Best Smart Speakers: Amazon, Google, and Apple Compared
There are three big players when it comes to finding the best smart speaker: Amazon, Google, and Apple's voice assistant-powered devices. But each system has its own benefits and limitations, and finding the right smart speaker for you requires considering several factors.
You likely already have a favorite ecosystem. Maybe it's the one that works with your phone, as an Apple or Android user, or maybe it's Amazon's Alexa, in the event you already own one of the dozens of speakers the company has launched in the 12 years since the first Amazon Echo speaker arrived in 2014. Amazon's ecosystem, in particular, is vast, often seeing multiple new models every year, while the options get much narrower between Google and Apple. Google's new smart speaker is due out sometime soon, but there's still no timeline on when that will be.
Below you will find the best smart speakers for each ecosystem, which I've found after trying nearly every single smart speaker that's come out in the last decade. You can also check out my guides to the Best Alexa Speakers, Best Google Speakers, and Best Smart Displays if you want more insight into each category.
Updated June 2026: I reorganized this entire guide, reordering the picks and updating details about Google's speaker offerings. I also ensured up-to-date links and prices.
The Very Best Smart Speakers
Best Smart Speaker for Alexa Users (and Overall)
WIRED/TIRED
WIRED
Impressive, room-filling sound, especially for its small size
Compatible with Alexa and Alexa+, and good at hearing requests, even with loud music playing
Has a built-in smart home hub
TIRED
Expensive for such a small speaker
Most of the smart speakers I spot in friends' homes come from the Amazon Echo line. Options are aplenty, and many that I see are older models, like the puck-shaped Echo Dot. Such dated speakers are still fairly well-supported, though not all of them can gain access to Alexa+, Amazon's newer AI-powered voice assistant. Even if your smart speaker can use Alexa+, it's only worth the upgrade if you have Amazon Prime. Without a Prime subscription, you'd have to pay $20 a month for Alexa+ on its own. It's literally cheaper to get Amazon Prime ($15 a month for most plans), which comes with a wider range of benefits, which is likely intentional.
The Echo Dot Max is one of Amazon's newest models. It launched in late 2025, taking the small form from past Dot models and upgrading it with impressive sound, a built-in smart home hub, and a slightly different look. Its sound quality is fantastic and impressively loud without getting muddled, especially considering its small size. I tested it against the latest Echo Studio last year and found the speakers were more similar in quality than I expected. It's not as cheap as older Dot models, but you can still find the affordable Echo Dot (5th Gen) available for half the price if you don't need super-impressive sound.
If I only had to pick one smart speaker right now to buy, it would be this one. Of all the offerings between Amazon and its competitors, Alexa's great compatibility and voice controls rise above the others. Ultimately, this speaker is compact without cutting back on sound quality or losing out on a smart-home hub.
Supported voice assistant(s)Amazon Alexa, Alexa+Dimensions4.3 x 4.3 x 3.9 inchesSpeaker arrayOne 0.8-inch tweeter and one 2.5-inch wooferMicrophone arrayFour microphonesAudio optionsCompatible with Bluetooth and services like Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, and SiriusXM. Capable of lossless high definition.Extra featuresHas a built-in smart home hub and tap controlsWarranty/return policyLimited one-year warranty, extended warranty available for purchase; 30-day returns
Best Smart Speaker for Google Users (For Now)
WIRED/TIRED
WIRED
Great sound and plenty of bass for the price and size
Google Assistant is handy and responsive
Can sync with another Nest speaker for a stereo pair
TIRED
No 3.5-mm output to connect to bigger stereos
The Nest Audio is the best Google speaker available for now—but that's about to change. Google has already stopped selling both the Nest Audio and smaller Nest Mini smart speakers as the company gears up for its new speaker to arrive (any day now, as it is expected in spring 2026). It'll be called the Google Home Speaker (yes, that's the same name as Google's original smart speaker from 2016), and it'll retail for the same price as the Nest Audio, $100. In form, though, the Google Home Speaker will bear more similarity to the Mini speaker, appearing much like a cross between a HomePod Mini (below) and an Echo Dot (above), with a taller, rounded form that past Google speaker models lacked.
For now, though, you can still buy the very solid Nest Audio from several retailers. It offers good sound quality, the ability to pair with another Nest Audio as a stereo (but won't connect to bigger stereos), and is compatible with tons of music platforms. The Nest Audio is also compatible with Google's new voice assistant, Gemini for Home. With a subscription, you can also access the more powerful Gemini Live assistant, which allows back-and-forth conversation with an AI chatbot through the smart speaker. That subscription comes with other benefits, like camera storage, which is useful for people who use Nest security cameras in their home.
If you really can't wait for the new Google Home Speaker to launch, the Nest Audio is a good option. But I'd recommend waiting.
Supported voice assistant(s)Gemini for Home, Gemini Live (with subscription)Dimensions6.89 x 4.89 x 3.07 inchesSpeaker array75 mm woofer and 19 mm tweeterMicrophone arrayThree far-field microphonesAudio optionsCompatible with Bluetooth and Chromecast, and services including Apple Music, Pandora, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and moreExtra featuresCan be paired with another Nest speaker for a stereo pairWarranty/return policyLimited one-year warranty, returns within 15 days of receiving product
Best for Apple Users
WIRED/TIRED
WIRED
Compatible with Apple Home and Siri
Can be a hub for Apple Home products
Good price for features included
TIRED
Sound quality is fine, but competitors are better
On the expensive end for such a small speaker
Smart speaker options are the most limited for Apple users. Neither my colleagues nor I were impressed by the sound quality of the larger HomePod when it relaunched in 2023. But the smaller HomePod Mini is a fine investment for the price, and you'll find it to be the most convenient option if you already use the Apple Home app and Siri.
It's a third of the price and smaller than the full-size speaker; otherwise, it can do just about everything else the larger model can. It doubles as a smart home hub to connect your Apple-compatible devices, so you don't need the larger speaker or Apple TV if what you're mainly looking for is smart home control. It's still not my favorite smart speaker overall, and Apple HomeKit isn't my favorite ecosystem due to its limitations and the fact that I find myself running into more issues adding my devices to the Home app than any other platform. But if you're committed to your Apple ecosystem, this is the speaker to buy.
Supported voice assistant(s)SiriDimensions3.3 x 3.9 inchesSpeaker arrayFull-range driver and dual passive radiatorsMicrophone arrayFour microphonesAudio optionsCompatible with Bluetooth and AirPlay, and services including Apple Music, iCloud libraries, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, Audacy, and other third-party servicesExtra featuresTouch controls, built-in smart home hubWarranty/return policyLimited one-year warranty
Best Smart Display for Google Users (and Overall)
WIRED/TIRED
WIRED
10-inch screen adds several features and doubles as a digital photo frame
Google's voice assistant is handy, and the screen visuals are great
No ads or spam, like with Amazon's smart displays
TIRED
Has a camera, and there's no physical cover for the camera (though there is an off button)
Subscription required for more powerful assistant (Gemini Live)
This is easily my favorite smart display, aka a smart speaker with a screen attached to it—and that's the case even if you aren't usually a Google user. Why? The Nest Hub Max doubles as a digital photo frame for free. You'll need to upload images to Google Photos, but as long as you stay under 15 GB (across the entire Google account, so that includes Gmail and Drive), that's free as well. I pay $10 a month for storage so that I never have to delete a video of my son, but that's my problem, not yours.
The Nest Hub Max has solid sound for the slim frame with two 10-watt tweeters and a 30-watt woofer. The 10-inch touchscreen is a great size for everything from smart home control and streaming videos to pulling up recipes and enjoying your own photos. Many of these capabilities rely on the smart display, which means you couldn't access them with a screen-free smart speaker. It's not the only smart display option on the market, but it has a prettier interface than Amazon's Echo Show 11 (below), and you won't see any ads sliding onto the screen on this Nest. There's also a camera for video calls and gesture-based controls, but you're able to disable the camera if you prefer.
Like the Nest Audio above, the Nest Hub Max is compatible with Google's new voice assistant, Gemini for Home, and Gemini Live, if you have a subscription and want to have more complex conversations and requests.
Supported voice assistant(s)Gemini for Home, Gemini Live (with subscription)Dimensions7.2 x 9.9 x 4 inchesSpeaker arrayTwo 18 mm 10-watt tweeters and a 75 mm 30-watt wooferMicrophone arrayFar-field microphonesAudio optionsCompatible with Bluetooth and Chromecast, and services including Apple Music, Pandora, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and moreExtra features10-inch touchscreen; 6.5-megapixel camera with 127-degree wide field of view and auto-framing; Quick Gestures recognition with camera; doubles as digital photo frameWarranty/return policyLimited one-year warranty, 15-day returns
Best Smart Display for Alexa
WIRED/TIRED
WIRED
Great sound and a good screen size (and quality) without being bulky
Built-in smart home hub and spatial audio capabilities
Made for Alexa+ and comes with it, no waiting list required
TIRED
Has on-screen ads
Has preset content it will show unless toggled off
If you want a smart display but don't want a Google-powered device, your only other option is an Amazon Echo Show. The Echo Show line is vast and powerful with a range of features, from the usual suspects, like voice commands and smart home control to streaming capabilities, video calls, and even a security camera (by way of the on-device camera). Amazon's Echo Show 8 line was my favorite for years, but after comparing the new Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 11 that launched last year, the Echo Show 11 pulled ahead for me.
The Echo Show 11 has better sound quality, which is a must if you're going to spend so much on a speaker. It's still more expensive than I'd like, retailing in the $200 range instead of the mid $100s like the previous Echo Show 8 models, but it does come with a larger screen (11 inches, per the name). The new Show 8 actually had worse sound quality and response time than the old model, so if you only want an 8-inch screen, get the older 3rd-gen Echo Show 8 ($150) instead.
While this Echo's 11-inch screen is larger than Google's Nest, it didn't feel too large; I liked using it both on my desk in my office and downstairs in my kitchen. It's a good size for reading recipes and even having long conversations with Alexa+, to which it can pair right out of the box. The conversations appear as text bubbles for myself and Alexa+, reminding me of a chatbot conversation, but on a larger screen. Again, Alexa+ hasn't blown me away, so I only recommend using it if you're getting it for free as an Amazon Prime member. It's not worth buying it on its own. If you're not a Prime member and don't want to become one, you can still switch to using the older and totally free Alexa assistant.
Like the Google smart display above, the Echo Show 11 has a camera for video calls. It also has a physical camera cover you can switch over the lens to confidently know that you are disabling it. To use the digital photo frame, you can upload your own images, but the process is a pain, and the crops are terrible. I typically use Amazon's own image collections as my screensaver for a prettier result.
The Echo also has ads, which is a big downside compared to the Google Nest Hubs, and it also annoyingly serves content on its ever-moving slideshow that feels disruptive rather than informative. You'll get tons of slides about news and sports, recipe suggestions, suggestions on how to use Alexa, and ads interspersed as well. The only way to disable them is to toggle off each individually or flip on Photo Frame mode. But even that only lasts a few hours, so I have to toggle it on repeatedly. I typically turn on Amazon's premade photo collections, and my favorite setting uses seasonal photos.
Supported voice assistant(s)Amazon Alexa, Alexa+Dimensions5 x 7.2 x 10 inchesSpeaker arrayTwo full-range drivers and a 2.8-inch wooferMicrophone arrayFive microphonesAudio optionsCompatible with Bluetooth and services like Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, and SiriusXM.Extra features11-inch touchscreen; 13 MP camera with a cover and auto-framingWarranty/return policyLimited one-year warranty, extended warranty available for purchase; 30-day returns
Comparing Our Favorite Smart Speakers
ModelSupported Voice Assistant(s)Dimensions (H x W x D)Speaker ArrayMicrophone ArrayAudio OptionsExtra FeaturesWarranty / Return PolicyAmazon Echo Dot MaxAmazon Alexa, Alexa+4.3 x 4.3 x 3.9 inchesOne 0.8-inch tweeter and one 2.5-inch wooferFour microphonesCompatible with Bluetooth and services like Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, and SiriusXM. Capable of lossless high definition.Has a built-in smart home hub and tap controlsLimited one-year warranty, extended warranty available for purchase; 30-day returnsGoogle Nest AudioGemini for Home, Gemini Live (with subscription)6.89 x 4.89 x 3.07 inches75 mm woofer and 19 mm tweeterThree far-field microphonesCompatible with Bluetooth and Chromecast, and services including Apple Music, Pandora, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and moreCan sync with another Nest speaker for a stereo pairLimited one-year warranty, returns with 15 days of receiving productApple HomePod MiniSiri3.3 x 3.9 inchesFull-range driver and dual passive radiatorsFour microphonesCompatible with Bluetooth and AirPlay, and services including Apple Music, iCloud libraries, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, and Audacy, and other third-party servicesTouch controls, built-in smart home hubLimited one-year warrantyGoogle Nest Hub MaxGemini for Home, Gemini Live (with subscription)7.2 x 9.9 x 4 inchesTwo 18mm 10W tweeters and a 75mm 30W wooferFar-field microphonesCompatible with Bluetooth and Chromecast, and services including Apple Music, P
