Page last updated on 17th August 2026
Smart meters vs home energy monitors: what's the difference?
Monitoring your energy use at home can help you understand your energy habits and reduce your monthly energy bill. A smart meter is installed by your energy supplier and automatically sends accurate gas and electricity readings, helping you avoid estimated bills. It also comes with an in-home display that shows your energy use in near real-time. A home energy monitor, on the other hand, is usually bought separately and mainly tracks electricity use in your home, but it does not automatically send readings to your supplier.
What's on this page?
Read on to explore the key differences between smart meters and home energy monitors and to find out why getting a smart meter installed by your energy supplier could be a convenient and useful choice for you.
What is a smart meter?
Smart meters are the next generation of gas and electricity meters designed to automatically measure and share your energy usage with your supplier. They help households better understand energy consumption through easy-to-read in-home display and digital tracking tools.
Smart meters are provided by your energy supplier at no extra cost to you. Read more in our guide to smart meters.
Many households use smart meters for near real-time monitoring, helping them see how much gas and electricity they are using throughout the day.
How do smart meters work?
Smart meters use a secure data network, managed by the Data Communications Company (DCC), to automatically and wirelessly send your meter readings to your energy supplier.
If you are wondering if smart meters send readings automatically, the answer is yes. Smart meters securely share readings with your supplier without the need for manual submissions.
They come with an in-home display to show you exactly how much energy you're using in pounds and pence, in near real-time.
This means no more time worrying about manual meter readings and estimated bills. Smart meters send accurate readings to your energy supplier, wirelessly and automatically, at least once per month. This near real-time monitoring can help households spot changes in energy use throughout the day and make small adjustments to reduce energy waste. Learn more about the accuracy of smart meters and how smart meters work.
What is a home energy monitor?
A home energy monitor is a separate device or system that helps you track electricity use in your home. It is different from a smart meter’s in-home display, which shows near real-time information from your smart meter but does not automatically identify how much energy each individual appliance is using. Some third-party home energy monitors may offer more detailed electricity insights, depending on the system. They are usually bought privately at your own cost, and some may need to be set up by an electrician.
Many modern systems are now available as wireless energy monitoring devices, making installation easier for homeowners who want flexible monitoring solutions.
In contrast, smart meters are provided by your energy supplier at no extra cost to you. They automatically send readings to your supplier and can help you monitor both gas and electricity use through an in-home display.
How do home energy monitors work?
The short answer is that many systems collect live electricity data and turn it into easy-to-read information for households.
If you don’t have a smart meter, you will still need to submit manual meter readings to your energy supplier to avoid getting an estimated bill.
What are the benefits of smart meters vs home energy monitors?
Smart meters offer automatic readings, accurate billing and no upfront installation cost, while home energy monitors mainly help track electricity use and usually need to be bought separately.
Smart meters send readings to your supplier automatically; home energy monitors do not.
Smart meters are installed by your supplier at no extra cost; home energy monitors are usually bought privately.
Smart meters can support both gas and electricity tracking, while many home energy monitors focus on electricity only.
How do smart meters transmit data?
Smart meters automatically and wirelessly send your energy usage data to your energy provider. For households asking if smart meters send readings automatically, this automatic data sharing is one of the key advantages over standalone monitors. In comparison, if you have a home energy monitor but not a smart meter, you will still need to manually submit meter readings to your supplier.
How much do smart meters cost?
Smart meters are installed by your energy supplier at no extra cost to you. Home energy monitors, however, are purchased privately and may need to be installed by an electrician. Some wireless energy monitoring devices may also require subscription apps or additional accessories depending on the manufacturer. Learn more about the cost of smart meters here.
Are smart meter in-home displays accurate?
They are designed to provide a close real-time estimate of energy usage and costs based on the information received from your smart meter.
Smart meters are as accurate as traditional meters. Smart meters use a network managed by the DCC. This ensures accurate meter readings are shared with your energy supplier. Readings are automatically and wirelessly shared with your energy supplier to give you accurate bills based on your actual energy usage.
People often ask whether smart meter in-home displays are accurate, especially when they want a clearer picture of their daily energy costs and usage.
Do smart meters help the environment?
The benefits of having a smart meter extend beyond you and your household. By having a smart meter you’re also helping our energy system. According to the National Grid and the DCC, the smart meter network saved more carbon and energy than predicted in 2023, with 3% energy savings per household. By getting a smart meter installed, you’re getting more accurate bills and helping the environment around you.
Why smart meters may be the smart choice for you
For most households, smart meters are the more convenient option because they combine automatic readings, accurate billing and easy energy monitoring at no extra cost.
Home energy monitors can still be useful for measuring electricity use for your household or specific appliances, but they do not replace supplier readings and usually come with an upfront cost.
For households researching what is a smart meter and weighing up different energy-monitoring options smart meters offer a practical mix of automatic readings, accurate billing and simple monitoring tools.
Smart meters and home energy monitors both offer ways to better understand your energy use. You can use them together, or separately. Ultimately, the choice is up to you, your circumstances and your preferences!
FAQs about smart meters and energy monitoring
Can a home energy monitor replace a smart meter?
No. A home energy monitor can help you track electricity use, but it does not replace a smart meter because it cannot automatically send meter readings to your energy supplier. If you do not have a smart meter, you may still need to submit readings manually to avoid estimated bills.
Can I track energy usage without a smart meter?
Yes. You can track electricity usage without a smart meter by using a home energy monitor or other tracking tool. However, these devices do not replace smart meters because they do not automatically send meter readings to your energy supplier.
How do home energy monitors work alongside smart meters?
Some third-party home energy monitors may provide additional appliance-level data, while smart meters automatically send overall energy readings to suppliers. Many households use both together for better visibility of energy use.
How does smart meter real-time monitoring work?
Smart meter real-time monitoring works through your in-home display, which receives information from your smart meter and shows your gas and electricity use in pounds and pence, in near real-time. It does not automatically break usage down by appliance, but it can help you spot changes in energy use throughout the day.
Request your smart meter today
Join the future of energy and get a smart meter today! Request a smart meter from your energy supplier at no extra cost to you. It’s not just your home that can benefit from a smart meter either, you can also get a smart meter installation for your small business.
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