Best Energy Monitoring Apps for Your Smartphone

The Secret Weapon in Your Pocket: Track, Tame, and Slash Your Energy Bills

In 2023, the average monthly residential electric bill in the United States was $136.84, and the nationwide average electricity price reached 17.47 cents per kWh by May 2025, underscoring why better household energy visibility matters now, not later. Here’s the thing: the surge in smart meters and consumer energy dashboards promises transparency and savings, but it also raises questions about accuracy, data rights, and who ultimately shapes the incentives—utilities, platforms, or end users.

The trend affects consumers juggling higher utility bills and time‑of‑use rates, utilities seeking grid flexibility and decarbonization, and investors watching a market expected to approach roughly $49–50 billion this decade as AMI and IoT analytics scale up. As smartphone‑first experiences mature—think Sense device detection, SmartThings Energy automation, Alexa dashboards, and Nest Renew—power shifts toward fine‑grained data and automated demand response, for better or worse.

The Data

• According to large‑scale real‑time feedback studies, direct feedback programs deliver household electricity savings averaging around 3.8% across pilots, with broader literature showing 4–12% typical ranges and some cases higher, which supports the case for app‑based monitoring and prompts.

• The global smart electric meter market was about $27.4 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $48.6 billion by 2033 as utilities pursue AMI, dynamic pricing, and consumer awareness, building the data backbone for consumer energy apps.

• In 2023 the average U.S. home used about 855 kWh per month, and average bills have climbed alongside rates, so even single‑digit percentage savings translate into real money for most households.

Best apps: step‑by‑step guides

Sense Home Energy Monitor

Why it matters: Sense delivers high‑frequency waveform sampling and machine‑learning‑based device detection, enabling real‑time whole‑home insights without per‑device hardware, and it now underpins some utility‑facing strategies in the broader home energy stack. It’s the right fit for homeowners seeking deep visibility, appliance‑level disaggregation over time, and integrations that get smarter as more signatures are learned, though installation involves the electrical panel and should be handled with care or by a pro.

Step‑by‑step:

• Install the Sense app and tap Get Started to create an account and walk through Wi‑Fi setup, which pairs the monitor to the home network and prepares it for calibration and detection.

• Power down the panel safely, remove the cover, and mount the Sense unit and antenna per the guide, using the knockout for the antenna and fitting the monitor inside the panel or with the provided bracket if space is tight.

• Clamp the current sensors on the main service lines, ensuring orientation is consistent, attach the power leads to adjacent breakers on different phases as directed, and restore power to initiate the app‑guided onboarding.

• In the app, complete network setup, verify live real‑time power readings, and let Sense’s ML begin learning device signatures; accuracy improves as the system collects data, and integrating compatible smart plugs can aid detection of stubborn loads.

• For solar, follow the specific solar guide for separate production tracking or net metering; Sense provides distinct steps and ports for solar CTs and will surface solar and consumption data in unified graphs.

What to watch: Device detection is not instant and may take weeks to identify patterns, but the high‑resolution approach—“millions of measurements per second,” as Sense’s CEO has explained—enables nuanced disaggregation over time that can catch vampire loads and behavior‑driven spikes.

Emporia Energy (Vue)

Why it matters: Emporia offers granular circuit‑level monitoring with optional branch CTs, strong solar workflows, and a polished app experience that emphasizes alerts, schedules, and clear circuit labeling for precise tracking and net metering. It’s the right fit for owners who want immediate circuit insights without waiting for ML detection and a cost‑effective path to whole‑home and solar visibility.

Step‑by‑step:

• Scan the unique QR code on the Vue monitor or Getting Started guide to download the Emporia app, create an account, and begin setup; check Wi‑Fi signal strength at the panel before committing to a wireless path.

• Power down service disconnects or main breakers, remove the panel cover, and follow safety warnings—mains remain energized even when branch circuits are off—so consider licensed installation if panel work is unfamiliar.

• Install the main CTs on the incoming mains with the “Breaker →” imprint oriented toward the breakers, seat the screw terminal plugs, and route leads neatly to avoid interference or strain.

• For homes with solar, follow the dedicated paths for breaker‑fed or line‑side tap configurations, which affect CT placement and whether the default out‑of‑the‑box view shows net usage or separate production and consumption with branch CTs.

• Restore power, complete Wi‑Fi or Ethernet setup in the app, label circuits, and confirm real‑time readings; use troubleshooting tips if the app shows no data, and ensure CT orientation and wiring match the guide.

What to watch: If detection seems off, verify that solar isn’t supplying power during configuration, run the pairing at night, and create a discernible load by turning on a large appliance to help initialization succeed. The app’s alerts and notifications can flag unusual consumption patterns and help catch always‑on loads fast once labeling is complete.

Samsung SmartThings Energy

Why it matters: SmartThings Energy layers energy monitoring, AI Energy Mode, and demand response automations onto a broad device ecosystem, with an app‑first path that pulls many brand devices under one management roof. It is best for households already invested in Samsung or multi‑brand smart home gear who want energy features woven into scenes, automations, and time‑of‑use realities.

Step‑by‑step:

• Open the SmartThings app, tap the Life tab, and select Energy to add the SmartThings Energy service, then follow the on‑screen prompts to complete installation.

• Check supported devices by tapping the More options icon in Energy, then Your supported devices, which helps target plugs, appliances, and hubs that can contribute usage data and savings.

• Turn on AI Energy Mode on supported devices to automatically adjust settings like TV brightness based on ambient light, noting that it won’t run in modes prioritizing visual performance such as game mode.

• For peak pricing, set up Auto Demand Response: tap Set to configure a DR event, toggle to On, consent to data sharing with relevant third parties, and select Save energy automatically for eligible devices to reduce costs and grid strain.

• Build routines around Energy insights to shift flexible loads, and use the app’s unified view to monitor real‑time usage and plan around tariff windows, comfort constraints, and daily routines.

What to watch: Availability of features can vary by device model and region, and UI flows may differ after updates, so check the latest support notes when a menu path changes. Smart TVs from 2022 onward add specific Energy capabilities, and DR flows require compatible devices and program availability.

Home Assistant Energy Dashboard

Why it matters: Home Assistant’s Energy Dashboard is the open‑source option for deep customization, tariff‑aware tracking, and multi‑source energy flows, from grid and solar to batteries and EVs, with a fast‑evolving roadmap. It is ideal for enthusiasts and tinkerers who want control, transparency, and the freedom to integrate diverse meters, plugs, and inverters without vendor lock‑in.

Step‑by‑step:

• Open the Energy dashboard and run the setup wizard to select grid consumption and export metrics, then add solar PV generation and battery in/out if available, skipping gas or device metrics if not needed.

• Add device‑level entities such as Shelly EM or supported chargers to feed the dashboard, and always have CT installs performed by a licensed electrician for safety and accuracy.

• Configure tariffs with the Utility Meter integration: create Helpers for Peak and Off‑Peak, set the reset cycle to match billing, and set meter offsets to align with the billing date.

• Use automations to flip tariff selectors on schedule as seasons or utility windows change, and surface the resulting entities in the Energy dashboard to judge cost impacts over time.

• Explore recent releases to improve energy flow visualization and dashboards, as Home Assistant continues to add features that make energy insights more intuitive and actionable.

What to watch: Home Assistant rewards tinkering, and while the wizard accelerates setup, depth comes from carefully picking integrations that output energy in compatible units and entities, then tailoring dashboards for clarity.

Alexa Energy Dashboard

Why it matters: Amazon’s Alexa Energy Dashboard centralizes the energy of compatible devices inside the Alexa app, mixing real‑time or estimated usage views, simple trends, and actionable routines that fit busy lives. It suits households that already manage devices through Alexa and want a low‑effort way to see usage and automate power‑saving behaviors at a glance and by voice.

Step‑by‑step:

• Update or download the Alexa app, tap Devices, and navigate to the Energy dashboard to see supported devices and turn on tracking based on actual telemetry or preset device parameters.

• If using the Loop Alexa skill in the UK, link the Loop account for smart meter insights and voice access to electricity or gas usage, then ask Alexa for consumption and tips, or view data in the dashboard.

• Use daily, weekly, or monthly diagrams in the dashboard to spot trends and outliers, and lean on Alexa routines to turn off lights at sunrise or power down idle loads on a schedule.

• Confirm whether devices provide native reporting or require estimates by entering device parameters, since accuracy depends on supported brands and telemetry paths.

• Combine dashboard visibility with cheap‑rate windows to schedule flexible loads like dishwashers or EV charging, and use routines to enforce habits when attention slips.

What to watch: Not every brand or device reports native energy today, but compatibility is growing, and estimated modes can fill gaps while waiting for broader telemetry support.

The People

“A fancy energy monitor” is how Sense’s CEO Mike Phillips once positioned the stand‑alone disaggregation device, as the company pushed toward embedding its high‑resolution detection in broader home energy strategies beyond early adopters. He has highlighted that Sense “takes millions of measurements per second,” an approach that unlocks detection of small and intermittent loads and distinguishes the platform from lower‑frequency methods as utilities and OEMs eye cleaner, more flexible homes.

Researchers warn about the flip side of household insight, showing how smart meter data can be used to recognize appliance actions and even infer human activity, which fuels a privacy debate as NILM techniques mature alongside AMI and app ecosystems. A former utility executive told Forbes, sources say, that the real power sits where incentives, automation, and data governance intersect, and while that sounds obvious, it’s where most pilots have stumbled over the past decade.

The Fallout

Expect bigger moves on time‑of‑use and demand response as app ecosystems meet utility programs, with SmartThings Energy already enabling Auto Demand Response to push loads outside peak windows for cost and carbon gains. As analysts chart a near‑10% CAGR for smart metering through 2030, AMI 2.0 data streams will feed both utility analytics and consumer dashboards, accelerating feedback loops that can save energy but also reshape how people live with devices.

Real‑time feedback reliably nudges 4–12% savings in many contexts, which could meaningfully blunt higher rates and bills if deployed at scale through consumer‑friendly apps rather than niche pilots and fragmented hardware. But privacy questions are not academic—studies show NILM techniques can deduce appliance activity and human routines, and that “smells like” a data land grab unless platforms commit to on‑device processing, minimization, and explicit user controls.

Platforms will likely double down on “automation first” rather than “dashboards first,” with Nest Renew’s Energy Shift and utility‑partnered Rush Hour Rewards pointing to mainstream HVAC shifting that happens quietly in the background. Alexa’s Energy Dashboard and SmartThings Energy are also steering people toward routines and automated DR, because the biggest wins come from consistent behaviors at times that match cleaner or cheaper grid conditions.

Closing thought

If apps can deliver 4–12% savings at scale while automating the toughest timing decisions, will utilities and platforms go further and subsidize panel‑level hardware—Sense, Emporia, and the like—to hard‑wire transparency into every home as AMI 2.0 rolls on ? Or will Apple and Google make “energy dashboards by default” the next platform must‑have, pushing incumbents to compete on trust, privacy‑preserving NILM, and sharper automation that proves its value on every bill ?