Smart Thermostats / Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) vs Sensi Touch 2 (ST76)
Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) vs Sensi Touch 2 (ST76)
Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen)
The only one that really learns your schedule, and it usually needs no C wire.
Wins overall by 2.4 points
Quick Verdict
A 2.4-point gap makes the Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) the straightforward choice here. The only one that really learns your schedule, and it usually needs no C wire.
The Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) and Sensi Touch 2 (ST76) are both closely matched smart Thermostat models, and the Sensi Touch 2 (ST76) is $51 cheaper than the Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) ($189 vs $239.99). On C-Wire Freedom, the Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) leads (8.5 vs 2.0/10) — 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.. On Smart Home Integration, the Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) leads (8.5 vs 4.0/10) — matter, Apple Home, Alexa and Google support — and how much each one actually exposes. On Multi-Room Sensing, the Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) leads (7.5 vs 4.5/10) — remote sensors: included or extra, how many pair, and whether they read occupancy or only temperature. Overall, the Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) scores 8.4/10 across our 8 scoring categories versus 6.0/10 for the Sensi Touch 2 (ST76). Below, we break down the full spec sheet, category-by-category scores, and exactly who should buy which one.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Spec | Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) | Sensi Touch 2 (ST76) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $239.99 | $189.00 |
| Release Year | 2024 | 2022 |
| System Voltage | Low voltage 24V only — gas, electric, oil, forced air, heat pump and radiant. Will not run 120/240V baseboard or radiant electric heat | Low voltage 24VAC — gas, oil, electric, heat pump, boilers. Not for 120/240V line-voltage heat |
| C-Wire Required | Not in most homes. Google's patented Power Sharing borrows power from the other wires, and the store page claims roughly 85% system compatibility — but it also states heating-only, cooling-only, zone-controlled and heat pump systems need a Nest Power Connector or a C wire | Yes. Copeland's spec sheet requires 20-30VAC between RH/RC and C, and every retail listing is labelled 'C-Wire Required' |
| Adapter / Power Kit Included | No — the Nest Power Connector is a separate $24.99 accessory, not in the box | No — the Sensi C-Wire Kit is a separate purchase at roughly $28 |
| Heating & Cooling Stages | Up to 3 stages of heating and cooling, plus fan speed control | 1H/1C, 2H/2C multi-stage, and up to 4H/2C on heat pumps |
| Heat Pump & Aux Heat | Yes, including auxiliary and emergency heat | Yes — up to 4 heat and 2 cool including auxiliary stages, the widest heat-pump staging here alongside the ecobee Premium |
| Humidifier / Ventilator Terminals | Humidifier, dehumidifier and ventilation (HRV/ERV) systems all supported — the widest accessory coverage of the Nest line | ACC+/ACC- terminals drive a humidifier or dehumidifier, with a humidify range of 5-50% RH and dehumidify 40-95% RH |
| Remote Sensors | One Nest Temperature Sensor (2nd gen) included; up to 6 more. Google states all generations of the sensor work with this model | Sensi Room Sensors at about $40 each, sold separately. Copeland states only the Touch 2 (ST76 / 1F96U series) supports them and does not publish a maximum count |
| Occupancy Detection | Soli radar senses presence and proximity at the thermostat itself, plus phone-location Home/Away. The Nest Temperature Sensor reads temperature only — it does not detect occupancy | None. TechHive's review notes the Sensi Room Sensor reads ambient temperature and humidity and has no motion detection, unlike competitors' sensors |
| Matter Support | Matter-certified, so it appears in any Matter app including Apple Home. Google does not publish a Thread radio for this model | No. TechHive states the Touch 2 supports neither Matter nor Apple HomeKit |
| Voice & Smart Home Platforms | Google Home app (required for setup and control — the standalone Nest app is retired), Amazon Alexa, Apple Home via Matter | Sensi app, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Samsung SmartThings. No Apple Home |
| Utility Rebates & Demand Response | Rush Hour Rewards, run by Renew Home with your energy provider, plus Nest Renew Energy Shift. Google's own help page says Rush Hour Rewards makes adjustments 'typically up to 4°F' for 3-4 hours during demand events; enrolment is through the Google Home app | ENERGY STAR certified; Copeland runs Sensi demand-response partnerships with utilities and the thermostat is widely rebated |
| Account or Subscription Needed | No subscription. Learning, Savings Finder and Eco when Away are free, but a Google account and the Google Home app are mandatory | No subscription, and Copeland markets an explicit 'we do not sell your data' privacy position |
| Warranty | 24 months | 36 months |
| Colors | Polished Silver, Polished Obsidian, Polished Gold | Black (ST76), White beveled edge (ST76W) |
Category Scores
C-Wire Freedom
The Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) leads clearly here, 8.5 against 2.0 — a 6.5-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 Touch 2 (ST76) does not close the gap elsewhere.
HVAC Coverage
The Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) leads clearly here, 9.5 against 9.0 — a 0.5-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 Touch 2 (ST76) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Multi-Room Sensing
The Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) leads clearly here, 7.5 against 4.5 — a 3.0-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 Touch 2 (ST76) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Smart Home Integration
The Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) leads clearly here, 8.5 against 4.0 — a 4.5-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 Touch 2 (ST76) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Scheduling & Learning
The Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) leads clearly here, 9.5 against 6.5 — a 3.0-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 Touch 2 (ST76) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Display & On-Device Control
The Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) leads clearly here, 9.0 against 7.5 — a 1.5-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 Touch 2 (ST76) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Installation
The Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) leads clearly here, 8.0 against 7.0 — a 1.0-point margin on wiring complexity, guided setup, and how likely a DIY install is to end in a service call. If that is what you are buying for, the Sensi Touch 2 (ST76) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Value
The Sensi Touch 2 (ST76) leads clearly here, 7.5 against 6.5 — a 1.0-point margin on what the money buys once accessories, adapters and sensors are added in. If that is what you are buying for, the Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Best For
Choose the Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) if…
- • C-Wire Freedom matters most to you — the Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) scores 8.5/10 here (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.).
- • Smart Home Integration matters most to you — the Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) scores 8.5/10 here (matter, Apple Home, Alexa and Google support — and how much each one actually exposes).
- • Multi-Room Sensing matters most to you — the Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) scores 7.5/10 here (remote sensors: included or extra, how many pair, and whether they read occupancy or only temperature).
- • Scheduling & Learning matters most to you — the Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) scores 9.5/10 here (learning, geofencing, away detection and how much of it works without babysitting the app).
- • Display & On-Device Control matters most to you — the Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) scores 9.0/10 here (screen quality and how much you can do at the wall instead of in the phone app).
Choose the Sensi Touch 2 (ST76) if…
- • You want to spend less — it's $51 cheaper.
Pros & Cons
Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen)
Pros
- +The only thermostat here that genuinely writes its own schedule — install it and you can never open the app again
- +Runs without a C wire in most homes, which no ecobee, Sensi Touch 2, Amazon or Honeywell X-series model here can claim
- +Three stages plus humidifier, dehumidifier and ventilator terminals — the broadest HVAC coverage in this set alongside the ecobee Premium
- +Bundles a temperature sensor at a price where the $199.99 ecobee Enhanced bundles none
Cons
- −'No C wire required' carries a long asterisk: Google's own page lists heating-only, cooling-only, zone-controlled and heat pump systems as needing the $24.99 Nest Power Connector, which covers a large share of US homes
- −The bundled Nest Temperature Sensor is temperature-only — it cannot tell whether a room is occupied, which every ecobee SmartSensor can
- −Setup and control are locked to a Google account and the Google Home app; the old Nest app and Works with Nest are gone
- −Rush Hour Rewards pays you to let the utility push your setpoint by up to about 4°F for three to four hours at a time
- −Highest list price here at $279.99, on a 2-year warranty that both ecobee and Mysa beat
Sensi Touch 2 (ST76)
Pros
- +4H/2C heat pump staging plus humidifier and dehumidifier terminals — genuinely serious HVAC coverage for under $200
- +3-year warranty and a published privacy stance that no other brand here makes explicit
- +Street price has settled around $189 against a $209.99 list, and it periodically drops much further
- +Real multi-stage and dual-fuel handling that the similarly priced Nest Thermostat and ecobee Essential do not offer
Cons
- −No Matter and no Apple HomeKit — the Touch 2 dropped the HomeKit support the original Sensi Touch had
- −C wire required and the C-Wire Kit is a ~$28 extra, where ecobee includes an equivalent kit free
- −Sensi Room Sensors are $40 each, sold separately, and detect temperature and humidity only — no occupancy
- −No decorative trim plate in the box, so old paint outlines and screw holes show
- −Copeland does not publish how many room sensors can pair, which makes planning a multi-room setup guesswork
Shop by Need
FAQs
Is the Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) or Sensi Touch 2 (ST76) better overall?+
Based on our 8-category scoring, the Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) 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 C-Wire Freedom, the Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) or the Sensi Touch 2 (ST76)?+
The Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) scores higher on C-Wire Freedom (8.5/10 vs 2.0/10) — 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..
Which is better for Smart Home Integration, the Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) or the Sensi Touch 2 (ST76)?+
The Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) scores higher on Smart Home Integration (8.5/10 vs 4.0/10) — matter, Apple Home, Alexa and Google support — and how much each one actually exposes.
Which is better for Multi-Room Sensing, the Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) or the Sensi Touch 2 (ST76)?+
The Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) scores higher on Multi-Room Sensing (7.5/10 vs 4.5/10) — remote sensors: included or extra, how many pair, and whether they read occupancy or only temperature.
Which is better for Scheduling & Learning, the Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) or the Sensi Touch 2 (ST76)?+
The Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) scores higher on Scheduling & Learning (9.5/10 vs 6.5/10) — learning, geofencing, away detection and how much of it works without babysitting the app.
Is the Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) worth the price difference over the Sensi Touch 2 (ST76)?+
The Sensi Touch 2 (ST76) is the cheaper option at $189 versus $239.99. Whether the pricier model is "worth it" depends on how much you value its lead in C-Wire Freedom.
Which is better suited to my use case?+
The Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) is the better fit if you mainly care about matter or no-c-wire. The Sensi Touch 2 (ST76) is the better fit for heat-pump or multi-room.
What's the warranty on the Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) vs the Sensi Touch 2 (ST76)?+
The Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) ships with a 24-month warranty; the Sensi Touch 2 (ST76) 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.
Cheaper Option
Sensi Lite (ST25) — $79.00
Premium Option
ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium (EB-STATE6-01) — $259.99
Specifications and prices for both products last verified . Scores are calculated from published specifications — see how we compare products.