Hive suits UK households who want a simple smart thermostat for their boiler and hot water, with boost, frost protection and holiday mode, from a company tied to British Gas. tado suits people who want room-by-room heating, broad smart home support through Matter, and AI features like open window detection without extra sensors. If you want one thermostat that just works, choose Hive; if you want every radiator on its own schedule, look at tado.
Hive says more than 2 million customers use it and tado says it's in over 1 million homes, but they come from different places. The Hive app is published by Centrica Hive Limited, and its EV chargers are installed by British Gas, while tado describes itself as a smart heating pioneer from Munich since 2011, with tado homes across Europe. I read Hive's home and thermostat pages, tado's UK site, and both App Store listings.
Hive and tado side by side
| Hive | tado | |
|---|---|---|
| Thermostats | Hive Thermostat and Thermostat Mini | Smart Thermostat X and Radiator Thermostat X |
| Room by room | Hive Radiator Valves | Smart Schedule and target temperature per room |
| Boiler link | OpenTherm for compatible combi boilers | Room Link and flow temperature control |
| Smart home | Works with smart speakers | Apple Home, Google Home, Alexa, SmartThings via Matter |
| App extras | Hive+ membership | AI Assist |
| Beyond heating | EV charging, solar, lights and plugs | EV charging, heat pumps, AC and energy tariffs |
What the Hive Thermostat does
Hive's thermostat page covers the everyday features well. Tap Boost on the device or in the app to switch the heating or hot water on for an hour. Frost protection warms your pipes in cold weather, you get an alert if you've gone out and left the heating on, and Holiday mode has heating and hot water ready when you're home.
There's a useful catch in the small print. Hive's OpenTherm feature, which tells compatible combi boilers how much heat to send, isn't currently compatible with multiple heating zones or Hive Radiator Valves. Hive says its thermostats work with most gas and LPG boilers, and the app now runs EV charging, solar panels, lights and smart plugs too.
What tado does room by room
tado's free app lets you control the heating from anywhere and set a Smart Schedule for each room. Room Link connects room thermostats to the boiler so it only runs when a room needs heat, and every room heats to its own target. Installation is DIY, with step-by-step instructions for your system, and tado works with Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa and Samsung SmartThings via Matter.
AI Assist is tado's optional extra. It adds Adaptive Heating that learns how each room warms up, Geofencing that turns heating off when nobody's home, Preheat before you arrive, and Open Window Detection that pauses heating without extra sensors. Air Comfort even warns you when a room is at risk of mould.
What sits on top of each free app
Both apps start free and offer more on top: Hive+ on Hive, and AI Assist on tado. Hive+ adds Saver mode and more insight into your heating, while tado's AI Assist adds the automation above, plus Energy IQ to show how much energy each room uses.
Who each one suits
Hive suits homes with one heating zone, people who want a familiar thermostat on the wall and British Gas customers who like having it all in one app. tado suits homes with radiators in many rooms, people who already use Apple Home or Google Home, and anyone keen on automation. If you work from home, here's how to make your home office a space you love, and why healthy air matters in an office.
My advice on Hive or tado
Count the rooms you'd heat differently. If the answer is one or two, a Hive Thermostat with boost and holiday mode will cover it neatly. If you'd like the bedrooms cooler, the office warmer and the spare room off, tado's room-by-room control and Matter support make it the better fit, and you can try the free app before you add AI Assist.
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Frequently asked questions
Who owns Hive?
The Hive app is published by Centrica Hive Limited, and Hive's EV chargers are installed by British Gas.
Where is tado from?
tado describes itself as a smart heating pioneer from Munich, since 2011.
Does tado work with Apple Home?
Yes. tado says it's compatible with Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa and Samsung SmartThings via Matter.
Can tado detect an open window?
Yes, with AI Assist. tado says Open Window Detection pauses your heating without needing extra sensors.
Does Hive OpenTherm work with radiator valves?
Not currently. Hive says OpenTherm isn't compatible with multiple heating zones or Hive Radiator Valves.
