Comparison

Hive vs BOXT

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Hive

Control your home's energy usage, from heating and EV charging to lighting and solar power, all from your smartphone. Save money and reduce your carbon footprint with smart scheduling, real-time tracking, and personalized insights.

Highlights
  • Smart heating control
  • EV charging management
  • Smart lighting and plugs
  • Solar energy generation and storage
  • Energy usage tracking and budgeting
  • Personalized dashboard
  • Smart actions and scheduling
Features
Read full description

SAVE MONEY AND ENERGY WITH HIVE From smart heating to EV charging and so much more, Hive makes it easy to cut costs and carbon – all from your smartphone. Already trusted by more than 2 million customers, our clever technology is changing the way homes use, store and generate energy for the better. So we can get Britain living more sustainably every day. INTRODUCING THE NEW HIVE APP Our better-than-ever app has even more features to make saving energy easier – all based on feedback from real Hive users. • Personalise your dashboard to show your most-used devices first for quicker control. • Track budgets, check your history and discover more ways to save with Trends. • Switch on your devices, set smart actions and control it all from the dashboard.   HIVE THERMOSTATS • Get everything you need to take control of your heating with the best-selling Hive Thermostat - or choose the Hive Thermostat Mini for all the benefits at an even more affordable price. • Set energy-saving schedules, boost the temperature and get alerts if you’ve accidentally left the heating on. • Save energy and protect your heating system with built-in features like Frost Protection and Holiday Mode. • Boost your control with smart Hive Radiator Valves and save by never heating a room you’re not using. • Upgrade to Hive Heating Plus for even more ways to save, including insight tools, budget tracking and personalised recommendations.   HIVE EV CHARGING • Make the switch to EV easier with Hive EV Charging, including a smart home charger, installation by British Gas and simple control via the Hive app. • Pair it with any British Gas electricity tariff to access SmartCharge – our revolutionary scheduling tool that automatically charges at the greenest and cheapest times. Then, get any money you’ve saved credited on your next bill. • Or if you’re a new customer, get exclusive access to FreeCharge for a year of free charging on us! • See how much you’re spending in the Hive app and get real-time updates when your car’s ready to go.   HIVE LIGHTS, SENSORS & PLUGS • Set the mood with a swipe and get light where you need it with our ultra-efficient bulbs. • Monitor power-hungry appliances with smart plugs, so you can see how much energy you’re using at any time. • Link your whole smart home together with Motion Sensors and get it saving energy without lifting a finger.   *NEW* HIVE SOLAR • Get everything you need to power your home with greener, renewable energy, including solar panels, home battery, expert installation and full app control. • Generate free green energy from the sun, store what you don’t use with a solar battery and sell any you don’t need back to the grid. • Pair it with the Hive Solar Saver tariff from British Gas and save hundreds on your energy bills. Discover more at hivehome.com

About

BOXT

This app serves as a comprehensive companion for customers, simplifying the post-purchase experience. It allows users to manage bookings, receive important updates, access documents, and get expert support. Additionally, users can earn rewards through the platform.

Highlights
  • Manage and track bookings
  • Receive important updates
  • Access important documents
  • Get expert support
  • Earn rewards
Features
Read full description

The all-in-one companion app for BOXT customers. The BOXT app guides you through your post-purchase experience and keeps you updated every step of the way. • Manage and track your bookings • Get notified of important updates • Access all of your important documents • Get expert support • Earn rewards

Screenshots

Hive4 screens
BOXT4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: BOXT at 60% against Hive's 18%. Hive's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Hive ships an update every 3 weeks, BOXT every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and July 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Hive versus BOXT: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHiveBOXT
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (785 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews18.4% of reviews60.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings785 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.115.1
Further details — not scored
Size197 MB44 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCentrica Hive LimitedBOXT Limited

Customer experience

Hive

All ratings785 ratings
Positive79.5%
Neutral4.6%
Negative15.9%
Written reviews1,778 reviews
Positive18.4%
Neutral10.8%
Negative70.8%

BOXT

Written reviews5 reviews
Positive60.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative40.0%

Bugs and requests

Hive

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App crashes and freezes
  • Devices randomly going offline
  • Heating/cooling schedules not working as expected
  • Camera live view and recordings not functioning properly

Requested features

4 requests
  • Dark mode option
  • More granular scheduling controls
  • Better integration with smart home platforms
  • Improved camera functionality and recording

BOXT

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Hive

No in-app purchases

None

BOXT

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Hive free?
Hive is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is BOXT free?
BOXT is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Hive or BOXT have ads?
Neither Hive nor BOXT shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Hive or BOXT?
Hive ships an update every 3 weeks, and BOXT every 2 months. Most recently, Hive was updated on September 24, 2026 and BOXT on July 23, 2026.

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