British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating review
Updated September 30, 2026 · SmartHomeCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 30, 2026
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Our verdict
Hive is the pick for UK households that want heating control which keeps working when the connection does not, with local control and a hub that also carries lighting, plugs and sensors. Entry hardware starts at £14, and Hive Plus adds £3.99 a month on top.
Key facts
- Best for
- UK homes that want local heating control and a broad smart home range on a single hub.
- Price from
- £14 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Hub required
- Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Local control
- Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Heat pump compatible
- Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Energy reporting
- Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Subscription per month
- £3.99 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Warranty
- 1 year (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Markets
- GB (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Centrica Hive Limited (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Headquarters
- United Kingdom (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Founded
- 2013 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Support channels
- Help-centre, Chat, Phone (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Device types
- Thermostat, Trv, Lighting, Plug, Hub, Sensor
- Protocols
- Zigbee, Wi fi
- Ecosystems
- Alexa, Google, Homekit
- Official website
- hivehome.com
Apps and profiles
- Get the app
- Google Play
Pros and cons
Pros
- Local control keeps schedules and heating changes at the hub, and a hub is required for the range anyway, so the two fit together.
- Device types run thermostat, trv and lighting, so heating, lighting, plugs and sensors share one box instead of separate systems.
- Heat pump compatible, which suits a home replacing a boiler with a heat pump and keeping the same controls.
- Energy reporting comes with the range, so usage can be read alongside the heating schedule.
- Entry hardware at £14 ranks 19 of 54 brands on price from, so the headline figure sits low.
Cons
- Hive Plus costs £3.99 a month on top of hardware bought from £14, so the running cost is separate from the purchase.
- A single market: GB is the only region listed, so the range does not travel to other countries.
- Warranty cover runs 1 year, and a hub is required for everything else in the range, so that term matters more here than on a standalone device.
- SONOFF lists thermostat, trv and lighting, so blinds sit beside heating there, while thermostat, trv and lighting stops at heating, lighting, plugs, hubs and sensors.
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Scored 8.8 / 10 by SmartHomeCue.
Who it suits
- UK homes heated by radiators who want trv units added room by room on the same hub as the lighting.
- People who want voice control through alexa, google and homekit rather than a single vendor app.
- Households on an unreliable broadband line, since local control keeps schedules at the hub.
Who should look elsewhere
- Shoppers outside GB: the range is listed for that market only, so it does not cover other countries.
- Buyers who want radiator valves and blinds covered in the same ecosystem: Aqara lists hub, sensor and lighting without trv, while SONOFF covers thermostat, trv and lighting.
- People who want a lighting-first system: Lutron lists lighting, blinds and thermostat built around lighting and blinds, where thermostat, trv and lighting leads with heating and trv units.
Core features
The range runs through a hub, and a hub is required before the rest of the kit joins in. That hub is also where local control lives, so heating changes and schedules are handled on the device rather than through the app alone, which matters when a broadband line is slow or a phone loses signal. Heat pump compatible, so a home running a heat pump can keep the same heating controls. Energy reporting is part of the range, so usage can be checked as well as temperatures. Warranty cover runs 1 year, and because a hub is required, that term covers the box the rest of the system leans on.
Plans and prices
Two figures matter here and they sit in different places. The purchase price starts at £14, which is the entry point across the range rather than a complete heating system, and any hub sits above that figure. Hive Plus is the ongoing cost, listed at £3.99 a month. Readers weighing price at entry and at renewal should keep the pair apart: hardware is bought once, the Hive Plus figure repeats every month for as long as the subscription runs, so the monthly amount is the one to check against how long the system is kept and how many rooms it controls.
The company behind it
The brand trades as Centrica Hive Limited, based in the United Kingdom, and has been operating since 2013. That places it inside a long established British energy business rather than a small gadget maker, and it shows on the support side: help centre, chat and phone are all offered, so a heating question can be raised by phone, in chat or through the help centre. For a system that runs radiators, having a phone line on the list carries more weight than it would for a lighting only range.
How British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating compares
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Where British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating is available
- Available
- United Kingdom
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What does Hive cost to start with?+
Entry hardware is priced from £14, which is the lowest figure in the range rather than the cost of a full heating setup. Anything above that, including a hub, sits higher. Hive Plus is a separate subscription at £3.99 a month on top of whatever hardware is bought.
Is there a monthly subscription for Hive Plus?+
Hive Plus is listed at £3.99 a month. That is the running cost to weigh after the purchase, and it is separate from the £14 entry hardware price. Buyers who keep a system for years should read the monthly figure as the number that repeats, not the number on the box.
Does Hive need a hub?+
A hub is required. It sits at the centre of the range, carrying the heating devices and the rest of the smart home kit, and it is also where local control runs. Since local control is part of the system rather than an add-on, the hub is not optional for anyone buying heating.
Will Hive work with Alexa, Google or HomeKit?+
The listed ecosystems are alexa, google and homekit, so voice control runs through the major assistants rather than a single vendor platform. Support covers help centre, chat and phone, which matters more for heating than for lighting, since a question about schedules usually needs an answer from a person.
Is Hive suitable for a home with a heat pump?+
Heat pump compatible, so a household running a heat pump can keep the same controls rather than starting again. A hub is required either way, and local control keeps schedules running at the hub when the connection is slow or the app cannot reach the cloud.
Which countries is Hive sold in?+
The listed market is GB and the business sits in the United Kingdom, so this is a UK range. The legal entity behind the brand is Centrica Hive Limited. Households elsewhere should check availability close to home before planning a hub and heating setup around it.
What can I connect to a Hive hub?+
Device types run thermostat, trv and lighting, so heating, lighting, plugs, sensors and the hub sit in one system, with trv units for individual rooms. Protocols are zigbee and wi fi and the listed ecosystems are alexa, google and homekit. A hub is required, and local control is handled there.
How long is the Hive warranty?+
Warranty cover runs 1 year, which is the stated term across the range. Since a hub is required for everything else, the term on the hub matters for trv units, sensors and lighting added later, all of which depend on the same box to keep working.
Sources
- hivehome.com checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Markets
“UK residents aged 18+ only.”
- hivehome.com/discover-hive/about-us checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Founded
“Since 2013, we've been empowering customers”
- hivehome.com/discover-hive/works-with-hive checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Heat pump compatible
“The tepeo ZEB works with Hive thermostats to help you heat your home using electricity stored when energy is cheaper and greener.”
- hivehome.com/shop checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Device types, Price from
“Thermostat > Radiator Valves > Smart home > Hive+”
- hivehome.com/shop/ev-charging checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Headquarters, Legal entity
“Registered office: Millstream, Maidenhead Road, Windsor, Berkshire SL4 5GD”
- hivehome.com/shop/smart-heating/hive-plus checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Subscription per month
“£19.95/year or £3.99/month”
- hivehome.com/shop/smart-home checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Energy reporting
“Monitor your energy use. Demystify your daily energy use with Hive Lights and Plugs. They'll show you exactly how much energy your electricals and lighting is using at any time.”
- hivehome.com/shop/smart-home/hive-hub checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Ecosystems, Hub required, Local control, Protocols, Warranty
“This Hive product can be used with voice control such as Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit and Siri Shortcuts.”
- hivehome.com/support checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Support channels
“Whether you're checking on your order, delivery, or installation, the contact numbers are available here.”
Compiled from 9 source pages, checked September 30, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Matter certified.
British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating
UK homes that want local heating control and a broad smart home range on a single hub.