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Sensors
Tip: Many sensors have dynamic icons and colors! See the Dynamic Icons Guide and Dynamic Icon Colors Guide to enhance your dashboards.
Entity ID tip:
<home_name>is a placeholder for your Tibber home display name in Home Assistant. Entity IDs are derived from the displayed name (localized), so the exact slug may differ. Example suffixes below use the English display names (en.json) as a baseline. You can find the real ID in Settings → Devices & Services → Entities (or Developer Tools → States).
Binary Sensors
Best Price Period & Peak Price Period
These binary sensors indicate when you're in a detected best or peak price period. See the Period Calculation Guide for a detailed explanation of how these periods are calculated and configured.
Quick overview:
- Best Price Period: Turns ON during periods with significantly lower prices than the daily average
- Peak Price Period: Turns ON during periods with significantly higher prices than the daily average
Both sensors include rich attributes with period details, intervals, relaxation status, and more.
Core Price Sensors
Average Price Sensors
The integration provides several sensors that calculate average electricity prices over different time windows. These sensors show a typical price value that represents the overall price level, helping you make informed decisions about when to use electricity.
Available Average Sensors
| Sensor | Description | Time Window |
|---|---|---|
| Average Price Today | Typical price for current calendar day | 00:00 - 23:59 today |
| Average Price Tomorrow | Typical price for next calendar day | 00:00 - 23:59 tomorrow |
| Trailing Price Average | Typical price for last 24 hours | Rolling 24h backward |
| Leading Price Average | Typical price for next 24 hours | Rolling 24h forward |
| Current Hour Average | Smoothed price around current time | 5 intervals (~75 min) |
| Next Hour Average | Smoothed price around next hour | 5 intervals (~75 min) |
| Next N Hours Average | Future price forecast | 1h, 2h, 3h, 4h, 5h, 6h, 8h, 12h |
Configurable Display: Median vs Mean
All average sensors support two different calculation methods for the state value:
- Median (default): The "middle value" when all prices are sorted. Resistant to extreme price spikes, shows the typical price level you experienced.
- Arithmetic Mean: The mathematical average including all prices. Better for cost calculations but affected by extreme spikes.
Why two values matter:
# Example price data for one day:
# Prices: 10, 12, 13, 15, 80 ct/kWh (one extreme spike)
#
# Median = 13 ct/kWh ← "Typical" price level (middle value)
# Mean = 26 ct/kWh ← Mathematical average (affected by spike)
The median shows you what price level was typical during that period, while the mean shows the actual average cost if you consumed evenly throughout the period.
Configuring the Display
You can choose which value is displayed in the sensor state:
- Go to Settings → Devices & Services → Tibber Prices
- Click Configure on your home
- Navigate to Step 6: Average Sensor Display Settings
- Choose between:
- Median (default) - Shows typical price level, resistant to spikes
- Arithmetic Mean - Shows actual mathematical average
Important: Both values are always available as sensor attributes, regardless of your choice! This ensures your automations continue to work if you change the display setting.
Using Both Values in Automations
Both price_mean and price_median are always available as attributes:
# Example: Get both values regardless of display setting
sensor:
- platform: template
sensors:
daily_price_analysis:
friendly_name: "Daily Price Analysis"
value_template: >
{% set median = state_attr('sensor.<home_name>_price_today', 'price_median') %}
{% set mean = state_attr('sensor.<home_name>_price_today', 'price_mean') %}
{% set current = states('sensor.<home_name>_current_electricity_price') | float %}
{% if current < median %}
Below typical ({{ ((1 - current/median) * 100) | round(1) }}% cheaper)
{% elif current < mean %}
Typical price range
{% else %}
Above average ({{ ((current/mean - 1) * 100) | round(1) }}% more expensive)
{% endif %}
Practical Examples
Example 1: Smart dishwasher control
Run dishwasher only when price is significantly below the daily typical level:
automation:
- alias: "Start Dishwasher When Cheap"
trigger:
- platform: state
entity_id: binary_sensor.<home_name>_best_price_period
to: "on"
condition:
# Only if current price is at least 20% below typical (median)
- condition: template
value_template: >
{% set current = states('sensor.<home_name>_current_electricity_price') | float %}
{% set median = state_attr('sensor.<home_name>_price_today', 'price_median') | float %}
{{ current < (median * 0.8) }}
action:
- service: switch.turn_on
entity_id: switch.dishwasher
Example 2: Cost-aware heating control
Use mean for actual cost calculations:
automation:
- alias: "Heating Budget Control"
trigger:
- platform: time
at: "06:00:00"
action:
# Calculate expected daily heating cost
- variables:
mean_price: "{{ state_attr('sensor.<home_name>_price_today', 'price_mean') | float }}"
heating_kwh_per_day: 15 # Estimated consumption
daily_cost: "{{ (mean_price * heating_kwh_per_day / 100) | round(2) }}"
- service: notify.mobile_app
data:
title: "Heating Cost Estimate"
message: "Expected cost today: €{{ daily_cost }} (avg price: {{ mean_price }} ct/kWh)"
Example 3: Smart charging based on rolling average
Use trailing average to understand recent price trends:
automation:
- alias: "EV Charging - Price Trend Based"
trigger:
- platform: state
entity_id: sensor.ev_battery_level
condition:
# Start charging if current price < 90% of recent 24h average
- condition: template
value_template: >
{% set current = states('sensor.<home_name>_current_electricity_price') | float %}
{% set trailing_avg = state_attr('sensor.<home_name>_price_trailing_24h', 'price_median') | float %}
{{ current < (trailing_avg * 0.9) }}
# And battery < 80%
- condition: numeric_state
entity_id: sensor.ev_battery_level
below: 80
action:
- service: switch.turn_on
entity_id: switch.ev_charger
Key Attributes
All average sensors provide these attributes:
| Attribute | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
price_mean |
Arithmetic mean (always available) | 25.3 ct/kWh |
price_median |
Median value (always available) | 22.1 ct/kWh |
interval_count |
Number of intervals included | 96 |
timestamp |
Reference time for calculation | 2025-12-18T00:00:00+01:00 |
Note: The price_mean and price_median attributes are always present regardless of which value you configured for display. This ensures automation compatibility when changing the display setting.
When to Use Which Value
Use Median for:
- ✅ Comparing "typical" price levels across days
- ✅ Determining if current price is unusually high/low
- ✅ User-facing displays ("What was today like?")
- ✅ Volatility analysis (comparing typical vs extremes)
Use Mean for:
- ✅ Cost calculations and budgeting
- ✅ Energy cost estimations
- ✅ Comparing actual average costs between periods
- ✅ Financial planning and forecasting
Both values tell different stories:
- High median + much higher mean = Expensive spikes occurred
- Low median + higher mean = Generally cheap with occasional spikes
- Similar median and mean = Stable prices (low volatility)
Volatility Sensors
Volatility sensors help you understand how much electricity prices fluctuate over a given period. Instead of just looking at the absolute price, they measure the relative price variation, which is a great indicator of whether it's a good day for price-based energy optimization.
The calculation is based on the Coefficient of Variation (CV), a standardized statistical measure defined as:
CV = (Standard Deviation / aAithmetic Mean) * 100%
This results in a percentage that shows how much prices deviate from the average. A low CV means stable prices, while a high CV indicates significant price swings and thus, a high potential for saving money by shifting consumption.
The sensor's state can be low, moderate, high, or very_high, based on configurable thresholds.
Available Volatility Sensors
| Sensor | Description | Time Window |
|---|---|---|
| Today's Price Volatility | Volatility for the current calendar day | 00:00 - 23:59 today |
| Tomorrow's Price Volatility | Volatility for the next calendar day | 00:00 - 23:59 tomorrow |
| Next 24h Price Volatility | Volatility for the next 24 hours from now | Rolling 24h forward |
| Today + Tomorrow Price Volatility | Volatility across both today and tomorrow | Up to 48 hours |
Configuration
You can adjust the CV thresholds that determine the volatility level:
- Go to Settings → Devices & Services → Tibber Prices.
- Click Configure.
- Go to the Price Volatility Thresholds step.
Default thresholds are:
- Moderate: 15%
- High: 30%
- Very High: 50%
Key Attributes
All volatility sensors provide these attributes:
| Attribute | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
price_coefficient_variation_% |
The calculated Coefficient of Variation | 23.5 |
price_spread |
The difference between the highest and lowest price | 12.3 |
price_min |
The lowest price in the period | 10.2 |
price_max |
The highest price in the period | 22.5 |
price_mean |
The arithmetic mean of all prices in the period | 15.1 |
interval_count |
Number of price intervals included in the calculation | 96 |
Usage in Automations & Best Practices
You can use the volatility sensor to decide if a price-based optimization is worth it. For example, if your solar battery has conversion losses, you might only want to charge and discharge it on days with high volatility.
Best Practice: Use the price_volatility Attribute
For automations, it is strongly recommended to use the price_volatility attribute instead of the sensor's main state.
- Why? The main
stateof the sensor is translated into your Home Assistant language (e.g., "Hoch" in German). If you change your system language, automations based on this state will break. Theprice_volatilityattribute is always in lowercase English ("low","moderate","high","very_high") and therefore provides a stable, language-independent value.
Good Example (Robust Automation):
This automation triggers only if the volatility is classified as high or very_high, respecting your central settings and working independently of the system language.
automation:
- alias: "Enable battery optimization only on volatile days"
trigger:
- platform: template
value_template: >
{{ state_attr('sensor.<home_name>_today_s_price_volatility', 'price_volatility') in ['high', 'very_high'] }}
action:
- service: input_boolean.turn_on
entity_id: input_boolean.battery_optimization_enabled
Avoid Hard-Coding Numeric Thresholds
You might be tempted to use the numeric price_coefficient_variation_% attribute directly in your automations. This is not recommended.
- Why? The integration provides central configuration options for the volatility thresholds. By using the classified
price_volatilityattribute, your automations automatically adapt if you decide to change what you consider "high" volatility (e.g., changing the threshold from 30% to 35%). Hard-coding values means you would have to find and update them in every single automation.
Bad Example (Brittle Automation): This automation uses a hard-coded value. If you later change the "High" threshold in the integration's options to 35%, this automation will not respect that change and might trigger at the wrong time.
automation:
- alias: "Brittle - Enable battery optimization"
trigger:
#
# BAD: Avoid hard-coding numeric values
#
- platform: numeric_state
entity_id: sensor.<home_name>_today_s_price_volatility
attribute: price_coefficient_variation_%
above: 30
action:
- service: input_boolean.turn_on
entity_id: input_boolean.battery_optimization_enabled
By following the "Good Example", your automations become simpler, more readable, and much easier to maintain.
Rating Sensors
Rating sensors classify prices relative to the trailing 24-hour average, answering: "Is the current price cheap, normal, or expensive compared to recent history?"
How Ratings Work
The integration calculates a percentage difference between the current price and the trailing 24-hour average:
difference = ((current_price - trailing_avg) / abs(trailing_avg)) × 100%
This percentage is then classified:
| Rating | Condition (default) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| LOW | difference ≤ -10% | Significantly below recent average |
| NORMAL | -10% < difference < +10% | Within normal range |
| HIGH | difference ≥ +10% | Significantly above recent average |
Hysteresis (default 2%) prevents flickering: once a rating enters LOW, it must cross -8% (not -10%) to return to NORMAL. This avoids rapid switching at threshold boundaries.
stateDiagram-v2
direction LR
LOW: 🟢 LOW<br/><small>price ≤ −10%</small>
NORMAL: 🟡 NORMAL<br/><small>−10% … +10%</small>
HIGH: 🔴 HIGH<br/><small>price ≥ +10%</small>
LOW --> NORMAL: crosses −8%<br/><small>(hysteresis)</small>
NORMAL --> LOW: drops below −10%
NORMAL --> HIGH: rises above +10%
HIGH --> NORMAL: crosses +8%<br/><small>(hysteresis)</small>
The 2% gap between entering (−10%) and leaving (−8%) a state prevents the sensor from flickering back and forth when prices hover near a threshold.
Available Rating Sensors
| Sensor | Scope | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Current Price Rating | Current interval | Rating of the current 15-minute price |
| Next Price Rating | Next interval | Rating for the upcoming 15-minute price |
| Previous Price Rating | Previous interval | Rating for the past 15-minute price |
| Current Hour Price Rating | Rolling 5-interval | Smoothed rating around the current hour |
| Next Hour Price Rating | Rolling 5-interval | Smoothed rating around the next hour |
| Yesterday's Price Rating | Calendar day | Aggregated rating for yesterday |
| Today's Price Rating | Calendar day | Aggregated rating for today |
| Tomorrow's Price Rating | Calendar day | Aggregated rating for tomorrow |
Ratings vs Levels
The integration provides two classification systems that serve different purposes:
| Ratings | Levels | |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Calculated by integration | Provided by Tibber API |
| Scale | 3 levels (LOW, NORMAL, HIGH) | 5 levels (VERY_CHEAP → VERY_EXPENSIVE) |
| Basis | Trailing 24h average | Daily min/max range |
| Best for | Automations (simple thresholds) | Dashboard displays (fine granularity) |
| Configurable | Yes (thresholds) | Gap tolerance only |
| Automation attribute | rating_level (always lowercase English) |
level (always uppercase English) |
Which to use?
- Automations: Use ratings (3 simple states, configurable thresholds, hysteresis)
- Dashboards: Use levels (5 color-coded states, more visual granularity)
- Advanced automations: Combine both (e.g., "LOW rating AND VERY_CHEAP level")
Key Attributes
| Attribute | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
rating_level |
Language-independent rating (always lowercase) | low |
difference |
Percentage difference from trailing average | -12.5 |
trailing_avg_24h |
The reference average used for classification | 22.3 |
Usage in Automations
Best Practice: Always use the rating_level attribute (lowercase English) instead of the sensor state (which is translated to your HA language):
# ✅ Correct — language-independent
condition:
- condition: template
value_template: >
{{ state_attr('sensor.<home_name>_current_price_rating', 'rating_level') == 'low' }}
# ❌ Avoid — breaks when HA language changes
condition:
- condition: state
entity_id: sensor.<home_name>_current_price_rating
state: "Low" # "Niedrig" in German, "Lav" in Norwegian...
Configuration
Rating thresholds can be adjusted in the options flow:
- Go to Settings → Devices & Services → Tibber Prices → Configure
- Navigate to Price Rating Thresholds
- Adjust LOW/HIGH thresholds, hysteresis, and gap tolerance
See Configuration for details.
Level Sensors
Level sensors show the Tibber API's own price classification with a 5-level scale:
| Level | Meaning | Numeric Value |
|---|---|---|
| VERY_CHEAP | Exceptionally low | -2 |
| CHEAP | Below average | -1 |
| NORMAL | Typical range | 0 |
| EXPENSIVE | Above average | +1 |
| VERY_EXPENSIVE | Exceptionally high | +2 |
Available Level Sensors
| Sensor | Scope |
|---|---|
| Current Price Level | Current interval |
| Next Price Level | Next interval |
| Previous Price Level | Previous interval |
| Current Hour Price Level | Rolling 5-interval window |
| Next Hour Price Level | Rolling 5-interval window |
| Yesterday's Price Level | Calendar day (aggregated) |
| Today's Price Level | Calendar day (aggregated) |
| Tomorrow's Price Level | Calendar day (aggregated) |
Gap tolerance smoothing is applied to prevent isolated level flickers (e.g., a single NORMAL between two CHEAPs → corrected to CHEAP). Configure in options flow.
Min/Max Sensors
These sensors show the lowest and highest prices for calendar days and rolling windows:
Daily Min/Max
| Sensor | Description |
|---|---|
| Today's Lowest Price | Minimum price today (00:00–23:59) |
| Today's Highest Price | Maximum price today (00:00–23:59) |
| Tomorrow's Lowest Price | Minimum price tomorrow |
| Tomorrow's Highest Price | Maximum price tomorrow |
24-Hour Rolling Min/Max
| Sensor | Description |
|---|---|
| Trailing Price Min | Lowest price in the last 24 hours |
| Trailing Price Max | Highest price in the last 24 hours |
| Leading Price Min | Lowest price in the next 24 hours |
| Leading Price Max | Highest price in the next 24 hours |
Key Attributes
All min/max sensors include:
| Attribute | Description |
|---|---|
timestamp |
When the extreme price occurs/occurred |
price_diff_from_daily_min |
Difference from daily minimum |
price_diff_from_daily_min_% |
Percentage difference |
Timing Sensors
Timing sensors provide real-time information about Best Price and Peak Price periods: when they start, end, how long they last, and your progress through them.
stateDiagram-v2
direction LR
IDLE: ⏸️ IDLE<br/><small>No active period</small>
ACTIVE: ▶️ ACTIVE<br/><small>In period</small>
GRACE: ⏳ GRACE<br/><small>60s buffer</small>
IDLE --> ACTIVE: period starts
ACTIVE --> GRACE: period ends
GRACE --> IDLE: 60s elapsed
GRACE --> ACTIVE: new period starts<br/><small>(within grace)</small>
IDLE = waiting for next period (shows countdown via next_in_minutes). ACTIVE = inside a period (shows progress 0–100% and remaining_minutes). GRACE = short buffer after a period ends, allowing back-to-back periods to merge seamlessly.
Available Timing Sensors
For each period type (Best Price and Peak Price):
| Sensor | When Period Active | When No Active Period |
|---|---|---|
| End Time | Current period's end time | Next period's end time |
| Period Duration | Current period length (minutes) | Next period length |
| Remaining Minutes | Minutes until current period ends | 0 |
| Progress | 0–100% through current period | 0 |
| Next Start Time | When next-next period starts | When next period starts |
| Next In Minutes | Minutes to next-next period | Minutes to next period |
Usage Examples
Show countdown to next cheap window:
type: custom:mushroom-entity-card
entity: sensor.<home_name>_best_price_next_in_minutes
name: Next Cheap Window
icon: mdi:clock-fast
Display period progress bar:
type: custom:bar-card
entity: sensor.<home_name>_best_price_progress
name: Best Price Progress
min: 0
max: 100
severity:
- from: 0
to: 50
color: green
- from: 50
to: 80
color: orange
- from: 80
to: 100
color: red
Automation: notify when period is almost over:
automation:
- alias: "Warn: Best Price Ending Soon"
trigger:
- platform: numeric_state
entity_id: sensor.<home_name>_best_price_remaining_minutes
below: 15
condition:
- condition: numeric_state
entity_id: sensor.<home_name>_best_price_remaining_minutes
above: 0
action:
- service: notify.mobile_app
data:
title: "Best Price Ending Soon"
message: "Only {{ states('sensor.<home_name>_best_price_remaining_minutes') }} minutes left!"
Trend Sensors
Trend sensors help you understand where prices are heading. They answer the question: "Should I use electricity now, or wait?"
The integration provides two families of trend sensors for different use cases:
Simple Trend Sensors (1h–12h)
These sensors compare the current price with the average price of the next N hours:
| Sensor | Compares Against |
|---|---|
| Price Trend (1h) | Average of next 1 hour |
| Price Trend (2h) | Average of next 2 hours |
| Price Trend (3h) | Average of next 3 hours |
| Price Trend (4h) | Average of next 4 hours |
| Price Trend (5h) | Average of next 5 hours |
| Price Trend (6h) | Average of next 6 hours |
| Price Trend (8h) | Average of next 8 hours |
| Price Trend (12h) | Average of next 12 hours |
:::info Same Starting Point — All Sensors Use Your Current Price All trend sensors share the same base: your current 15-minute price. They differ only in how far ahead they average. The windows overlap — the 3h average includes ALL intervals from the 1h and 2h windows, plus one more hour.
This means:
price_trend_3hshows "current price vs. average of the entire next 3 hours" — not "what happens between hour 2 and hour 3"- If 1h shows
fallingbut 6h showsrising: near-term prices are below your current price, but looking at the full 6h window (which includes expensive evening hours), the overall average is above your current price - Larger windows smooth out short-term fluctuations — a 30-minute price spike affects the 1h average more than the 6h average :::
States: Each sensor has one of five states:
stateDiagram-v2
direction LR
SF: ⬇️⬇️ strongly_falling<br/><small>−2 · future ≤ −9%</small>
F: ⬇️ falling<br/><small>−1 · future ≤ −3%</small>
S: ➡️ stable<br/><small>0 · within ±3%</small>
R: ⬆️ rising<br/><small>+1 · future ≥ +3%</small>
SR: ⬆️⬆️ strongly_rising<br/><small>+2 · future ≥ +9%</small>
SF --> F: price recovers
F --> S: approaches average
S --> R: future rises
R --> SR: accelerates
SR --> R: slows down
R --> S: stabilizes
S --> F: future drops
F --> SF: accelerates
| State | Meaning | trend_value |
|---|---|---|
strongly_falling |
Prices will drop significantly | -2 |
falling |
Prices will drop | -1 |
stable |
Prices staying roughly the same | 0 |
rising |
Prices will increase | +1 |
strongly_rising |
Prices will increase significantly | +2 |
Key attributes:
| Attribute | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
trend_value |
Numeric value for automations (-2 to +2) | -1 |
trend_Nh_% |
Percentage difference from current price | -12.3 |
next_Nh_avg |
Average price in the future window | 18.5 |
second_half_Nh_avg |
Average price in later half of window | 16.2 |
threshold_rising_% |
Active rising threshold after volatility adjustment | 3.0 |
threshold_rising_strongly_% |
Active strongly-rising threshold after volatility adjustment | 4.8 |
threshold_falling_% |
Active falling threshold after volatility adjustment | -3.0 |
threshold_falling_strongly_% |
Active strongly-falling threshold after volatility adjustment | -4.8 |
volatility_factor |
Applied multiplier (0.6 = low, 1.0 = moderate, 1.4 = high volatility) | 0.8 |
Tip: The trend_value attribute (-2 to +2) is ideal for automations — use numeric comparisons instead of matching translated state strings.
Current Price Trend
Entity ID: sensor.<home_name>_current_price_trend
This sensor shows the currently active trend direction based on a 3-hour future outlook with volatility-adaptive thresholds.
Unlike the simple trend sensors that always compare current price vs future average, the current price trend represents the ongoing trend — it remains stable between updates and only changes when the underlying price direction actually shifts.
States: Same 5-level scale as simple trends.
Key attributes:
| Attribute | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
previous_direction |
Price direction before the current trend started | falling |
price_direction_duration_minutes |
How long prices have been moving in this direction | 45 |
price_direction_since |
Timestamp when prices started moving in this direction | 2025-11-08T14:00:00+01:00 |
Next Price Trend Change
Entity ID: sensor.<home_name>_next_price_trend_change
This sensor predicts when the current trend will change by scanning future intervals. It requires 3 consecutive intervals (configurable: 2–6) confirming the new trend before reporting a change (hysteresis), which prevents false alarms from short-lived price spikes.
Important: Only direction changes count as trend changes. The five states are grouped into three directions:
| Direction | States |
|---|---|
| falling | strongly_falling, falling |
| stable | stable |
| rising | rising, strongly_rising |
A change from rising to strongly_rising (same direction) is not reported as a trend change — only actual reversals like rising → stable or falling → rising.
State: Timestamp of the next trend change (or unavailable if no change predicted).
Key attributes:
| Attribute | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
direction |
What the trend will change TO | rising |
from_direction |
Current trend (will change FROM) | falling |
minutes_until_change |
Minutes until trend changes | 90 |
price_at_change |
Price at the change point | 13.8 |
price_avg_after_change |
Average price after change | 18.1 |
threshold_rising_% |
Active rising threshold after volatility adjustment | 3.0 |
threshold_rising_strongly_% |
Active strongly-rising threshold after volatility adjustment | 4.8 |
threshold_falling_% |
Active falling threshold after volatility adjustment | -3.0 |
threshold_falling_strongly_% |
Active strongly-falling threshold after volatility adjustment | -4.8 |
volatility_factor |
Applied multiplier (0.6 = low, 1.0 = moderate, 1.4 = high volatility) | 0.8 |
How to Use Trend Sensors for Decisions
:::danger Common Misconception — Don't "Wait for Stable"! A natural intuition is to treat trend states like a stock ticker:
- ❌ "It's falling → I'll wait until it reaches stable (the bottom)"
- ❌ "It's rising → too late, I missed the best price"
- ❌ "It's stable → now is the perfect time to act!"
This is wrong. Trend sensors don't show a trajectory — they show a comparison between your current price and future prices. The correct interpretation is the opposite:
| State | What the Sensor Calculates | ✅ Correct Action |
|---|---|---|
falling |
Current price higher than future average | WAIT — cheaper prices are coming |
strongly_falling |
Current price much higher than future average | DEFINITELY WAIT — significant savings ahead |
stable |
Current price ≈ equal to future average | Timing doesn't matter — start whenever convenient |
rising |
Current price lower than future average | ACT NOW — it only gets more expensive |
strongly_rising |
Current price much lower than future average | ACT IMMEDIATELY — best price right now |
"Rising" is NOT "too late" — it means NOW is the best time because prices will be higher later. :::
Basic Automation Pattern
For most appliances (dishwasher, washing machine, dryer), a single trend sensor is enough:
# Example: Start dishwasher when prices are favorable
trigger:
- platform: state
entity_id: sensor.my_home_price_trend_3h
condition:
- condition: numeric_state
entity_id: sensor.my_home_price_trend_3h
attribute: trend_value
# rising (1) or strongly_rising (2) = act now
above: 0
action:
- service: switch.turn_on
target:
entity_id: switch.dishwasher
Combining Multiple Windows
When short-term and long-term trends disagree, you get richer insight:
| 1h Trend | 6h Trend | Interpretation | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
rising |
rising |
Prices going up across the board | Start now |
falling |
falling |
Prices dropping across the board | Wait |
falling |
rising |
Brief dip, then expensive evening | Wait briefly, then start during the dip |
rising |
falling |
Short spike, but cheaper hours ahead | Wait if you can — better prices coming |
stable |
any | Short-term doesn't matter | Use the longer window for your decision |
Dashboard Quick-Glance
On your dashboard, trend sensors give an instant overview:
- 🟢 All falling/strongly_falling → "Relax, prices are dropping — wait"
- 🔴 All rising/strongly_rising → "Start everything you can — it only gets more expensive"
- 🟡 Mixed → Compare short-term vs. long-term sensors, or check the Best Price Period sensor
Trend Sensors vs Average Sensors
Both sensor families provide future price information, but serve different purposes:
| Trend Sensors | Average Sensors | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Dashboard display, quick visual overview | Automations, precise numeric comparisons |
| Output | Classification (falling/stable/rising) | Exact price values (ct/kWh) |
| Best for | "Should I worry about prices?" | "Is the future average below 15 ct?" |
| Use in | Dashboard icons, status displays | Template conditions, numeric thresholds |
Design principle: Use trend sensors (enum) for visual feedback at a glance, use average sensors (numeric) for precise decision-making in automations.
Configuration
Trend thresholds can be adjusted in the options flow:
- Go to Settings → Devices & Services → Tibber Prices
- Click Configure on your home
- Navigate to 📈 Price Trend Thresholds
- Adjust the rising/falling and strongly rising/falling percentages
The thresholds are volatility-adaptive: on days with high price volatility, thresholds are widened automatically to prevent constant state changes. This means the trend sensors give more stable readings during volatile market conditions.
Diagnostic Sensors
Chart Metadata
Entity ID: sensor.<home_name>_chart_metadata
✨ New Feature: This sensor provides dynamic chart configuration metadata for optimal visualization. Perfect for use with the
get_apexcharts_yamlaction!
This diagnostic sensor provides essential chart configuration values as sensor attributes, enabling dynamic Y-axis scaling and optimal chart appearance in rolling window modes.
Key Features:
- Dynamic Y-Axis Bounds: Automatically calculates optimal
yaxis_minandyaxis_maxfor your price data - Automatic Updates: Refreshes when price data changes (coordinator updates)
- Lightweight: Metadata-only mode (no data processing) for fast response
- State Indicator: Shows
pending(initialization),ready(data available), orerror(service call failed)
Attributes:
timestamp: When the metadata was last fetchedyaxis_min: Suggested minimum value for Y-axis (optimal scaling)yaxis_max: Suggested maximum value for Y-axis (optimal scaling)currency: Currency code (e.g., "EUR", "NOK")resolution: Interval duration in minutes (usually 15)error: Error message if service call failed
Usage:
The tibber_prices.get_apexcharts_yaml action automatically uses this sensor for dynamic Y-axis scaling in rolling_window and rolling_window_autozoom modes! No manual configuration needed - just enable the action's result with config-template-card and the sensor provides optimal Y-axis bounds automatically.
See the Chart Examples Guide for practical examples!
Chart Data Export
Entity ID: sensor.<home_name>_chart_data_export
Default State: Disabled (must be manually enabled)
⚠️ Legacy Feature: This sensor is maintained for backward compatibility. For new integrations, use the
tibber_prices.get_chartdataservice instead, which offers more flexibility and better performance.
This diagnostic sensor provides cached chart-friendly price data that can be consumed by chart cards (ApexCharts, custom cards, etc.).
Key Features:
- Configurable via Options Flow: Service parameters can be configured through the integration's options menu (Step 7 of 7)
- Automatic Updates: Data refreshes on coordinator updates (every 15 minutes)
- Attribute-Based Output: Chart data is stored in sensor attributes for easy access
- State Indicator: Shows
pending(before first call),ready(data available), orerror(service call failed)
Important Notes:
- ⚠️ Disabled by default - must be manually enabled in entity settings
- ⚠️ Consider using the service instead for better control and flexibility
- ⚠️ Configuration updates require HA restart
Attributes:
The sensor exposes chart data with metadata in attributes:
timestamp: When the data was last fetchederror: Error message if service call faileddata(or custom name): Array of price data points in configured format
Configuration:
To configure the sensor's output format:
- Go to Settings → Devices & Services → Tibber Prices
- Click Configure on your Tibber home
- Navigate through the options wizard to Step 7: Chart Data Export Settings
- Configure output format, filters, field names, and other options
- Save and restart Home Assistant
Available Settings:
See the tibber_prices.get_chartdata service documentation below for a complete list of available parameters. All service parameters can be configured through the options flow.
Example Usage:
# ApexCharts card consuming the sensor
type: custom:apexcharts-card
series:
- entity: sensor.<home_name>_chart_data_export
data_generator: |
return entity.attributes.data;
Migration Path:
If you're currently using this sensor, consider migrating to the service:
# Old approach (sensor)
- service: apexcharts_card.update
data:
entity: sensor.<home_name>_chart_data_export
# New approach (service)
- service: tibber_prices.get_chartdata
data:
entry_id: YOUR_ENTRY_ID
day: ["today", "tomorrow"]
output_format: array_of_objects
response_variable: chart_data