through Home Assistant as well as the ecobee app. Their complaints are that it only works with ecobee thermostats and does not measure humidity, that range can be spotty in large multi-story homes, and that a few found the price high for a small puck. One owner had a unit fail to pair at first, and ecobee's support replaced it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better overall: Ecobee SmartSensor or Shelly BLU H&T ZB?
The Ecobee SmartSensor if you already have an ecobee thermostat, for its occupancy detection, five-year battery and three-year warranty. The Shelly BLU H&T ZB is better as a standalone sensor, since it measures humidity, is IP54 rated, runs Zigbee and Bluetooth and fits a Zigbee home directly.
What is the biggest difference between the Ecobee SmartSensor and the Shelly BLU H&T ZB?
The Ecobee SmartSensor reads temperature and occupancy for an ecobee thermostat, while the Shelly BLU H&T ZB is a standalone temperature and humidity sensor with two radios and a weather rating. One is a closed accessory, the other an open Zigbee device.
Does the Ecobee SmartSensor work without an ecobee thermostat?
No. The Ecobee SmartSensor communicates over a proprietary 915 MHz radio and has no Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, Z-Wave or Thread, so it only works as a companion to an existing ecobee thermostat.
Does the Shelly BLU H&T ZB measure humidity?
Yes. The Shelly BLU H&T ZB measures temperature and relative humidity across the full 0 to 100% RH range and is IP54 rated. The Ecobee SmartSensor measures temperature only, with no humidity channel.
How long do their batteries last?
The Ecobee SmartSensor runs on a single CR2477 rated for about five years. The Shelly BLU H&T ZB runs on a CR2032 rated for around three years, and its battery is treated as a consumable rather than a warranty item.
Who should buy which one?
Buy the Ecobee SmartSensor for an ecobee home that wants occupancy-aware heating and infrequent battery changes. Buy the Shelly BLU H&T ZB for a Zigbee home or a damp room, where its open protocol, humidity reading and IP54 shell matter more.
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Compare all 36 Temperature & Humidity Sensors side by side
You are looking at two of them. The full table lines up all Temperature & Humidity Sensors in the catalog with the same specs, so you can filter by what you need and sort by price or rating.
- 36 Temperature & Humidity Sensors
- 43 specs compared
- 39 filters
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Air Quality MonitorsEcobeeSmart Thermostat Premium
4.3(4,185)6% OFF$259.99$244.98
CamerasEcobeeSmartCamera
4.0(1,326)Unavailable
DoorbellsEcobeeSmart Doorbell Camera
4.1(1,079)25% OFF$159.99$119.99
Door & Window SensorsEcobeeSmartSensor for Doors & Windows
4.2(1,288)17% OFF$59.99$49.99- Temperature & Humidity SensorsEcobee
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ThermostatsEcobeeSmart Thermostat Enhanced
4.4(3,727)7% OFF$199.99$185.98
ThermostatsEcobeeSmart Thermostat Essential
4.2(1,907)$139.99
ThermostatsEcobeeSmart Thermostat Premium
4.3(4,185)6% OFF$259.99$244.98
ButtonsShellyBLU Button Tough 1 ZB
4.7(12)Unavailable
ButtonsShellyBLU RC Button 4 ZB
4.0(25)$23.99
CamerasShellyCamera
DisplaysShellyWall Display X1i
€188.90
DisplaysShellyWall Display XL
4.1(65)$349.99
DisplaysShellyWall Display
4.4(435)€133.66
Door & Window SensorsShellyBLU Door/Window Outdoor ZB
Door & Window SensorsShellyBLU Door/Window ZB
4.6(42)$22.99
Energy MonitorsShelly3EM-63W Gen3
4.5(152)$114.99
Energy MonitorsShellyEM Gen3
4.6(269)$69.99
Energy MonitorsShellyEM Gen4
Unavailable
Energy MonitorsShellyEM Mini Gen4
4.5(139)$24.99
Energy MonitorsShellyPro 3EM 3CT63
4.4(357)$150.99
Energy MonitorsShellyPro 3EM-400
4.3(21)$329.99
Energy MonitorsShellyPro 3EM v2
4.5(84)$154.99
Energy MonitorsShellyPro EM-50
4.6(956)$119.99
Gas DetectorsShellyGAS (CNG)
4.2(45)€63.61
Gas DetectorsShellyGAS (LPG)
LED BulbsShellyMulticolor Bulb E27 Gen3
4.2(35)€9.90
Motion SensorsShellyBLU Motion ZB
4.4(54)$26.99