ecobee
ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium
$259.99
Released 2022
Best Smart Thermostats · head-to-head
ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium vs Amazon Smart Thermostat
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Amazon Smart Thermostat is cheaper at $59.99. Every spec and price links to its source.
Amazon
Amazon Smart Thermostat
$59.99Cheaper
Released 2021
Which is better: the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium or Amazon Smart Thermostat?
On the specs we track, they're closely matched. The Amazon Smart Thermostat is the cheaper at $59.99.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Prices verified at capture; live price may differ.
Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium | Amazon Smart Thermostat |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $259.99 | $59.99 |
| Brand | ecobee | Amazon |
| Released | 2022 | 2021 |
| Display | 4-inch full-color LCD touchscreen, 540x540 pixels | Basic segmented LED/LCD display; no color touchscreen |
| Sensors included | Built-in temperature, humidity, occupancy (radar), proximity; includes one SmartSensor (temperature + occupancy) in box; up to 20 additional sensors supported | Temperature plus indoor humidity sensor (humidity reported in Alexa app, not shown on the on-unit display); no occupancy sensor, no remote sensor support |
| Geofencing | Yes | Yes |
| Hvac compatibility | Most 24VAC systems: conventional 2H/2C, heat pumps 2H/2C + 2 stage AUX, boilers, PTACs, fan coil units (up to 3 fan speeds); Power Extender Kit included | Low-voltage 24V systems (forced air gas/oil/electric, heat pumps); single-stage systems; does not support ACC-/ACC+ terminals, dual-band Wi-Fi only on 2.4 GHz |
| C wire required | No | No |
| Voice assistants | Amazon Alexa (built-in), Apple Siri (via HomePod/HomePod mini), Google Assistant, Samsung SmartThings, IFTTT | Amazon Alexa only (requires separate Echo device) |
| Energy reports | Yes | Yes |
| Release | 2022 | 2021 |
Sources — ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium: ecobee.com (verified 2026-06-15). Amazon Smart Thermostat: safewise.com (verified 2026-06-15).
What's the difference between the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium and Amazon Smart Thermostat?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (4 of 7). Matching specs are omitted.
- Display: ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium 4-inch full-color LCD touchscreen, 540x540 pixels vs Amazon Smart Thermostat Basic segmented LED/LCD display; no color touchscreen
- Sensors included: ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium Built-in temperature, humidity, occupancy (radar), proximity; includes one SmartSensor (temperature + occupancy) in box; up to 20 additional sensors supported vs Amazon Smart Thermostat Temperature plus indoor humidity sensor (humidity reported in Alexa app, not shown on the on-unit display); no occupancy sensor, no remote sensor support
- Hvac compatibility: ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium Most 24VAC systems: conventional 2H/2C, heat pumps 2H/2C + 2 stage AUX, boilers, PTACs, fan coil units (up to 3 fan speeds); Power Extender Kit included vs Amazon Smart Thermostat Low-voltage 24V systems (forced air gas/oil/electric, heat pumps); single-stage systems; does not support ACC-/ACC+ terminals, dual-band Wi-Fi only on 2.4 GHz
- Voice assistants: ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium Amazon Alexa (built-in), Apple Siri (via HomePod/HomePod mini), Google Assistant, Samsung SmartThings, IFTTT vs Amazon Smart Thermostat Amazon Alexa only (requires separate Echo device)
What reviewers say
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium
Three whitelisted testers (Tom's Guide, TechHive, Reviewed) rate the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium a top-tier smart thermostat. Reviewed lab-tested temperature accuracy against a NIST-certified thermometer; Tom's Guide and TechHive evaluated it hands-on qualitatively. All praise the premium redesign, easy app-guided install, broad smart-home compatibility, and the included occupancy-sensing SmartSensor. Shared gripes: a weak built-in speaker, a limited air-quality sensor, and a high price. (3 sourced reviews, 1 lab-tested.)
Praised: Premium redesign — zinc body, glass display, responsive larger touchscreen; Broad smart-home compatibility (Alexa, Siri/HomeKit, Google, SmartThings, IFTTT); App-guided installation is quick and easy.
Flagged: Built-in speaker sounds weak/tinny; Air-quality sensor is limited — no particulate readings, cannot trigger HVAC fan; Expensive / premium price.
Amazon Smart Thermostat
Three whitelisted outlets reviewed the ~$60 Amazon Smart Thermostat in 2021-2022 and all rate it the best-value smart thermostat. Tom's Guide and Reviewed/USA Today are hands-on reviews (Reviewed wired it to a test rig); TechRadar is a 'should I buy' buying-advice piece with no hands-on testing. None report any lab-measured numbers (all measured arrays empty). The one universal caveat is that the thermostat is Alexa-only. All nine quotes were verified as literal substrings of the fetched pages. (3 sourced reviews, 2 lab-tested.)
Praised: Outstanding value at ~$60, undercutting Nest and Ecobee; Clean, minimalist design; includes a faceplate in the box; Intuitive Alexa Hunches automation for energy savings.
Flagged: Works only with Alexa — no Google Home or Apple HomeKit; No support for remote temperature sensors; Requires a C-wire (adapter needed for older homes).