Abstract Thermodiffusion (Soret effect) and diffusionthermo (Dufour effect) effects on convective instabilities in nanofluids have been theoretically investigated. Thermodiffusion implies that mass diffusion is induced by thermal gradient, which is so-called the Soret effect. Diffusionthermo implies that heat transfer is induced by concentration gradient, which is so-called the Dufour effect. By using the linear stability theory under one-fluid model, a characteristic dimensionless parameter was newly obtained. From the instability analysis with given conditions, it is found that the convective motion in nanofluids sets in easily as the Soret and Dufour effects and the initial concentration of nanoparticles increase.