A programmable thermostat follows a schedule you enter by hand. A smart thermostat does that too, then adds Wi-Fi, phone control and, on many models, learning, sensors and location awareness. For most Colorado Springs households that are home on irregular hours, or that want to adjust the house from a phone, a smart thermostat is the better fit. For a steady weekday routine and a tight budget, a programmable model captures most of the same savings.
The real question is not which one is more advanced. It is which one you will actually set up and use, and whether it works with the heating and cooling equipment in your house. This guide walks through the differences, the costs, the savings you can reasonably expect, the compatibility checks, and how we think about the choice after years of working on systems at 6,000 feet and above.
TL;DR
- A programmable thermostat runs the schedule you type in. A smart thermostat adds Wi-Fi, app control and, on many models, learning, sensors and geofencing.
- Both can save energy by setting the temperature back while you sleep or are away. Savings come from using the schedule, not from the label on the box.
- Smart thermostats commonly run $50 to $300 before rebates. Programmable models usually cost less, and neither type normally carries a monthly fee for basic use.
- Check your system first. Baseboard heat and in-wall heaters are commonly incompatible, and variable-speed, multi-stage or zoned equipment usually calls for professional installation.
- Colorado Springs Utilities customers may qualify for a rebate on an ENERGY STAR certified smart thermostat, so check before you buy.
Table of Contents
- What actually separates the two
- What each type does well
- How much you can realistically save
- Cost: purchase price, rebates and monthly fees
- Will it work with your system?
- Installing it: DIY or call a technician
- Which one should you choose?
- Our perspective
- Get the thermostat and the system working together
- FAQ
- Sources
What actually separates the two
The two types are closer than the marketing suggests. Consumer Reports describes programmable models as units where you enter temperature and cycle settings on the thermostat itself, usually with several daily or weekly schedules. Smart models add control from an app or computer, and some add sensors and settings that adapt to your preferences.
The U.S. Department of Energy explains the underlying difference in how each one decides. A programmable thermostat follows a user-entered schedule, while a smart thermostat can adjust based on occupancy or activity. In plain terms, a programmable unit does what you told it last month. A smart unit can respond to what is happening today.
ENERGY STAR defines a smart thermostat as one that is Wi-Fi enabled and controllable from a phone, tablet or computer. It lists features that may come with it: learning, geofencing, vacation mode, remote sensors, automatic updates and voice-assistant integration. Not every smart model has every feature, which is why two smart thermostats can feel very different in daily use.
Side-by-side comparison
| What you care about | Programmable thermostat | Smart thermostat |
|---|---|---|
| How it learns your schedule | You enter it by hand | You enter it, or the thermostat adapts on models that learn |
| Control from your phone | No | Yes, through an app |
| Reacts when you leave or come home | Only on a fixed schedule | Many models use location (geofencing) or sensors |
| Remote room sensors | Not typical | Available on some models |
| Typical purchase price | Lower | $50 to $300 per ENERGY STAR, before rebates |
| Wiring and compatibility | Often works with as few as two low-voltage wires | Needs a compatibility check, sometimes an extra wire or adapter |
| Monthly fee for basic use | No | Typically no |
| Best for | Predictable routines, simple use | Changing schedules, remote access, multi-floor homes |
What each type does well
A programmable thermostat is straightforward. You set a wake time, a leave time, a return time and a sleep time, and the system follows them. Consumer Reports notes that most nonconnected programmable models can be wired easily and commonly work with as few as two low-voltage wires. That simplicity is a real advantage in older homes and in rentals-turned-owned properties where the wiring is minimal.
A smart thermostat earns its price when life does not follow a script. If one week you work from home and the next you travel, or a shift schedule changes every few days, a fixed program keeps heating or cooling an empty house or leaves you cold when you arrive. A phone-controlled unit lets you correct that from anywhere. It also helps with vacation homes, rental units and small commercial spaces where you are not on site.
Sensors matter in houses with a warm upstairs and a cool basement, which describes many Colorado Springs homes. A thermostat on the main floor reads one spot in the house. Models with remote sensors can use readings from other rooms, which can make the house feel more even. That is a comfort gain first and a savings gain second.
How much you can realistically save
Both types save money the same basic way: they let the temperature drift when no one needs it held. The Department of Energy says lowering the thermostat 7 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit for eight hours a day, while you are away or asleep, can reduce annual heating bills by as much as 10%. Its home heating and cooling guide adds that a 1°F setback for eight hours can save about 1% on heating bills.
That 10% is available to anyone who sets the schedule, with a programmable thermostat or a smart one. It is also available with a manual thermostat if you remember to turn it down, but most people do not remember every day.
Smart thermostats are meant to add to that. Consumer Reports reports that ENERGY STAR’s estimate for an app-controlled smart thermostat is about 8% of heating and cooling bills, or an average of about $50 per year, and that manufacturers sometimes claim more. Energy Trust, an efficiency program in the Pacific Northwest, reported average annual heating savings of $35 to $45 from smart thermostats, and said results depend on household patterns, occupancy and weather.
Those are averages, and your house will not match an average. A home that is empty from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every weekday with a well-used program may see little extra from going smart. A home with unpredictable hours, where a programmable thermostat would often be wrong, has more to gain.
A realistic way to think about payback
Take an example using the published figures. If a smart thermostat costs $150 and saves about $50 a year, as in the ENERGY STAR estimate, the unit pays for itself in about three years. With a rebate that lowers the price, the payback is shorter. If you add installation by a technician, it is longer. That is a reasonable return for a device that also adds remote access, and it is why many homeowners choose to install one when they replace a furnace or air conditioner.
For winter specifics, our guide to winter thermostat settings that save money covers which setback temperatures work well in our climate.
Cost: purchase price, rebates and monthly fees
ENERGY STAR gives a broad U.S. price range of $50 to $300 for smart thermostats and notes that utility rebates or discounts can reduce what you pay. At the high end, Home Depot lists the Google Nest Learning Thermostat fourth generation at $279.99, and notes that store prices may vary.
Rebates can bring prices down sharply. One utility store program, Consumers Energy in Michigan, shows prices after an instant $75 rebate, from $4.99 for an Amazon Smart Thermostat to $204.99 for the Nest Learning Thermostat fourth generation. That is a Michigan program and not available here, but it shows how much a utility incentive can change the math.
Prices on the same model also move around at retailers. A price tracker for smart thermostat deals shows price history and lets you set alerts, which helps if you are not in a hurry to buy.
For installed cost, including what a technician typically charges, see our breakdown of smart thermostat installation cost.
Is there a monthly fee?
For the core features, usually not. You buy the thermostat and use its app. Some manufacturers sell optional subscription services, such as extra video or home-monitoring features, but the basic scheduling and remote control do not depend on one. Check the product page of the exact model for any optional plan before you buy.
Colorado Springs rebates
If you get your power or gas from Colorado Springs Utilities, look at its rebate program. Its rules say the smart thermostat rebate is for retrofit applications, requires an ENERGY STAR certified thermostat, and is limited to two rebates per service address every three years. The rebate cannot exceed the thermostat’s cost before tax. The same page describes a Peak Energy Rewards program for electric customers who use an ENERGY STAR smart thermostat to control a central air conditioner, with a cooling season running May through September.
Rebate amounts and rules change, so confirm them on the Utilities page before you purchase. Equipment must be bought and installed within the program year. Our overview of how HVAC rebates work explains how to keep the paperwork straight.
Some programs also let the utility adjust enrolled thermostats during peak demand. The Consumers Energy program, for example, may adjust enrolled thermostats by 2 to 4 degrees in summer peak periods, with an override available. Read the enrollment terms of any program so you know what you are agreeing to.
Will it work with your system?
This is where the decision often gets made for you. A smart thermostat is not a universal fit. ENERGY STAR advises checking your HVAC system type and your wiring or voltage. It says most forced-air systems installed after 1975 are compatible, while baseboard, biofuel and in-wall systems are commonly incompatible. Oil equipment may need an adapter. Thicker line-voltage wiring on the thermostat is a sign the model may not work.
For common Colorado Springs equipment, here is how that plays out.
Gas furnace with central air conditioning
This is the most common setup and the easiest. Most smart thermostats work with it. Some need a common wire, often called a C-wire, to power the screen and Wi-Fi. Google says its fourth-generation Nest works with most 24V systems, including gas, electric, oil, forced-air, heat pump and radiant, but not electric baseboard. It adds that fewer than 1% of cases need a C-wire or its power connector. Other brands vary, so check the model you want.
Heat pumps and multi-stage equipment
Heat pumps need a thermostat that handles the changeover and, in many cases, auxiliary or emergency heat. Variable-speed and multi-stage furnaces and air conditioners add more control wiring. ENERGY STAR says variable-speed, multi-stage or zoned systems likely need professional installation. A wrong setting here can make the system run inefficiently or run auxiliary heat when it should not, which costs money.
Boilers, baseboard and in-wall heaters
Baseboard electric heat and in-wall heaters typically run on line voltage, which most smart thermostats cannot control. If your home has hydronic baseboard or a boiler, the right thermostat depends on the system. Ask for a compatibility check before you order anything.
Evaporative (swamp) coolers
Many homes in our area use evaporative coolers instead of refrigerant air conditioning. These are controlled differently from a central air conditioner, and most standard smart thermostats are not built for them. If you have one, talk to a technician before assuming a thermostat swap is simple.
Installing it: DIY or call a technician
A basic swap can be a do-it-yourself job. Consumer Reports says many smart thermostats provide installation instructions or video walkthroughs. A utility marketplace listing for the fourth-generation Nest says it is designed for self-installation, usually in 40 minutes or less, through the Google Home app, while also offering access to a professional installer.
The usual steps are straightforward.
- Turn off power to the furnace and air conditioner at the breaker.
- Photograph the existing wires and note which terminal each one uses.
- Remove the old thermostat and mount the new base.
- Connect each wire to the matching terminal.
- Restore power, connect to Wi-Fi and run the setup in the app.
Where it stops being a simple job is when the wires do not match what the thermostat expects, when there is no common wire, when the system is a heat pump or has multiple stages, or when the wiring is line voltage. A mistake with low-voltage wiring can blow a fuse on the control board, which turns a small project into a repair call. When you are unsure, having a technician do it is often the cheaper route.
We offer thermostat and smart control installation in Colorado Springs if you would like it set up and programmed correctly the first time.
Which one should you choose?
Match the thermostat to your routine and your equipment, not to the feature list.
Choose a programmable thermostat if your schedule is steady, you want the lowest cost and the simplest controls, your wiring is minimal, or you are comfortable setting a schedule and leaving it. The Department of Energy notes that a programmable unit can be set to return to your preferred temperature before you get home, so you do not give up comfort to save energy.
Choose a smart thermostat if your hours change, you travel, you manage a second property or small business space, you want to adjust the house from your phone, or your home has uneven temperatures that sensors could address. A smart model is also worth a look if you qualify for a utility rebate that closes most of the price gap.
If you are replacing a furnace or air conditioner in the same season, make the thermostat part of that decision. Modern variable-speed and modulating equipment is designed to work best with a compatible control, and installing everything together avoids a second visit. Our comparison of ecobee and Nest and the questions to ask an installer can help you narrow models, and our list of the best smart thermostats by home and HVAC system goes further into specific picks.
A simple decision test
Ask yourself three questions. Do the hours in my house change from week to week? Would I use an app to check or adjust the temperature? Does my equipment need more than a basic two-wire control? If you answer yes to any of them, a smart thermostat is likely worth the extra cost. If you answer no to all three, a programmable model is a sensible, economical choice.
Our perspective
Most thermostat problems we see in Colorado Springs homes are not about the thermostat being too basic. They are about it being set up poorly. A programmable thermostat with a schedule nobody touched since the day it was installed does not save much. A smart thermostat that is never connected, or that is fighting a mismatched system, is not an upgrade at all.
We work in a high-altitude climate with big temperature swings between day and night, and that shapes our advice. Homes here often need heat on a cool morning and cooling by afternoon in the same week. A thermostat that can be adjusted easily, and that is matched to your furnace, heat pump or air conditioner, makes the system easier to live with. That is why we like smart controls for most of the homeowners we meet, especially those with changing schedules or multi-stage and variable-speed equipment.
What matters most to us is the fit. Our NATE-certified technicians check what is on the wall, what the equipment calls for and how your family uses the house before recommending a model. We use flat-rate upfront pricing, and we stand behind our workmanship with a guarantee. If a smart thermostat suits you, we will install and program it so it does what you bought it to do.
Owner
Get the thermostat and the system working together
If you are weighing a thermostat upgrade, the best time to do it is alongside a tune-up, repair or replacement, when a technician is already looking at your equipment. We install and service thermostats and smart controls for homes and small businesses in Colorado Springs and the surrounding communities, and we can confirm compatibility before you buy anything.
If your furnace or air conditioner is nearing the end of its life, a new thermostat is a natural part of the project. Our published starting prices for new equipment are on our air conditioner and heat pump pricing page and our furnace pricing page. For example, a 98% AFUE modulating gas furnace starts from $8,250, and a 14 SEER2 single-stage air conditioner starts from $5,500. To talk through a thermostat, a repair or a full system, visit Strong Heating And Cooling or our thermostats and smart controls page.
FAQ
Can any home use a smart thermostat?
No. Most forced-air systems installed after 1975 are compatible, but baseboard, biofuel and in-wall systems commonly are not, according to ENERGY STAR. Heat pumps, multi-stage equipment and zoned systems often need professional installation. Check your system type and wiring before you buy.
Do you have to pay a monthly fee for a smart thermostat?
Not for basic features. Scheduling and app control generally work after a one-time purchase. Some manufacturers offer optional paid services for extras, so read the details for the model you choose.
Is a smart thermostat worth it?
For many households, yes. ENERGY STAR’s estimate, as reported by Consumer Reports, is about 8% of heating and cooling bills, or roughly $50 a year. It is most worthwhile if your schedule changes often, you want remote control, or a rebate lowers the price.
Do you need an electrician to install a programmable thermostat?
Usually not. Consumer Reports says most nonconnected programmable thermostats are easy to wire and often work with as few as two low-voltage wires. If your thermostat uses thick line-voltage wiring, such as with baseboard heat, call a qualified professional.
Sources
- How to Choose a Smart Thermostat, ENERGY STAR
- Smart Thermostats, ENERGY STAR
- Thermostat Buying Guide, Consumer Reports
- HVAC Programmable Thermostats, Building Science Education, U.S. Department of Energy
- Six Simple Steps To Save Energy and Money This Winter, U.S. Department of Energy
- Guide to Home Heating and Cooling, U.S. Department of Energy
- Smart vs. programmable thermostats, Energy Trust
- Smart Thermostats, Home Depot
- Smart Thermostats with Instant Rebates, Consumers Energy Store
- Residential efficiency rebates qualifications and program rules, Colorado Springs Utilities
- Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen), Georgia Power Marketplace
- Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen), PSEG Marketplace
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