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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
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The verdict on

Nest

45
User verdict / 100 High confidence Divided

The Nest app offers convenient remote control for thermostats and cameras, but recent updates and Google's integration have introduced significant reliability issues, frustrating users with frequent disconnections, inaccurate scheduling, and unwanted temperature adjustments.

4.6★ lifetime (2,538,245) Free to download since 2011 by Nest Labs, Inc updated 0.4 mo ago recent negative 65% 120 reviews across 4 regions
Reliability & Connection Scheduling & Control Google Integration Camera Performance Home/Away Assist
5★196
4★49
3★94
2★128
1★512
recent reviews across 4 regions, vs the 4.6★ lifetime average

The Nest app provides remote control for Nest thermostats and cameras, allowing users to adjust settings and monitor their homes from anywhere R22R26. However, recent user reviews highlight a decline in reliability and functionality, with frequent disconnections, issues with scheduling, and unwanted automatic temperature changes R10R13. Many users also express frustration with Google's integration, particularly regarding sign-in processes and the discontinuation of older Nest products R32R65.

What users like

  • Provides convenient remote control for thermostats and cameras from anywhereR22R26R38R64
  • Easy to use for basic temperature adjustmentsR12R26R34R79
  • Offers energy savings and peace of mind for home securityR22R76R83R109
  • Video quality for cameras is generally goodR83

What users complain about

  • App is unreliable and frequently disconnects or fails to communicate with devicesR10R13R18R19
  • Scheduling interface is clunky, difficult to use, and often glitchy, with parts of the schedule sometimes unviewableR9R11R13R14
  • Thermostat settings are frequently overridden by the app's 'Eco' mode or 'seasonal settings' despite user preferences, leading to higher energy costsR1R4R5R25
  • Frequent sign-outs and forced Google sign-ins are annoying for usersR1R17R32R61
  • Home/Away Assist feature is often inaccurate, incorrectly detecting users as away when they are homeR8R39R184R403
  • Camera features are slow to load, miss events, or require paid subscriptions for full historyR16R23R41R45
  • Discontinuation of Nest Protect smoke detectors and other products has frustrated long-term usersR29R31R65R252
  • Outdoor temperature readings can be inaccurateR3
  • App is slow to loadR48R55R266

Latest update · v5.87.1

What the developer says changed (the verdict above weighs this against what reviewers report):

Bug fixes and enhancements

Recurring themes

Reliability & Connection negative
Many users report that the app frequently disconnects from devices, goes offline, or simply fails to respond to commands, leading to frustration and manual adjustments. This issue seems to have worsened recently.R10R13R18R19
Scheduling & Control negative
The scheduling interface is widely criticized for being clunky, unintuitive, and difficult to use. Users report glitches where schedules don't save or parts of the week (like Monday) are unviewable. The app also frequently overrides user-set temperatures with 'Eco' mode or 'seasonal settings,' causing unwanted changes and higher energy bills, despite users trying to disable these features.R1R4R5R9
Google Integration negative
Users are frustrated by frequent forced Google sign-ins and the app signing them out. Many express a desire to control their Nest devices without constant Google account interaction. There's also significant discontent over Google discontinuing Nest Protect smoke detectors and other products, leaving users with unsupported devices.R1R17R29R31
Camera Performance mixed
While some users praise the video quality and reliability of Nest cameras, many report issues with slow loading of live views, missed motion detection, and the need for paid subscriptions to access video history. Delivery drivers often leave before the app loads the live feed.R16R23R41R45
Home/Away Assist negative
The Home/Away Assist feature frequently misidentifies users as away when they are home, leading to unwanted temperature changes and potential discomfort.R8R39R184R403

Who it's for

This app is for users who prioritize remote control of their Nest thermostats and cameras and are willing to tolerate frequent app glitches, connectivity issues, and potentially unwanted automatic temperature adjustments R22R26R10R13. It may be less suitable for users who need precise, reliable scheduling, consistent connectivity, or prefer not to engage with Google's ecosystem R13R32R65.

Evidence note: The recent reviews skew heavily negative (65.4% negative), contrasting with the high lifetime rating (4.6 stars). This suggests a recent decline in user satisfaction, possibly due to recent updates or Google's integration changes. Many points, especially regarding scheduling and unwanted temperature changes, are supported by a large number of recent reviews across different users.

Frequently asked

Does the Nest app reliably control my thermostat?
Recent reviews indicate that the Nest app's reliability for controlling thermostats has decreased, with many users reporting frequent disconnections, unresponsiveness, and the need to manually adjust settings because the app fails to communicate with the thermostat R10R13R18R82.
Can I set a consistent temperature schedule with the Nest app?
Many users find the scheduling feature in the Nest app to be clunky, difficult to use, and unreliable, with reports of schedules not saving, parts of the week being unviewable, and the app overriding user-set temperatures with 'Eco' mode or 'seasonal settings' R9R11R13R14.
Are there issues with the Nest app's camera features?
Yes, users report that Nest camera features in the app can be slow to load live views, sometimes miss motion events, and often require a paid subscription to access full video history, which some find too expensive R23R41R45R51.
Does the Nest app require a Google account?
Yes, the app increasingly pushes users to sign in with a Google account, and many reviewers express frustration with frequent sign-outs and the constant need to re-authenticate through Google, especially if they don't use other Google products R32R139R232R360.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R22] 5/5 · US Nest Provides Total Control: I think Nest is amazing in that it provides one total control of HVAC at home or away. It is so easy to change our environment for both comfort and energy savings. Don’t know how we used to live without it!
  2. [R26] 5/5 · US Nest app review: I was so excited when I finally downloaded this app and started controlling my thermostat from on the go no matter where I am. I love this app because it’s very user friendly.
  3. [R38] 5/5 · US Nest: Great to be able to control temp while away from home
  4. [R64] 5/5 · US Love it: Great resource! Love the fact I can control the temperature from anywhere at anytime. And having the ability to opt in to better cooling options when not an issue with those at home is wonderful.
  5. [R12] 5/5 · US Love this app: Great app. Easy to use.
  6. [R34] 5/5 · US No issues: Easy peasy
  7. [R79] 5/5 · US Love it: Great thermostat ever make life easy.
  8. [R76] 5/5 · US Great tool for our home: Love the functionality of this program. Local electric utility offers some discount for Nest. Glad our HVAC tech strongly recommended.
  9. [R83] 5/5 · US Must BUY!: Such a great home camera system! We’ve invested in Nest cameras since purchasing our home in 2017, and they’ve consistently been reliable and high-quality. The video quality is excellent, the app is easy to use, and the cameras have given us peace of mind for years. We continue to be impressed with the product and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a dependable home security syst
  10. [R109] 5/5 · US Game changer!: Now I have real control over energy and $$ savings! It’s so easy to turn on, off or adjust my thermostat from anywhere! I can leave it off and adjust 15 minutes from home and it’s perfect when I arrive. I’ve saved at least $150/year without being uncomfortable.
  11. [R10] 3/5 · US App is not reliable: Try to use the app to control my nest but most of the time it doesn’t work. I end up manually changing settings. Reliability has dropped.
  12. [R13] 2/5 · US Constant bugs: The Nest app is constantly breaking down in new and exciting ways. Think the schedule update you made and saved is going to take? Maybe it will, maybe it won’t. Reliability and predictability is for suckers in the world of Google and Nest. Think the schedule modification view you’ve been using for months will remain stable and functional? Where is the fun in that?? Do you want the v
  13. [R18] 1/5 · US Unresponsive: More than half the time the app does not respond to what I’m asking it to do.
  14. [R19] 1/5 · US App don’t work: App doesn’t work to control temp
  15. [R9] 1/5 · US Annoying interface: PIA to change schedule
  16. [R11] 3/5 · US Recent update affects schedule screen: The most recent update makes it so you cannot see Monday on the schedule, therefore you can’t adjust Monday. I have an iPhone 12 mini.
  17. [R14] 2/5 · US Scheduling temps is terrible: Trying to schedule temperature schedule is ponderous. Not user friendly.
  18. [R1] 3/5 · US Eh - fiddley: I reject “seasonal settings” and find my preferred temperatures altered on me anyway. Also, it forgets me on the app frequently and I’ll need to sign in again. Two annoyances for a device that works okay otherwise.
  19. [R4] 1/5 · US Eco: I don’t like the fact that you are not able to change once you have it on eco
  20. [R5] 1/5 · US Leave my temperature alone.: Quit changing the temperature it’s costing me more money to cool my house back down. Quit building all the stupid ware houses that are empty and using electricity
  21. [R25] 1/5 · US Stop changing settings when updating: App keeps turning on peak time and other “savings” settings. Go with a different product that you can control.
  22. [R17] 2/5 · US Terrible app: The thermostat works fine but the iOS app is awful. Setting a schedule is clunky and the secondary user on our account is constantly booted out. Whenever they attempt to sign back into Google Home using their email it says there is an error, therefore only one of the two adults in our home have the ability to control the thermostat remotely.
  23. [R32] 3/5 · US Nest is good don’t want google sign in: Update 2026: just keep me signed in without google. Seems like everytime I go to control it from the app it’s signed me out and it’s pushing google . I wish I could get rid of the google sign in. I don’t have any other google items it just makes it difficult to get to my thermostat login. I just want to control the temp. I don’t want to log into google. Wish
  24. [R61] 2/5 · US Spotty: It disconnects all the time and then I get signed out. Pretty annoying.
  25. [R8] 1/5 · US Home/away: For the past few months home/away indicates I’m away. I am home. All settings are set correctly. Google gives very little help by saying do all the possible steps. Google support is email only. There have been issues with this before and it turns out to be a Google/Nest issue.
  26. [R39] 1/5 · US Eco mode: Does not recognize when I’m away and switch to eco mode
  27. [R184] 3/5 · US Glitches: While I appreciate having an app to control my thermostat, I do wish it was more readily available. It so often glitches, not being able to connect to the Internet. I don’t like that it changes the temperature when it’s hotter outside because I already have my thermostat pretty high at times 85. I also feel like the ECO mode does not seem to be working so I miss out on energy, saving rew
  28. [R403] 3/5 · GB Never knows when I’m home: Home away function does not work
  29. [R16] 2/5 · US SLOW: Often misses people approaching the door.
  30. [R23] 1/5 · US No use in paying more: I have paid for this subscription for several years and it still does not do what it claims to do. I cannot go back and review my cameras. All I can see is it still shot which half the time isn’t even of the motion or person at the door. Also, the video feed is supposed to stay for a while, but mine only stays for a couple of hours and then disappears. Again, I pay over $20
  31. [R41] 1/5 · US Who’s at my door?: The main reason I have a doorbell camera is to tell whether the person at my door is a friend or a solicitor. The Nest can NEVER connect to show me this. It’s great at showing who was at my door five minutes ago.
  32. [R45] 1/5 · US Bad connection: It takes forever to load up the live view and it's bad for communicating using the cam
  33. [R29] 2/5 · US Nest Protect: Installed 13 Nest Protects 10 years ago, and they are all expiring. Google no longer offers Nest Protect, and their partnership to replace them gets bad reviews for false alarms. Way too much money for a product that Google abandons.
  34. [R31] 1/5 · US Nest Smoke Detectors: I purchased 6 Nest Protect smoke detectors just over 10 years ago, they have worked perfectly during this time. They have now expired and must be replaced. I was extremely disappointed to find that the product was discontinued! There is another manufacturer who makes a compatible device but it has less than stellar reviews and lacks a feature that I really liked, automatic ni
  35. [R65] 1/5 · US What a Rip Off: I bought in to Nest with their great smoke alarms. Spent over $1,000 on them. Then Google bought them and stopped upgrading and selling them. So I am now getting rid of my thermostats as well. Shame on me for thinking Google would care about making an actual product. Never again. Nothing Google!
  36. [R252] 3/5 · GB Disappointing that these have been discontinued.: Good product - as per title hacked off that I now need to move to another product because these are no longer produced.
  37. [R3] 1/5 · US Outdoor temperatures way off: Not sure how to get the correct outdoor temperature. It’s 97 now and the app says 71.
  38. [R48] 1/5 · US Google took something great and turned it to sheet: Slow, glitchy, and 10 years behind every other brand.
  39. [R55] 3/5 · US Slow to Load: The app consistently takes a while to load every time I open it. Very slow app
  40. [R266] 3/5 · GB Too slow to load: When someone rings the bell it can take a long time for the app to load and allow me to talk to them. Delivery drivers have usually gone, they don’t hang around. Also gets triggered by small sounds. Today it said person seen but no person was there.
  41. [R82] 3/5 · US Sometimes good, sometimes bad: The thermostat and app usually work fine, but often the app just won’t communicate with the thermostat. This isn’t rocket science, just fix it so it works correctly 100% of the time.
  42. [R51] 3/5 · US SAVING VIDEOS: Not allowing me to save videos. Very upsetting.
  43. [R139] 3/5 · US App connection: It keeps losing Google connection and makes you re-sign in too often.
  44. [R232] 3/5 · US Stop resetting password: The app works great but it keeps resetting password to force you to sign in with Google. Stop doing this it’s annoying
  45. [R360] 3/5 · GB Boost Feature Missing: It is nice to be able to remotely switch the heating on when coming home. Sorely needs a timed boost feature to switch the heating on for x minutes. Even old manual systems have this feature. Also, since being forced to switch to a Google account away from the Nest account it can take 5 attempts for it to connect. The only change was the account, now I regularly get mess

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store