Winner
Updated October 2026
Data from the official Ecobee and Sensi sites.
2026 verdict
The Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential comes out ahead here on connectivity, integrations, sensors and alerts, even though the Sensi Smart thermostat undercuts it on price and carries the higher owner rating.
Both are DIY thermostats with a 3 year warranty, temperature and humidity sensing, and support for Alexa, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings and Home Assistant. What separates them is Apple HomeKit, which the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential supports and current Sensi Smart thermostat units do not, and remote room sensors: the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential can add ecobee SmartSensors to balance an uneven room, while the Sensi Smart thermostat has no such option at all. The Sensi Smart thermostat answers back with physical buttons on a larger display and a lower price, which is plenty for anyone who just wants a straightforward Wi-Fi thermostat. Pick the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential for Apple Home support and the option to add sensors later, and the Sensi Smart thermostat for a cheaper, simpler thermostat with real buttons.
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| Feature | Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential | Sensi Smart thermostat | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $139.00 | $98.00 | Sensi Smart thermostat |
| Rating | 4.2 | 4.4 | Sensi Smart thermostat |
| Connectivity | 2.4 GHz WiFi, Bluetooth | 2.4 GHz WiFi | Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential |
| Integrations | Google Home, Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Samsung SmartThings, Home Assistant, External Temperature Sensors | Google Home, Alexa, Samsung SmartThings, Home Assistant | Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential |
| Sensors | Proximity / Motion, Temperature, Humidity | Temperature, Humidity | Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential |
| Alerts | Temperature Alerts, Intrude Alerts | None | Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential |
| Warranty | 3 years | 3 years | Tie |
| 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 can follow ecobee SmartSensors placed in other rooms, which is what fixes a home where one room always runs hot or cold, though the sensors are sold separately and none ships in the box. The Sensi Smart thermostat has no way to add an external sensor at all, so it always reads the room where it hangs.
Apple Home support
The Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential works with Apple HomeKit alongside Google Home, Alexa, SmartThings and Home Assistant. Sensi no longer lists the Sensi Smart thermostat as HomeKit compatible, so an iPhone household loses the Home app tile, even though every other platform still works on it.
Display
The Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential has a 4 inch color touchscreen you tap to change settings. The Sensi Smart thermostat uses a larger 5 inch monochrome LED display read and adjusted with physical buttons instead, which some owners prefer for the tactile feel.
Alerts
The Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential can warn you about a sudden temperature swing and, with an ecobee Smart Security subscription, sound an alert if it detects an intruder. The Sensi Smart thermostat has neither: no temperature alerts and no security integration of any kind.
Which one to buy if
- one room in the house always runs hot or cold
Adding ecobee SmartSensors lets the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential follow whichever room has people in it, something the Sensi Smart thermostat cannot do at all.
- your home runs on Apple Home
The Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential keeps its HomeKit tile; the Sensi Smart thermostat dropped Apple Home support.
- you would rather press a button than tap a screen
The Sensi Smart thermostat uses physical controls and a bigger display instead of the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential's touchscreen.
- price is the deciding factor
The Sensi Smart thermostat is the more affordable of the two and still covers scheduling, geofencing and voice control.
- you want a warning when the temperature swings suddenly
The Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential sends temperature alerts; the Sensi Smart thermostat has no alerts of any kind.
Winner
$139.00
- + Connectivity: 2.4 GHz WiFi, Bluetooth
- + Integrations: Google Home, Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Samsung SmartThings, Home Assistant, External Temperature Sensors
- + Sensors: Proximity / Motion, Temperature, Humidity
- - Price: $139.00 vs $98.00
- - Rating: 4.2 vs 4.4
25% OFF
$98.00
$129.99
- + Price: $98.00
- + Rating: 4.4
- - Connectivity: 2.4 GHz WiFi vs 2.4 GHz WiFi, Bluetooth
- - Integrations: Google Home, Alexa, Samsung SmartThings, Home Assistant vs Google Home, Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Samsung SmartThings, Home Assistant, External Temperature Sensors
What owners say
Owners of both approve of the same start: the phone app walks through matching the old wiring to the new terminals and gets each thermostat running within an hour, no electrician needed. Beyond that they diverge. Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential owners talk about the color touchscreen and, once they add a SmartSensor, finally getting the thermostat to react to the room people are actually in, while a handful mention a unit that stopped working reliably after a few months. Sensi Smart thermostat owners praise the physical buttons and the large display, geofencing that adjusts the schedule as they leave and return, a fan setting that circulates air part of each hour, and HVAC runtime reports, with several long-term owners calling it something they forget about because it just works; their complaints are a Wi-Fi connection that drops occasionally and an app that only accepts a US or Canadian address.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better overall: Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential or Sensi Smart thermostat?
The Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential, mainly for its Apple HomeKit support and the option to add ecobee SmartSensors for room-by-room comfort. The Sensi Smart thermostat is the cheaper, higher-rated alternative if neither of those matters to you.
What is the biggest difference between the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential and the Sensi Smart thermostat?
Remote room sensors. The Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential can add ecobee SmartSensors to read the room people are actually in, while the Sensi Smart thermostat has no way to add an external sensor and always reads the wall where it is mounted.
Does the Sensi Smart thermostat work with Apple HomeKit?
No. Sensi no longer lists the Sensi Smart thermostat as HomeKit compatible; some earlier units supported it but current ones do not, and it cannot be added by a firmware update. The Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential still works with Apple HomeKit.
Do the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential and the Sensi Smart thermostat come with a room sensor in the box?
No. The Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential can use ecobee SmartSensors, but they are sold separately, and the Sensi Smart thermostat does not support external sensors at all.
Who should buy the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential?
Anyone on Apple HomeKit, anyone with a room that runs hotter or colder than the rest of the house and is willing to add a SmartSensor, and buyers who want a touchscreen.
Who should buy the Sensi Smart thermostat?
Buyers on Alexa, Google Home, SmartThings or Home Assistant who want physical buttons, a bigger display and the lower price of the two, and do not need Apple Home or room sensors.
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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
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Smart thermostat
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