Comparison: Which smart speaker is better – Alexa or Google Home?

Which is superior, Alexa or Google Home? When a consumer decides to purchase a smart speaker, he faces this problem. Both are vital competitors in the expanding voice assistant business, providing a new way to connect with technology through instructions.

Amazon is the owner of Alexa. In 2014, the first version of this program was released. It is mainly embedded into Amazon’s devices, such as the Echo and Fire TV. Its name was chosen because it contained the letter X, a consonant with a distinct sound that is easily identifiable.

This would make things considerably easier for the speech recognition system, reducing false positives and improving the likelihood of listening being triggered when it’s needed. Unlike other similar solutions, such as Siri, Amazon has chosen to open up its technology to other firms, allowing Alexa to be connected to a wide range of third-party speakers, screens, clocks, and other devices.

The Google Home platform, on the other hand, is a Google Assistant-powered home automation system. We don’t think it’s important to tell you who owns the service in this circumstance. Yes, Google’s voice recognition engine has been under development since 2016. (two years after Amazon launched Alexa). Since then, we’ve witnessed how the business has significantly increased the assistant’s capability. It’s also been included in various devices, including Android phones, tablets, Chromebooks, and Wear OS watches. Third-party speakers may also be infected with this spyware.

In short, Alexa and Google Home (together with Google Assistant) are both excellent choices. But which is the superior option? When is it more practical to use one platform than another? The parts that follow focus on the features of both assistants, with an emphasis on Amazon and Google’s speakers. We will try to assist you in selecting the best alternative in each circumstance in this manner. Let’s get this party started!

Alexa-enabled Amazon Echo devices

Before we get into the differences between the two platforms, let’s look at Amazon’s Alexa-enabled products.

With an official price of $64, the EchoDot is one of Amazon’s cheapest speakers, including Alexa. Anthracite, greyish blue, and white are the three colors available. The materials used are environmentally friendly, with 50% of the plastics coming from recycled sources. The speaker’s opening cloth is made entirely of recyclable materials. It is not only the cheapest but also the tiniest option. It has a front-facing speaker with a diameter of 41mm. A variant with a built-in digital clock has been available from the third iteration, making it perfect for use as a bedside clock. External speakers can be connected through a 3.5mm jack.

Echo

Amazon’s main speaker is known as Echo. It has an official price of $99. However, you may buy it on sale relatively quickly. The available hues are the same as the ones we’ve seen on the Echo Dot. Overall, we’re talking about a speaker with larger dimensions, in this case, allowing it to use a 76mm woofer and two 20mm tweeters. It has an output for connecting external speakers, just like the rest of the line. It also has Zigbee wireless technology for controlling intelligent gadgets. A plus that contributes to the reduction of Wi-Fi network saturation.

Echo show

When we talk about the Echo Show, we’re talking about many intelligent displays. They are available in various sizes, ranging from 5 to 15.6 inches. They’re all devices with numerous microphones and speakers, similar to the Amazon speakers. However, its operating system allows you to show features such as notes, images, weather forecasts, and much more on the screen. They can also watch Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, or Atresplayer content. They also include the Silk Browser for web browsing and a front-facing camera for video conversations. It’s one of the most comprehensive Echo variations available.

EchoFlex

If we’ve talked about smart speakers and screens with Alexa up to this point, we’re ready to move on to one of the most complex concepts. We’re talking about the Echo Flex. It has a modest 15mm speaker primarily utilized for Alexa interaction. It also has microphones, allowing it to interpret any command precisely. Add a 3.5mm jack for usage with additional speakers, of course. What is your goal? This Echo was created to bring Alexa to every room of the house without breaking the bank. Its stated price is $30, but it’s simple to buy it for less than $20. Because of the jack output and Alexa, it’s also a great way to add intelligence to a music system.

EchoStudio

Amazon created the Echo Studio for people who want the most incredible acoustics without sacrificing the full capability of a voice assistant. The support for Dolby Atmos, the 51 mm tweeter, the three 25 mm midrange speakers, and the 133 mm woofer stand out among its features. Naturally, its high fidelity sound drives up the price to $200, making it one of the most costly Echos. It supports Zigbee for better control of light bulbs and plugs.

Echo Auto

This roundup comes to a close with one of Amazon’s most unique devices. The Echo Auto is explicitly developed for use in automobiles. It’s connected to the car’s audio system, and its eight microphones let you use Alexa instructions. It has a retail price of $60.

Google Nest devices

Indeed, Amazon’s wide range of Echo devices has piqued your interest. If you prefer Google gadgets, such as the Google Nest (previously known as Google Home), you will quickly find that your options are limited. What does Mountain View have to offer us? Let’s see what happens.

Google Nest Mini (formally Google Home Mini)

The Nest Mini is the tiniest smart speaker available on Google’s marketplace. It comes in two colors, chalk and charcoal, and has a diameter of less than 100 mm. Its transducer is 40 mm in diameter and has three long-range microphones to ensure that speech orders are captured. The official cost is $30.

Google Nest Audio

Nest Audio refers to the intelligent device variation with the most pleasing sound in Google’s lineup. In this case, we’re looking at a narrow speaker with a 175mm height that comes in the same colors as its smaller sibling, namely chalk and charcoal. Two speakers, one for bass frequencies of 75 mm and one for treble frequencies of 19 mm, provide the musical attributes. Although the number of microphones is the same as before, the pricing is different. This Nest Audio is available for $100.

Google NestHub

Google’s Nest Hub competes with Amazon’s Echo Shows. Because this is a device with only one variant, the lack of variety is apparent. It has a 7-inch diagonal screen and an outdoor temperature sensor available in two colors. Chalk and charcoal finishes, you guessed it. Concerning Nest speakers, the features have been increased. The panel displays information relevant to the user and the current playback. The cost is $100.

Alexa vs. Google Home: What’s the Difference?

Aside from looking through both businesses’ catalogs, the best method to see the differences between Alexa and Google Home is to make a table of their features.

 

	Alexa	Google Home & Nest
High fidelity audio	Yes, using Echo Studio	Do not
Screen Options	The Echo Shows, to be precise. Panels ranging in size from 5 to 15.6 inches	Yes, the Nest Hub
Compatibility	Apps for Android, iOS, and Windows 11	Apps for iOS, Android. It has integration with Chrome OS.
Video calls	Yes	Yes
Privacy options	Yes. Electronic microphone closing system and mechanical slider to cover the cameras.	Yes, mechanical slider to close microphones and cameras.
Integration with other devices	Alexa is available on smartwatches, phones, tablets, FireTV, and Windows PCs.	The Google Assistant is built into Android, available on iOS phones and Android TV, speakers, and watches.
Supported Services	Audio: Amazon Music, Spotify, Deezer, Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, Audible, TuneIn Video: Prime Video, Netflix, Atresplayer, and web browser.	Audio: YouTube Music, Spotify, and Apple Music. Video : YouTube, Chromecast
Price	From $30	From $40

Which is better?

It’s possible that after you’ve gone over everything, you already have a better notion of which gadgets are most suited to your requirements. But which is the most effective? We’ll look at several aspects that you should be aware of to make the best decision possible.

Features

Alexa is the best pick if you’re seeking a versatile voice assistant. Why? While Google Home is compatible with various services, Amazon lets third-party developers create talents or abilities for your assistant. It still enables you to manage your intelligent gadgets, turn on and off the TV, and control your PC remotely in this way. The possibilities with Alexa are nearly endless, whereas the alternatives with Google Assistant are limited.

Compatibility

Both Google Home and Alexa are compatible with the two most popular mobile operating systems, iOS and Android. This enables them to satisfy the needs of the majority of consumers, who will be able to manage their speakers and displays with their phones relatively easily. When we talk about domestic products, we see something similar. This binomial of assistance is visible in this industry, and most light bulbs, plugs, and other accessories are compatible with both platforms.

Available devices

Amazon’s selection of Echo speakers and displays is vast, especially compared to Google’s offerings. Without question, Amazon covers the market better by providing products for a wide range of people.

Third-party solutions

When we talk about third-party items, we’re talking about Alexa or Google Assistant-enabled speakers, displays, and other devices. The Amazon assistant is much more open in this regard, and it can be found in a wide range of gadgets, including the Netgear Orbi Voice, which we previously mentioned. In any event, Alexa and Google Assistant may be found on watches, televisions, and smartphones.

Market share

According to some sources we already told you in our guide to tricks for Alexa: it was estimated in 2019 that the Amazon assistant had a share of 65%. This means that the number of compatible services, devices, platforms, and products is greater with Alexa than with Google Assistant.

Capacity for Home Control

With both wizards, controlling your home shouldn’t be too difficult. Most smart devices are cross-platform interoperable and integrate effortlessly with routines and voice commands. We believe they are in a technical tie in this situation.

Ecosystem

Amazon and Google strive to develop robust ecosystems from their intelligent devices feed. With Alexa, you can control your photos, your music on Amazon Music, and your books on Audible. On the other hand, Nest devices integrate with services such as YouTube Music, Google Photos, or Keep. The correct choice, in this case, will depend, to a large extent, on the digital services that you use in your day today.

Price

Finally, we get to the heart of the matter: the price. The Echo Flex, the cheapest gadget featuring Alexa, costs $30, but the Nest Mini costs $30. The extreme discounts applied by the two companies, with minimum prices of $15 and $30 respectively, must be added to these prices. In this instance, our advice is to visit their official stores regularly to check for the best price.