Nest vs. Ecobee vs. Mysa: which Smart Thermostat is the best choice for most homes? By News Room 28 July 2026 4 Mins Read Homeowners weighing energy costs are asking whether a smart thermostat actually pays off, and how Nest, Ecobee and Mysa compare on price and features. Here's what the reviews and specs show for each brand's flagship models. Which Smart Thermostat saves you the most money? The Mysa Smart Thermostat is the most affordable of the three at $129 for the central HVAC model, while the Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) runs $279.99 and the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium costs $259.99. Mysa positions itself as costing "$70-120 less than premium competitors while including the same core features," according to the company's official website. Mysa also says software updates remain free for the life of the device and no features sit behind subscription paywalls. Nest's fourth-generation model, by contrast, learns your schedule automatically and includes a Nest Temperature Sensor. Ecobee's Premium ships with a SmartSensor, a built-in air quality monitor and built-in Alexa and Siri support. For buyers who want basic remote control without the extras, the entry-level Nest Thermostat drops to around $130. How does the Nest Learning Thermostat compare to the cheaper Nest Thermostat? The Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) costs $279.99 and learns your schedule automatically, while the Nest Thermostat (2020) runs about $130 but requires manual scheduling and does not support Nest Temperature Sensors. Roy Furchgott, writing for Wirecutter, called the Learning Thermostat "the smartest thermostat" and noted, "The Nest doesn't include a built-in smart-speaker and mic either, but for many that may be preferred." Will Greenwald and John R. Delaney at PC Mag described the cheaper Nest as a "top pick for anyone shopping for a smart thermostat on a budget," calling it "ideal if you have a smart home built around Google Assistant, especially if you use other Nest devices, since they are all designed to work together." They also flagged limits, including no support for three-stage heating systems, no automatic scheduling and no remote room sensors. Is the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium worth the price? The Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium sells for $259.99 and adds a built-in air quality monitor, one SmartSensor and built-in Alexa and Siri support. The step-down Ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced runs $199.99 without the air quality monitor or built-in speaker. Jon Reed reviewed the Premium for CNET and highlighted an unexpected feature, writing that "the Ecobee Smart thermostat Premium makes a half-decent Bluetooth speaker." Reed cautioned that "A smart thermostat, like any technology purchase, is not always a purely money-saving venture. It's a lifestyle choice." He also suggested watching for utility rebates, writing that "Utility companies, local governments and other entities routinely offer rebates, discounts and even free thermostats." Reed pointed shoppers considering a broader ecosystem toward Ecobee's home security devices. What makes the Mysa Smart Thermostat different from Nest and Ecobee? The Mysa Smart Thermostat undercuts both competitors on price, with the central HVAC model at $129 and the electric baseboard model around $159.99, and Mysa says it never sells user data to Google or Amazon. Mysa describes itself as "a privacy-focused Canadian company" that offers "energy monitoring as detailed as premium brands and Matter certification for future-proof smart home compatibility," per the company's website. The central HVAC model works with most 24V systems, including furnaces, heat pumps, central AC, boilers and radiant heating. The electric baseboard model connects to Wi-Fi and controls electric baseboard heaters through the app. Mysa does not offer advanced learning features or dedicated room temperature sensors, making it best for homeowners who want essential smart features and app control without paying for a premium ecosystem. Which Smart Thermostat works best with your smart home platform? Nest is designed around Google Home and Google Assistant, Ecobee ships with Alexa and Siri built in, and Mysa pairs with Alexa, Google Home or Apple HomeKit. The entry-level Nest Thermostat is best suited to homes already using Google Assistant and other Nest devices, per PC Mag, though its Matter support opens the door to other platforms. Ecobee's Premium doubles as a Bluetooth speaker and includes both Alexa and Siri, giving households that mix Apple and Amazon devices the most flexibility out of the box. Mysa's central HVAC and electric baseboard models both connect over Wi-Fi and work with any of the three major voice assistants, which broadens compatibility for buyers who have not committed to a single ecosystem.

Delivering free smart thermostats so people save energy, money. BC Hydro partners with Canadian clean tech to support energy conservation through Power Smart 2.0. Translations. Translation files are incoming and will be available shortly. News release. Vancouver. Monday, July 6, 2026 1:15 PM Media contacts. Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions. Media Relations [email protected] BC Hydro. Media Relations [email protected] 604-928-6488 Featured topics. Featured services. * Starting Monday, July 6, 2026, BC Hydro customers can register to receive free smart thermostats as part of the Power Smart 2.0 energy conservation plan * BC Hydro has partnered with Canadian companies Mysa and Sinopé to provide free smart thermostats to customers starting fall 2026 * Thermostats will come pre-enrolled in BC Hydro's Peak Saver program, giving customers the opportunity to earn seasonal rewards of $50, or $100 for income-qualified customers, while helping reduce electricity use during peak periods * Making free smart thermostats accessible is part of BC Hydro's Power Smart 2.0 plan, a $1-billion investment over three years to help customers save energy, reduce their bills and support a more efficient electricity system People throughout the province can now register to receive free smart thermostats that will help them reduce their energy use and save money. The free smart thermostat program is part of BC Hydro's Power Smart 2.0 plan, a $1-billion investment over three years to help people save energy and reduce their bills. To ensure funds stay in Canada, BC Hydro has signed agreements with Canadian smart thermostat providers Mysa and Sinopé to deliver free devices to customers. "This free smart thermostat initiative makes it easier for British Columbians to be part of a cleaner, more efficient energy future," said Adrian Dix Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions. "By partnering with Canadian companies to deliver practical, cost-saving technology to households, we're helping people take real climate action while saving money at the same time." Making smart technology more accessible Starting Monday, July 6, 2026, customers can visit BC Hydro's webpage to learn more about eligibility and register their email to be notified when the free smart thermostats become available in October 2026. Through the program, residential customers with electric baseboard-heated homes will be able to order as many as five free smart thermostats, manufactured by Mysa and Sinopé, through the companies' online platforms. The devices will include free shipping and will come pre-enrolled in BC Hydro's Peak Saver program, allowing customers to participate once installed. Peak Saver participants receive an annual reward of $50, or $100 for income-qualified customers, in exchange for helping reduce electricity demand during periods of peak system use. For smart thermostats, this may include lowering temperatures by a few degrees for short durations during the winter. Customers can override at any time, ensuring flexibility and control over their home comfort. "Smart thermostats are a simple but powerful way for customers to manage their energy use while helping reduce peak demand across the system," said Charlotte Mitha, president and CEO, BC Hydro. "Not only do they give customers better control and insight into their heating temperature settings and electricity use, they also make earning Peak Saver rewards automatic each year. This program makes it easier for more households to participate, delivering benefits for both customers and the reliability of B.C.'s electricity grid." Helping customers save while reducing peak demand The free smart thermostats (valued at approximately $350 per home) will be offered provincewide, with a focus on electrically heated homes - particularly those using baseboard heating. Approximately 800,000 homes in British Columbia, or more than 40% of all residential households, use electric heating, representing a significant opportunity to reduce peak demand through smart-thermostat adoption. By making smart-home technology more accessible, especially for customers living in condos and apartments who have traditionally had fewer opportunities to participate, the program will help BC Hydro expand its demand-response programs and support a more flexible, efficient electricity system. Through its partnerships with Mysa and Sinopé, BC Hydro aims to enrol an additional 75,000 households in Peak Saver by 2030, building on the nearly 200,000 customers already participating in the program. This will contribute to BC Hydro's broader Power Smart 2.0 target of achieving 800 megawatts of peak capacity savings by fiscal 2030, helping reduce the need for new generation and infrastructure. Powering growth, fuelling opportunities Power Smart 2.0 is part of BC Hydro's Powering Growth strategy that was launched on June 15, 2026. The strategy, a comprehensive plan to power growth, strengthen communities and support long-term economic development, is built on three pillars: * conserving electricity * optimizing existing BC Hydro infrastructure * building new generation and transmission projects The plan builds on the legacy of past investments while preparing the system for the future, ensuring it remains clean, reliable, flexible and ready to support growth for decades to come. Joshua Green, CEO, Mysa Smart Thermostats - "As a Canadian company, Mysa is proud to deepen our partnership with BC Hydro and our broader commitment to energy efficiency across British Columbia. B.C. has long been one of our largest markets and this free thermostat program lets us extend the benefits of smart thermostat technology to even more residents across the province, helping households reduce their energy costs while contributing to grid-level efficiency through the Peak Saver program." Maxime Caron-Labonté, chief commercial officer, Sinopé Technologies - "As a long-time partner of BC Hydro, working to deliver the best energy savings, we are deeply proud to be part of this program, where our newest and most advanced smart baseboard thermostat will be brought to British Columbians for free." George Anderson, parliamentary secretary for energy and climate solutions and MLA for Nanaimo-Lantzville - "With bold new offers like free smart thermostats, Power Smart 2.0 is putting the latest Canadian clean tech in peoples' homes and helping them save energy and save money. As we power economic growth forward with clean electricity, these savings support a more reliable and resilient electricity system for all British Columbians." Quick Fact: * Since 2008, BC Hydro's energy-efficiency programs have helped cut demand by more than 7,500 gigawatt hours per year, which is equivalent to the energy used by more than 750,000 homes. * To learn more about eligibility to receive free smart thermostats, and register to be notified when the offer becomes available in fall 2026, visit: bchydro.com/freethermostats (can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com) * To find out about energy savings under Power Smart 2.0, visit: https://www.bchydro.com/toolbar/about/strategies-plans-regulatory/supply-operations/power-smart-plan.html * To learn more about B.C.'s Powering Growth strategy, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2026ECS0030-000705 A backgrounder follows. Backgrounders. Power Smart 2.0 helps people save money, reduce energy use. BC Hydro's Power Smart 2.0 plan is the largest conservation investment in its history - more than $1 billion over three years to help customers save energy and reduce their bills. Making it easier to save energy Power Smart 2.0 introduces a suite of new tools and incentives to make saving energy easier than ever. These include: * free smart thermostats (a $350 value per home) for customers with baseboard heating and a new mobile app launching fall 2026 * instant rebates of $10-$200 at more than 300 stores across B.C. * rewards of up to $200 per year for residential customers, on top of additional bill savings * income-qualified households will have access to enhanced supports, with the potential to earn up to $325 annually * commercial and industrial customers will benefit from expanded funding, covering up to 100% of eligible project costs in some cases By 2030, Power Smart 2.0 is expected to deliver 800 megawatts of capacity savings and 2,200 gigawatt hours of annual energy savings, enough to power 220,000 homes, while avoiding more than $2 billion in avoided or deferred infrastructure costs. BC Hydro's Power Smart investment will help drive economic growth across the province, generating an estimated $1.4 billion in GDP and supporting 3,500 jobs each year. Translation files are incoming and will be available shortly.