What is the difference between a thermal cable and a compensation cable?

Compensation cables consist of so-called substitute materials, which have a different chemical composition than the materials of the corresponding thermocouple. The substitute materials have the same thermoelectric properties as the corresponding thermocouple within the permissible application temperature range for compensation cables. A thermocouple cable consists of the same metals as the thermocouple itself. Compensation cables are often less expensive than thermocouple cables.