Winner
Updated October 2026
Data from the official Ecobee and Google sites.
2026 verdict
The Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential takes this smart thermostat matchup over the Google Nest Thermostat, mostly for the rooms it can balance and the years of cover.
It supports remote SmartSensors chosen by presence, full Home Assistant support, temperature alerts and a three year warranty, where the Nest answers with one year and only partial Home Assistant integration. The Google Nest Thermostat is the lower priced of the two and wins on sensing and radios: occupancy and ambient light sensing beside proximity, plus 5 GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, in a compact body offered in four colours. Both work with Apple Home, Google Home, Alexa and SmartThings, measure humidity and show time and weather, and neither supports Matter. Choose the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential for multi-room comfort and a longer warranty, and the Google Nest Thermostat for an affordable, compact thermostat in a Google home.
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| Feature | Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential | Google Nest Thermostat | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $139.00 | $85.49 | Google Nest Thermostat |
| Rating | 4.2 | 4.1 | Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential |
| Warranty | 3 years | 1 year | Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential |
| Connectivity | 2.4 GHz WiFi, Bluetooth | 2.4 GHz WiFi, 5 GHz WiFi, Bluetooth | Google Nest Thermostat |
| Integrations | Google Home, Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Samsung SmartThings, Home Assistant, External Temperature Sensors | Google Home, Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Samsung SmartThings, Home Assistant | Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential |
| Sensors | Proximity / Motion, Temperature, Humidity | Proximity / Motion, Occupancy, Temperature, Humidity, Ambient Light | Google Nest Thermostat |
| Alerts | Temperature Alerts, Intrude Alerts | Temperature Alerts | Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential |
| Screen | YES | YES | Tie |
| Energy Savings | YES | YES | Tie |
| System Health Monitor | NO | NO | Tie |
| Voice Control | YES | YES | Tie |
| Speaker | NO | NO | Tie |
What the differences mean
Remote room sensors
The Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential works with remote SmartSensors and follows the room by presence, which evens out a cold bedroom. The Google Nest Thermostat supports no external sensors and heats to the reading at the wall.
Screen
The Ecobee has a 4 inch 540 x 540 colour touchscreen. The Google Nest Thermostat has a 2.4 inch colour display at 240 x 320 driven from a touch strip on its side, compact but smaller to read and adjust.
Sensors on the unit
The Google Nest Thermostat adds an occupancy sensor and an ambient light sensor that dims the screen and corrects for sun on the wall. The Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential senses proximity but has neither.
Warranty and Home Assistant
Ecobee gives three years of warranty and Google one. The Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential is fully supported in Home Assistant, while the Google Nest Thermostat integration is only partial.
Wi-Fi
The Google Nest Thermostat connects on 2.4 or 5 GHz with Bluetooth; the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential is 2.4 GHz only.
Which one to buy if
- some rooms are always too hot or too cold
Only the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential works with remote room sensors.
- you run Home Assistant
The Ecobee is fully supported, while the Google Nest Thermostat integration is partial.
- you want the most affordable thermostat for a Google home
The Google Nest Thermostat is the lower priced of the two and is managed in the Google Home app.
- the thermostat has to match the wall colour
The Google Nest Thermostat comes in four colours; the Ecobee in one.
Winner
$139.00
- + Rating: 4.2
- + Warranty: 3 years
- + Integrations: Google Home, Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Samsung SmartThings, Home Assistant, External Temperature Sensors
- - Price: $139.00 vs $85.49
- - Connectivity: 2.4 GHz WiFi, Bluetooth vs 2.4 GHz WiFi, 5 GHz WiFi, Bluetooth
34% OFF
$85.49
$129.99
- + Price: $85.49
- + Connectivity: 2.4 GHz WiFi, 5 GHz WiFi, Bluetooth
- + Sensors: Proximity / Motion, Occupancy, Temperature, Humidity, Ambient Light
- - Rating: 4.1 vs 4.2
- - Warranty: 1 year vs 3 years
What owners say
Google Nest Thermostat owners are mostly people leaving an old dial or a thermostat they never programmed, and they report the savings they hoped for: lower heating bills, sometimes a rebate, and an eco and away mode that uses phone location and the motion sensor to stop heating an empty house. They like pre-heating from the phone, the clean display with the weather and an install of roughly half an hour. The recurring complaints are the C-wire requirement, control living only in the Google Home app, an eco mode that can switch on too eagerly and no support for remote sensors. Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential owners describe a quick DIY install, an intuitive app with schedules and monthly energy reports, and a clear touchscreen, with a few reporting early failures.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ecobee vs Nest: which thermostat is better?
The Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential, for remote sensor support, a larger touchscreen, full Home Assistant support and a three year warranty. The Google Nest Thermostat is cheaper and adds occupancy and ambient light sensing and 5 GHz Wi-Fi.
What is the biggest difference between the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential and the Google Nest Thermostat?
Remote sensors. The Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential can follow the temperature in the room you are in using Ecobee's sensors, while the Google Nest Thermostat only reads the temperature where it is mounted.
Do the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential and the Google Nest Thermostat work with Apple Home?
Yes. Both work with Apple Home, Google Home, Alexa and SmartThings. Neither supports Matter, and Home Assistant support is full on the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential and partial on the Google Nest Thermostat.
Which has the longer warranty, the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential or the Google Nest Thermostat?
The Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential, with three years. The Google Nest Thermostat comes with one year.
Who should buy the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential?
Homes with uneven temperatures, Home Assistant users and anyone who wants a touchscreen, automatic scheduling and a three year warranty without paying for Ecobee's top models.
Who should buy the Google Nest Thermostat?
Google households on a budget that want presence-aware eco mode, a compact design in a choice of colours and 5 GHz Wi-Fi, and do not need remote sensors.
Our store on AmazonShop our ideas on AmazonLists of the smart home setups we would put together ourselves, ready to add to your Amazon cart.Shop on AmazonFull comparison table
Compare all 23 Thermostats side by side
You are looking at two of them. The full table lines up all Thermostats in the catalog with the same specs, so you can filter by what you need and sort by price or rating.
- 23 Thermostats
- 51 specs compared
- 47 filters
SonoffThermostat Core
Unavailable
CieloBreez Max
$114.44
SensiSmart thermostat
25% OFF$129.99$98.00
SensiTouch smart thermostat
Unavailable
EcobeeSmart Thermostat Enhanced
10% OFF$199.99$179.98
GoogleNest Learning Thermostat
Unavailable
GoogleNest Learning Thermostat (4th gen)
18% OFF$279.99$229.99
CieloBreez Eco
$79.00
Honeywell HomeRTH9585WF Wi-Fi Smart Color Thermostat
31% OFF$179.99$123.49
EcobeeSmart Thermostat Premium
6% OFF$259.99$244.98
Honeywell HomeT9 Smart Thermostat
Unavailable
SensiTouch 2 smart thermostat
$185.14
AmazonSmart Thermostat
8% OFF$117.23$108.43
Honeywell HomeX7S Smart Thermostat
5% OFF$199.99$189.99- Ecobee
Smart Thermostat Essential
$139.00 
Honeywell HomeT5 Smart Thermostat
30% OFF$109.99$76.59
Honeywell HomeX2S Smart Thermostat
25% OFF$84.99$64.00
GoogleNest Thermostat
34% OFF$129.99$85.49
AqaraThermostat Hub W200
$159.99
Honeywell HomeX8S Smart Thermostat
Unavailable
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 SensorsEcobeeSmartSensor
4.6(8,767)$97.95- ThermostatsEcobee
Smart Thermostat Enhanced
4.4(3,727)10% OFF$199.99$179.98 - ThermostatsEcobee
Smart Thermostat Essential
4.2(1,907)$139.00 - ThermostatsEcobee
Smart Thermostat Premium
4.3(4,185)6% OFF$259.99$244.98
CamerasGoogleNest Cam (outdoor or indoor, battery)
4.1(6,089)$199.00
CamerasGoogleNest Cam Floodlight
4.4(1,914)$278.88
CamerasGoogleNest Cam Indoor (Wired, 3rd Gen)
4.5(1,107)$129.00
CamerasGoogleNest Cam Outdoor (Wired, 2nd Gen)
4.4(803)Unavailable
CamerasGoogleNest Cam (indoor, wired)
4.4(5,430)$99.95
DisplaysGoogleNest Hub (2nd Gen)
4.2(1,155)$249.00
DisplaysGoogleNest Hub Max
4.3(215)Unavailable
DoorbellsGoogleNest Doorbell (battery)
4.2(5,096)10% OFF$199.99$179.99
DoorbellsGoogleNest Doorbell (wired, 3rd Gen)
4.4(1,129)$199.00
DoorbellsGoogleNest Doorbell (wired, 2nd Gen)
4.3(1,048)16% OFF$179.99$151.50
Door LocksGoogleNest x Yale Lock
4.2(2,029)$219.00
RoutersGoogleNest WiFi Pro
4.0(2,498)$199.99
Smoke & CO DetectorsGoogleNest Protect (Battery)
4.4(7,507)Unavailable
Smoke & CO DetectorsGoogleNest Protect (Wired)
4.6(4,630)Unavailable
SpeakersGoogleNest Audio
4.4(225)Unavailable
SpeakersGoogleNest Mini (2nd gen)
4.3(2,162)Unavailable
Streaming DevicesGoogleTV Streamer (4K)
4.3(4,315)$149.99
Temperature & Humidity SensorsGoogleNest Temperature Sensor (2nd gen)
4.4(1,335)$39.98
Temperature & Humidity SensorsGoogleNest Temperature Sensor
4.6(16,636)$39.00- ThermostatsGoogle
Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen)
4.4(2,615)18% OFF$279.99$229.99