Tado, known for its smart heating thermostats, is planning to offer basic functions of its app only as part of a paid subscription in future. This decision could affect many users who previously used the app for free. If you want to find out more about the exact background and how the whole thing became public, you can read about it on all news portals such as heise.de read up.
In the past, you could use the Tado app to conveniently control your heating, create schedules and monitor the room temperature. Now the company is considering charging a fee for these basic functions. This change could be particularly problematic for users who are not familiar with alternative integrations or do not want to deal with them, such as older people who are familiar with the current app.
For detailed instructions and an explanation of all configuration options, I recommend the YouTube video linked below. In this video, every single setting is explained in detail so that you receive comprehensive instructions for the exact setup. You can find any code from the video in this article so that you can use it directly without having to type it in.
Why is Tado considering introducing a subscription?
Tado argues with rising operating costs and the further development of its own software. Cloud services, server maintenance and app development cause ongoing costs that cannot be fully covered by one-off hardware sales. Other smart home providers are already relying on subscription models to keep their services financially viable in the long term.
For many customers, however, this sounds like a retrospective price increase. Particularly annoying: anyone who opted for Tado years ago might have chosen a different solution under these conditions.
My personal opinion is that this is absolutely cheeky and Tado devices are among the more expensive on the market anyway and they have already hidden functions such as Auto Assist for geofencing and open window detection behind a paywall. This is really a step too far for such a basic function. By the way, you can find out how you can get Tado Auto Assist for free in my blog article here: Self-host Tado Auto-Assist for free
Not everyone can or wants to switch to alternatives
If Tado really does introduce a subscription model for the basic functions, the question arises: What alternatives are there? This is where things get complicated, however, because not every user can or wants to get involved with a different smart home integration.
Many households - especially older people or less tech-savvy users - rely on the simple control via the Tado app. Setting up new systems can be a hurdle for them. In addition, many users have deliberately opted for Tado because it works with little effort and does not require in-depth smart home knowledge.
Similar procedure in the past
In the past, Tado has already put functions that were previously free behind a paywall. In 2018, the company introduced the V3+ app, in which essential features such as location-based control, window open detection and weather forecast control were only available as part of the paid Auto-Assist skill. However, existing customers could continue to use these functions free of charge, while new customers had to take out a subscription (see here: tado°: Auto-Assist skill free of charge for existing customers)
Alternatives to the Tado app
If you are looking for alternatives, there are several options:
- Home Assistant (Website): A powerful open source platform that supports many smart heating systems. However, it does require some technical know-how.
- Amazon Alexa (Website): If you already have an Alexa device, you can also control your heating by voice command.
- Apple HomeKit (Website): A good alternative for Apple users who want to manage their smart control system via the iPhone or iPad.
- Google Home (Website): If you use Google's Smarthome environment, you can also use it to control heating systems.
If you already use a smart home system, it's worth checking whether your heating systems can be integrated without the Tado app.
YouTube video implementation
Conclusion
Whether Tado will actually introduce a subscription model and how expensive it will be has not yet been definitively confirmed. If you are a Tado user, you should keep a close eye on developments. If a subscription for basic functions is unavoidable, it could make sense to switch to an alternative - depending on how tech-savvy you are and how deeply your smart home is already integrated into Tado.
One thing is certain: if Tado takes this step, many customers will be faced with a difficult decision. Stay and pay? Or switch and use a different system? What do you think? Would you take out a subscription to control your heating via app? Let us know in the comments!
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