This smart thermostat brand may introduce a mandatory subscription fee for the first time

It's well known that many major smart home brands require users to pay subscription fees to access their services and devices. Whilst some video doorbells and top security cameras still offer subscription-free options, the biggest brands almost always come with a cost.

That's why it's been surprising that smart home brand Tado has never charged users for the core features of its service. Until now, Tado has only offered an optional subscription plan priced from £3 (€3.99) for additional features, whilst essential app functions like scheduling and controlling the system have remained free. However, that’s about to change.

Multiple users have reported receiving an in-app message from Tado, known for manufacturing the best smart thermostats, alerting them to an upcoming fee.

A post on the Tado community forum earlier this month revealed that one customer received a notification stating the company would begin charging a monthly £1/€1 fee from 1st May 2025. Meanwhile, a Reddit user in the Netherlands reported seeing a different notice, showing an app screen that appeared to require a subscription as early as February 2025.

According to the notification, the new fee is being introduced due to rising company costs. However, it also clarified that users will still be able to control their systems for free via integrations with Apple Home, Google Home, and Amazon Alexa.

Whilst the language in the notification appears rather definitive, it has only been seen by a select number of users, meaning the fee has yet to be fully confirmed. We’ll keep you updated if anything changes.