
Smart home apps to save you time and energy (and the planet!)
Smart home technology, home automation and energy saving apps have boomed in the last decade. From smart lights and heating, to EV charging and car sharing, it’s never been easier to take control of your energy. You can monitor what you’re using and get handy tips and tricks on ways to save for just about everything, and all in the palm of your hand.
We've rounded up our favourite apps to help you save time, money and energy and cut your carbon footprint. That’s good news for you, your home, and the planet.
Our top apps to save you energy and time:
- EDF App
- Amazon Alexa
- Ecosia
- Audio count down
- Battery doctor
- Smart home heating
- IFTTT - If This Then That
- WeMo
- JouleBug
- Turo
- Energy Cost Calculator
- Energy Consumption Analyzer
1. EDF App
Manage your energy on the go with the free EDF mobile app. You can do it all from your pocket;
- Log in quickly and securely using your fingerprint
- Check your payment history, energy use and tariff information
- See your balance and make payments in an instant
- Track your energy use with Energy Hub through the app
- Submit meter readings (or send us a photo of your meter and we’ll do it for you)
- Check your PAYG balance and top-up your meter all in one place
Our app makes staying in control of your energy and your money easy. Get it today from the App Store or Google Play.


2. Amazon Alexa
With the Amazon Alexa app, you can control your heating, lights and smart plugs, all from a single app. Plus you get all the perks of having an in-home assistant for setting timers, telling jokes and even helping out with recipes.
Out and about and realise you’ve left the lights on? Don’t worry - you can switch them off from your pocket with the Alexa app. Plus turning your lights off and getting smart heating controls could save you up to £80 a year.
3. Ecosia
Ecosia is the search engine that plants trees whenever you use it. It works just like other search engines, but Ecosia use their profits to plant trees all over the world, and their servers are even run on renewable energy. You can make this app a part of your daily life, get the info you need from the world wide web and know that you’re doing your bit for the planet.
4. Audio count down
This one’s a simple concept, but it can help you make small changes that add up to a big difference. This app lets you set a timer that audibly counts down so you can time things like washing up or showers. You might think you’re in and out of the shower in no-time, so test yourself and see if you can beat the timer! Quicker showers mean less water, and lower bills.
5. Battery doctor
With this easy-to-use app, you can monitor and optimise the battery life of your phone or tablet. You’ll get tips for extending battery life, maintenance advice and accurate power level monitors. It even cleans out junk files and monitors over-heating apps so you don’t waste energy charging your phone more than you need to.
6. Smart home heating
Forgot to turn the heating off? Or want to come home to a toasty warm house? A smart thermostat lets you control your home's heating from your pocket. Set routines, boost the temperature and never again waste energy heating an empty house.
7. IFTTT - If This Then That
IFTTT (If This Then That) helps you connect all your different apps and devices. You can create automations – they’re a bit like routines - that work in the background. For example, you could make a routine that tells your thermostat to kick-in and turn the heating on if it detects motion from your in-home smart security. Connecting all your gadgets and gizmos can definitely save you time and hassle.
8. WeMo
These smart plugs turn everything into a smart device you can control from your phone. In the app you can see all your smart plugs and label them depending on what you’ve got plugged in. Forgot to turn off the lights? Left your hair straighteners on? Not to worry – you can switch them off from your phone.
9. JouleBug
JouleBug helps you make your everyday habits more sustainable, and you get rewards and badges as you go. The more sustainable choices you make, the more badges you earn, and you can share your achievements on Facebook to encourage others to do the same. Plus there’s a growing community to share success stories and advice with and get inspiration from real-world users.
10. Turo
Turo is the world’s largest car sharing marketplace. With cars all over the world from LA to London, you just find the perfect car for you, book your trip and hit the road! And if you’re curious about electric vehicles and want to get the feel of how they work and how they drive, you can browse the dedicated EV section. Test drive the latest models and kick-start your EV journey.
11. Energy Cost Calculator
If you are looking for ways to save energy, but have appliances that you can’t live without, look no further than the Energy Cost Calculator app. It shows users how much an appliance costs to run over a certain period of time and how much you could save by using it less. It’s not an exact science since energy prices tend to go up and down, but it can give you an idea of the most costly appliance in your home so you can start to tweak your habits.
12. Energy Consumption Analyzer
This app keeps track of your energy and water consumption by letting you add your gas, electricity and water meters to the same app. You can enter your readings, add notes around days where your consumption might be higher than usual (if you’re having people to stay for example) and build up data as you go. Once you’re up and running the app creates graphs showing your average consumption, which you can use to set goals for reducing your use.
Smart meters can do the same thing, letting you see what you’re using in pounds and pence. Plus as an EDF customer, once you’ve got your smart meter you can get access to our free, exclusive Energy Hub. Get a personalised view of your energy use as well as tips to help you save money and cut your carbon footprint.
Take control of your energy and say goodbye to estimated bills with a smart meter. Book your smart meter install today by logging into MyAccount.
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