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Thermostats · Head to head

Nest Thermostat vs Honeywell Home RTH9585WF Wi-Fi Smart Color Thermostat

Full Smart Thermostats comparison in 2026

Updated September 2026
Data from Amazon and official Google and Honeywell Home sites.
2026 verdict
In an Apple or Google household that wants the heating to back off when nobody is home, the Nest Thermostat is the better buy than the Honeywell Home RTH9585WF Wi-Fi Smart Color Thermostat.
Nest Thermostat
Winner
Nest Thermostat
$117.45$129.9910% OFF
Buy on Amazon USACheck price
The Nest adds Apple HomeKit, occupancy and proximity sensing that drive its eco and away mode, an ambient light sensor, and 5 GHz Wi-Fi with Bluetooth, and it is usually the cheaper of the two. The Honeywell Home RTH9585WF Wi-Fi Smart Color Thermostat counters with a customisable colour touchscreen, filter and humidifier pad reminders, monthly energy reports and full Home Assistant support, where the Nest is only partial. Both read humidity, send temperature alerts, work with Google Home, Alexa and SmartThings and carry a one year warranty, and neither supports Matter or room sensors. Choose the Nest Thermostat for presence-based savings, and the Honeywell for a big touchscreen and maintenance reminders.
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FeatureNest ThermostatHoneywell Home RTH9585WF Wi-Fi Smart Color ThermostatWinner
Price$117.45$123.49Nest Thermostat
Rating4.14.3Honeywell Home RTH9585WF Wi-Fi Smart Color Thermostat
Connectivity2.4 GHz WiFi, 5 GHz WiFi, Bluetooth2.4 GHz WiFiNest Thermostat
IntegrationsGoogle Home, Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Samsung SmartThings, Home AssistantGoogle Home, Alexa, Samsung SmartThings, Home AssistantNest Thermostat
SensorsProximity / Motion, Occupancy, Temperature, Humidity, Ambient LightTemperature, HumidityNest Thermostat
System Health MonitorNOYESHoneywell Home RTH9585WF Wi-Fi Smart Color Thermostat
Voice ControlNOYESHoneywell Home RTH9585WF Wi-Fi Smart Color Thermostat
Warranty1 year1 yearTie
ScreenYESYESTie
AlertsTemperature AlertsTemperature AlertsTie
Energy SavingsYESYESTie
SpeakerNONOTie

What the differences mean

Presence sensing

The Nest Thermostat has proximity, occupancy and ambient light sensors, so it can tell the house is empty and switch to eco. The Honeywell Home RTH9585WF Wi-Fi Smart Color Thermostat has none of these and relies on its schedule and Smart Response learning.

Apple Home

The Nest Thermostat works with Apple HomeKit; the Honeywell does not. Both work with Google Home, Alexa and SmartThings.

Screen and controls

The Honeywell has a full-colour touchscreen with a background you can match to the wall. The Nest has a 2.4 inch colour display behind a mirrored lens, operated from a touch strip rather than a touchscreen.

Maintenance and reports

The Honeywell reminds you about the filter and humidifier pad and sends monthly energy reports with tips. The Nest Thermostat has no system health monitor.

Wi-Fi and Home Assistant

The Nest joins 2.4 or 5 GHz networks and has Bluetooth, while the Honeywell is 2.4 GHz only. In Home Assistant it is the other way round: full support for the Honeywell, partial for the Nest Thermostat.

Which one to buy if

Winner
Google

Nest Thermostat

10% OFF
$117.45
$129.99
Buy on Amazon USACheck price
  • + Price: $117.45
  • + Connectivity: 2.4 GHz WiFi, 5 GHz WiFi, Bluetooth
  • + Integrations: Google Home, Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Samsung SmartThings, Home Assistant
  • - Rating: 4.1 vs 4.3
  • - System Health Monitor: NO vs YES

What owners say

Owners of both thermostats report straightforward installs, and both groups warn that a C wire, or an adapter, is part of the job. Nest Thermostat owners focus on savings: lower bills, utility rebates and an eco mode that uses phone location and the motion sensor to stop heating an empty house, plus weather on the display. Honeywell Home RTH9585WF Wi-Fi Smart Color Thermostat owners focus on durability, many having replaced Nest units that failed, and on the customisable colour screen with outdoor readings. The complaints differ: Nest Thermostat owners mention the Google Home app being the only way to manage it, a touch strip that feels less intuitive and an eco mode that can overreach, while Honeywell owners mention Resideo cloud outages and remote features that are effectively US-only.

Price history compared

Every price change of both, in the same store, so the gap between the two lines is what one costs more than the other.

  • Nest Thermostat
  • Honeywell Home RTH9585WF Wi-Fi Smart Color Thermostat

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better: Nest Thermostat or Honeywell Home RTH9585WF Wi-Fi Smart Color Thermostat?

The Nest Thermostat for most homes, thanks to occupancy sensing, Apple HomeKit support and dual band Wi-Fi. The Honeywell Home RTH9585WF Wi-Fi Smart Color Thermostat is the pick for a colour touchscreen, maintenance reminders and full Home Assistant support.

Does the Honeywell Home RTH9585WF Wi-Fi Smart Color Thermostat work with Google Home?

Yes. The Honeywell Home RTH9585WF Wi-Fi Smart Color Thermostat works with Google Home, Alexa, SmartThings and Home Assistant. It does not work with Apple HomeKit, which the Nest Thermostat supports.

Is there a Honeywell thermostat like the Nest Thermostat?

The Honeywell Home RTH9585WF Wi-Fi Smart Color Thermostat covers the same Google Home, Alexa and SmartThings control and adds a larger colour touchscreen, but it lacks the presence sensing that lets the Nest Thermostat switch to eco when the house is empty.

What is the biggest difference between the Nest Thermostat and the Honeywell Home RTH9585WF Wi-Fi Smart Color Thermostat?

How they save energy. The Nest Thermostat senses whether anyone is home, while the Honeywell Home RTH9585WF Wi-Fi Smart Color Thermostat learns your system's heating and cooling times and sends monthly energy reports.

Who should buy the Nest Thermostat?

Google or Apple Home households that want automatic eco savings based on who is home, and anyone with a 5 GHz router.

Who should buy the Honeywell Home RTH9585WF Wi-Fi Smart Color Thermostat?

Buyers who want a large customisable touchscreen, filter reminders and energy reports, and Home Assistant users.

Full comparison table

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