Glossary · Controls, energy efficiency and insulation
Hive vs Nest: what is the difference?
Hive and the Google Nest Learning Thermostat are both smart thermostats that let you control central heating and hot water from a phone app. Hive Thermostat and Hive Thermostat Mini are made by Hive. Nest is made by Google. They differ in price, controls, learning features and which heating systems each lists.
Key points
- On their own pages Hive Thermostat costs £119 and Hive Thermostat Mini £79, while Google lists the Nest Learning Thermostat at £219.
- Google says the Nest Learning Thermostat learns your schedule in about a week. Hive's pages describe schedules you set in the app.
- Google lists air source and ground source heat pumps (heating only) as compatible with Nest. Hive says it cannot yet guarantee compatibility with heat pumps.
- Both state that they control hot water as well as heating, and both support OpenTherm modulation with compatible boilers.
- BASI supplies and fits Hive, and its Hive page quotes around £250 to £300 fitted, including the hub.
How Hive and Nest work
Both are smart thermostats. They connect to the internet so you can adjust your boiler from an app. Energy Saving Trust says this lets you change your heating if your plans change, and that some smart controls learn what temperature you like and how fast your home warms up.[7]Energy Saving Trust, The most economical ways to use your central heating
Hive’s pages say you can manage heating and hot water from anywhere with the Hive app and set schedules from the app.[1]Hive, Hive Thermostat Hive also lists frost protection, geolocation alerts that tell you if you have left the heating on, and a holiday mode.[1]Hive, Hive Thermostat Google says the Nest Learning Thermostat programs itself: you turn the temperature up and down, and it builds a schedule after about a week.[3]Google, Nest Learning Thermostat - Google Store It can use sensors and your phone’s location to switch to Eco temperatures when you leave.[3]Google, Nest Learning Thermostat - Google Store
The differences side by side
This table uses only each maker’s own pages. The Nest column is the 3rd generation Nest Learning Thermostat listed on the Google Store UK page we read on 11 November 2026.
| Hive Thermostat | Hive Thermostat Mini | Nest Learning Thermostat | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price on maker’s page | £119 | £79 | £219 |
| On the device | Dial, plus app | Controls on the thermostat itself, plus app | Ring and display, plus app |
| Power | 4 x AA batteries in the thermostat | 4 x AAA batteries in the thermostat | Built-in rechargeable battery |
| Links to boiler by | Receiver on 230 V mains | Receiver on 230 V mains | Heat Link in the box |
| Multiple zones | Up to 6 | Up to 6 | One Nest per zone, up to 20 per home |
| Hive+ or similar paid tier | Hive+ £3.99 a month or £39.90 a year | Same | Not stated on the pages we read |
The sources for the table are Hive’s two pages[1]Hive, Hive Thermostat[2]Hive, Hive Thermostat Mini and Google’s product and specification pages.[3]Google, Nest Learning Thermostat - Google Store[4]Google, Nest Learning Thermostat - Installation and Tech Specs
Which heating systems each works with
Hive lists most gas and LPG boilers, oil boilers that already have a thermostat or programmer, and electric boilers with a standard room thermostat or programmer. It says the thermostat does not work with storage heaters or plug-in electric room heaters, and that its engineers cannot install on solid fuel boilers or heat pumps because testing is not complete.[1]Hive, Hive Thermostat
Google lists combi boilers, system and heat-only boilers, hot water tanks, hydronic underfloor systems, zoned systems and air source and ground source heat pumps (heating only).[4]Google, Nest Learning Thermostat - Installation and Tech Specs Its help page says Nest only supports low-current systems, up to 3 A, and does not support high-current systems such as electric radiators or electric underfloor systems.[5]Google, Nest thermostat compatibility
Both mention OpenTherm. Hive says it can tell compatible combi boilers how much heat is needed, and claims up to 12% extra energy savings.[1]Hive, Hive Thermostat Google says the Nest Heat Link works with OpenTherm for heating and hot water.[4]Google, Nest Learning Thermostat - Installation and Tech Specs
Installation
Google says the Nest Learning Thermostat should be installed by a professional, who connects the Heat Link and sets it up.[3]Google, Nest Learning Thermostat - Google Store Hive offers installation by a British Gas-backed expert at checkout, and says pro-install includes a year of Hive+.[1]Hive, Hive Thermostat
BASI fits Hive. Its Hive page quotes around £250 to £300 supplied and fitted including the hub, checked on 18 October 2026, and says fitting at a boiler install or service visit needs no extra call-out.[6]BASI Heating, Hive smart heating, supplied and fitted Nest is not on that page. See our Hive smart heating page.
Example
Amrit in Halifax has a combi boiler and wants to cut heating bills. Both makers list combi boilers. He compares prices on their own pages: £119 for Hive’s thermostat against £219 for Nest.[1]Hive, Hive Thermostat[3]Google, Nest Learning Thermostat - Google Store He wants an engineer to fit it in one visit alongside his boiler service. BASI fits Hive, so he chooses that.[6]BASI Heating, Hive smart heating, supplied and fitted If his home had a heat pump, Google’s compatibility list would point him to Nest instead.[4]Google, Nest Learning Thermostat - Installation and Tech Specs
What people get wrong
People look for a winner. The facts only decide it for a stated need: a heat pump points to Nest, a lower price or a BASI fit points to Hive.
A smart thermostat saves energy only if the heating is set up well. Hive says its saving is up to £182 a year.[1]Hive, Hive Thermostat Neither maker’s page can promise a figure for your house. Hive says its thermostat does not work with storage heaters, and Google says Nest does not support high-current systems such as electric radiators. See electric heating if that is what you have.[1]Hive, Hive Thermostat[5]Google, Nest thermostat compatibility
The bottom line
Hive and Nest do the same job and differ in price, learning features and the systems they list. Hive is cheaper on the makers’ own pages and BASI fits it. Nest costs more and lists heat pumps as compatible. Check your own boiler or heat pump against each maker’s compatibility page before you buy, and ask an installer to confirm.
Common questions
Is Hive or Nest cheaper?
Hive is cheaper on the makers' own pages: £119 for the Hive Thermostat and £79 for the Mini, against £219 for the Nest Learning Thermostat on the Google Store.
Does Nest work with a heat pump?
Google lists air source and ground source heat pumps (heating only) as compatible. Hive's page says its engineers cannot install on heat pumps because testing is not complete, so it cannot guarantee compatibility.
Do Hive and Nest control hot water?
Yes. Hive says you can manage heating and hot water from the app and set schedules for both. Google says the Nest Learning Thermostat comes with a hot water schedule you can adjust and boost in the Nest app.
Can BASI fit a Hive thermostat?
Yes. BASI supplies and fits Hive across Yorkshire. Its Hive page quotes around £250 to £300 including the hub, and fitting during a boiler install or service visit is included in one visit.
Sources
We cite the original source for every figure: government, regulators, standards bodies and manufacturers' own documents. Each one shows the date we last checked it.
- Hive. Hive Thermostat. Checked 11 November 2026. ↩
- Hive. Hive Thermostat Mini. Checked 11 November 2026. ↩
- Google. Nest Learning Thermostat - Google Store. Checked 11 November 2026. ↩
- Google. Nest Learning Thermostat - Installation and Tech Specs. Checked 11 November 2026. ↩
- Google. Nest thermostat compatibility. Checked 11 November 2026. ↩
- BASI Heating. Hive smart heating, supplied and fitted. Checked 11 November 2026. ↩
- Energy Saving Trust. The most economical ways to use your central heating. Checked 11 November 2026. ↩