Smart Thermostats / ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) vs Sensi Lite (ST25)
ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) vs Sensi Lite (ST25)
ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01)
Best sensors and deepest heat-pump staging here — and still no Matter in 2026.
Wins overall by 2.7 points
Quick Verdict
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) takes this by a clear 2.7 points. Best sensors and deepest heat-pump staging here — and still no Matter in 2026. The Sensi Lite (ST25) only makes sense if it wins on a category you care about more than the total.
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) and Sensi Lite (ST25) are both closely matched smart Thermostat models, and the Sensi Lite (ST25) is $181 cheaper than the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) ($79 vs $259.99). On Multi-Room Sensing, the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) leads (9.5 vs 1.0/10) — remote sensors: included or extra, how many pair, and whether they read occupancy or only temperature. On Display & On-Device Control, the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) leads (9.0 vs 5.0/10) — screen quality and how much you can do at the wall instead of in the phone app. On Smart Home Integration, the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) leads (7.5 vs 4.0/10) — matter, Apple Home, Alexa and Google support — and how much each one actually exposes. Overall, the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) scores 8.6/10 across our 8 scoring categories versus 5.9/10 for the Sensi Lite (ST25). Below, we break down the full spec sheet, category-by-category scores, and exactly who should buy which one.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Spec | ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) | Sensi Lite (ST25) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $259.99 | $79.00 |
| Release Year | 2022 | 2023 |
| System Voltage | Low voltage 24VAC — furnaces, air conditioners, heat pumps, boilers, PTAC and fan coil units. Not for 120/240V line-voltage heat | Low voltage 24VAC (20-30VAC, 50/60Hz). Not for 120/240V line-voltage heat |
| C-Wire Required | Not in practice. ecobee ships the Power Extender Kit in the box, which synthesises a common wire from R, W, Y and G at the furnace. Direct wiring uses C and Rc if you do have five wires | Mostly no — and Copeland is unusually honest about the exception. Its own product title reads 'C-Wire Not Required, Except On Heat/Cool Only and Heat Pump Systems', and the manual confirms heat-only, cool-only and heat pump systems all need a common wire |
| Adapter / Power Kit Included | Yes — Power Extender Kit included. The same kit is a $24.99 extra on the Essential | No adapter is included, and none is needed on the majority of conventional systems |
| Heating & Cooling Stages | 2H/2C conventional; boilers, PTAC and fan coil units with up to 3 fan speeds | 2H/1C or 1H/2C, single and multi-stage, gas, oil or electric. Ten terminals: R, C, W/E, G, Y, O/B, Y2, W2, L and AUX, rated 1.5A per terminal and 2.5A total |
| Heat Pump & Aux Heat | Yes — heat pump 2H/2C plus 2 stages of auxiliary heat, the deepest heat-pump staging in this set | Yes — heat pump 2H/1C, and the manual lists dual fuel and zone valve configurations. A heat pump does need a C wire on this model |
| Humidifier / Ventilator Terminals | One 1-wire or one 2-wire accessory on the ACC+/ACC− terminals: humidifier, dehumidifier or HRV/ERV ventilator | None — no humidifier, dehumidifier or ventilator output |
| Remote Sensors | One SmartSensor in the box; up to 32 pair, over a 915MHz radio at up to 60 ft. Extra sensors are $99.99 for a 2-pack | None. Copeland states only the Sensi Touch 2 works with Sensi Room Sensors |
| Occupancy Detection | Radar occupancy and proximity in the thermostat, and every SmartSensor also detects occupancy over a 140° x 100° field to about 20 ft | None. Away control is geofencing from your phone only |
| Matter Support | Not shipping on this model. ecobee's own spec page lists HomeKit, Alexa, Google Assistant, SmartThings and IFTTT and never mentions Matter; third-party write-ups describe a phased rollout, so treat Matter as unconfirmed here | No |
| Voice & Smart Home Platforms | Apple HomeKit with Siri, Alexa built in (speaker and microphone), Google Assistant, Samsung SmartThings, IFTTT | Sensi app, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Samsung SmartThings. No Apple Home |
| Utility Rebates & Demand Response | eco+ Community Energy Savings with 150+ North American utilities. ecobee states events move your temperature 1-4°F for no more than a few hours, a handful of times a year, and you can opt out of any event from the app; some programs pay an enrolment rebate up to $125 | ENERGY STAR certified, rated for about 23% HVAC energy savings, and stocked across US utility rebate marketplaces |
| Account or Subscription Needed | No subscription for eco+, energy reports, remote sensors or scheduling. ecobee Smart Security — the intrusion-monitoring layer on the same hardware — is the paid tier | No subscription. A free Sensi account is required |
| Warranty | 36 months | 36 months |
| Colors | Black | Black (ST25), White (ST25W) |
Category Scores
C-Wire Freedom
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) leads clearly here, 9.5 against 8.0 — a 1.5-point margin on how likely this thermostat is to run on the wiring you already have — whether it needs a common wire, and whether the workaround is in the box, sold separately, or an electrician's visit. The single biggest cause of returns in this category.. If that is what you are buying for, the Sensi Lite (ST25) does not close the gap elsewhere.
HVAC Coverage
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) leads clearly here, 9.5 against 6.5 — a 3.0-point margin on stages of heating and cooling, heat pump and auxiliary heat handling, and humidifier / dehumidifier / ventilator terminals. If that is what you are buying for, the Sensi Lite (ST25) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Multi-Room Sensing
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) leads clearly here, 9.5 against 1.0 — a 8.5-point margin on remote sensors: included or extra, how many pair, and whether they read occupancy or only temperature. If that is what you are buying for, the Sensi Lite (ST25) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Smart Home Integration
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) leads clearly here, 7.5 against 4.0 — a 3.5-point margin on matter, Apple Home, Alexa and Google support — and how much each one actually exposes. If that is what you are buying for, the Sensi Lite (ST25) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Scheduling & Learning
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) leads clearly here, 8.5 against 5.0 — a 3.5-point margin on learning, geofencing, away detection and how much of it works without babysitting the app. If that is what you are buying for, the Sensi Lite (ST25) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Display & On-Device Control
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) leads clearly here, 9.0 against 5.0 — a 4.0-point margin on screen quality and how much you can do at the wall instead of in the phone app. If that is what you are buying for, the Sensi Lite (ST25) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Installation
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) and Sensi Lite (ST25) are level here, at 8.5/10 each. wiring complexity, guided setup, and how likely a DIY install is to end in a service call is not what separates these two — look to the categories where the scores diverge.
Value
The Sensi Lite (ST25) leads clearly here, 9.0 against 6.5 — a 2.5-point margin on what the money buys once accessories, adapters and sensors are added in. If that is what you are buying for, the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Best For
Choose the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) if…
- • Multi-Room Sensing matters most to you — the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) scores 9.5/10 here (remote sensors: included or extra, how many pair, and whether they read occupancy or only temperature).
- • Display & On-Device Control matters most to you — the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) scores 9.0/10 here (screen quality and how much you can do at the wall instead of in the phone app).
- • Smart Home Integration matters most to you — the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) scores 7.5/10 here (matter, Apple Home, Alexa and Google support — and how much each one actually exposes).
- • Scheduling & Learning matters most to you — the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) scores 8.5/10 here (learning, geofencing, away detection and how much of it works without babysitting the app).
- • HVAC Coverage matters most to you — the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) scores 9.5/10 here (stages of heating and cooling, heat pump and auxiliary heat handling, and humidifier / dehumidifier / ventilator terminals).
Choose the Sensi Lite (ST25) if…
- • You want to spend less — it's $181 cheaper.
- • Your main use case is budget.
Pros & Cons
ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01)
Pros
- +The Power Extender Kit is in the box, so the C-wire problem is solved at purchase rather than at $25 extra or a $200 electrician call
- +Heat pump 2H/2C plus two auxiliary stages beats every other thermostat here on staging depth
- +SmartSensors detect occupancy as well as temperature — Google's, Honeywell's cheaper models' and Sensi's sensors mostly do not
- +Built-in speaker and mic make it a working Alexa device, and it doubles as an ecobee Smart Security hub
- +3-year warranty, a year longer than Google and Resideo
Cons
- −No Matter. ecobee's own spec sheet lists HomeKit, Alexa, Google, SmartThings and IFTTT and nothing else, which is a strange gap on a $260 flagship in 2026
- −$259.99 is the second-highest price here and it went up — ecobee has quietly raised list prices across the range
- −The air-quality monitor produces a score and advice, not a calibrated PM2.5 or VOC reading you can act on
- −Alexa built in means an always-listening mic on your hallway wall, with no hardware mute switch of the kind Echo speakers have
- −Only one accessory circuit — a humidifier and an ERV cannot both be wired at once
Sensi Lite (ST25)
Pros
- +One of only three thermostats here that runs without a C wire on ordinary conventional systems, and by far the cheapest
- +Ten terminals including AUX and L, with dual-fuel and zone-valve support that no other sub-$100 model here documents
- +Copeland spells out the C-wire exception in the product title itself instead of burying it in a compatibility checker
- +$79 street against $89.99 list, with heavy utility-marketplace rebate availability
Cons
- −The C-wire exemption evaporates exactly where it matters: heat-only, cool-only and heat pump systems all need one
- −No Apple Home and no Matter, so it is Alexa, Google or the Sensi app and nothing else
- −No room sensor support at all — Copeland reserves Sensi Room Sensors for the Touch 2
- −No humidifier or ventilator terminals despite the generous terminal count
- −No trim plate and no battery backup — the manual states there is no battery option, so a blown 24V fuse leaves the screen dark
Shop by Need
FAQs
Is the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) or Sensi Lite (ST25) better overall?+
Based on our 8-category scoring, the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) comes out ahead overall. See the full breakdown in the scores section above — the right pick still depends on which categories matter most for your use case.
Which is better for Multi-Room Sensing, the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) or the Sensi Lite (ST25)?+
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) scores higher on Multi-Room Sensing (9.5/10 vs 1.0/10) — remote sensors: included or extra, how many pair, and whether they read occupancy or only temperature.
Which is better for Display & On-Device Control, the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) or the Sensi Lite (ST25)?+
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) scores higher on Display & On-Device Control (9.0/10 vs 5.0/10) — screen quality and how much you can do at the wall instead of in the phone app.
Which is better for Smart Home Integration, the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) or the Sensi Lite (ST25)?+
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) scores higher on Smart Home Integration (7.5/10 vs 4.0/10) — matter, Apple Home, Alexa and Google support — and how much each one actually exposes.
Which is better for Scheduling & Learning, the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) or the Sensi Lite (ST25)?+
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) scores higher on Scheduling & Learning (8.5/10 vs 5.0/10) — learning, geofencing, away detection and how much of it works without babysitting the app.
Is the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) worth the price difference over the Sensi Lite (ST25)?+
The Sensi Lite (ST25) is the cheaper option at $79 versus $259.99. Whether the pricier model is "worth it" depends on how much you value its lead in Multi-Room Sensing.
Which is better suited to my use case?+
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) is the better fit if you mainly care about multi-room. The Sensi Lite (ST25) is the better fit for budget.
What's the warranty on the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) vs the Sensi Lite (ST25)?+
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) ships with a 36-month warranty; the Sensi Lite (ST25) ships with a 36-month warranty. Always confirm current terms on the manufacturer's site before buying.
Should I wait for the next model instead of buying either of these?+
If either model is more than two years old, a successor may be close — check the "Latest Model" link on each product page. Otherwise, both are current, well-supported options and there's no strong reason to wait.
Specifications and prices for both products last verified . Scores are calculated from published specifications — see how we compare products.