Both Google Home and Amazon Echo are powerful smart assistants with many of the same features, but neither is right for every person. It can be difficult to narrow down which smart assistant best suits your needs, but it helps you understand what you’re choosing between.
This guide will go over the functionality of Google Home and Amazon Echo to help you decide which of the two is the right choice for your home. Both platforms have impressive features, some of which are similar, but many of which are helper-specific.
Aesthetic Attraction
One of the most important points for people is not functionality, but how good the system will look in their home. After all, if you put smart assistants in every room, you want them to look good and blend in with the rest of the decor. In this respect, none of the companies is a leader.
The Amazon Echo design has improved over the years, and the third generation is the latest version of many smart speakers. They have a sleek design with rounded corners and a fabric covering the outside. Although initially the device had only three color options, the number has increased to six.
On the other hand, the Google Home Mini has barely changed its design since its launch. It’s similar to the Amazon Echo Dot, with a rounded top and a fabric cover on the outside. Google Home, the main assistant after which the system is named, hasn’t changed at all. The only notable change is in the naming scheme. The new devices are called Nest, not Google.
Ultimately, the aesthetic appeal of devices comes down to personal preference.
Budget
Another important factor is how much you are willing to spend. The good news is that smart assistants are available in almost all price points, but not all are the same.
You must decide what type of assistant you want. Do you want something with sound or something with a display? Do you need a little assistant that fits in the room without attracting attention, or are you looking for balance?
The Amazon Echo Dot and Nest Home Mini cost about $ 50 each, while the Amazon Echo and Google Home both retail for nearly $ 100. The smart assistant with the Nest Home Hub display costs $ 90, just like the Amazon Echo Show 5.
Prices for both are competitive and so close that there is no clear winner in this category.
Jobs
The area where these helpers really differ from each other is in their functionality. There are a huge number of Amazon-branded smart devices that are only compatible with Alexa, and just as many Google-branded devices that only work with Google Assistant.
These brand restrictions go beyond third party devices. The good news is that almost any device that works with Siri will also work with Amazon Echo, Google Assistant, or both.
Amazon Alexa is a powerful system with over 100,000 “skills”, app-like features that users can enable or disable as they wish. These skills allow Alexa to go far beyond the functions she has programmed. Best of all, just about anyone can program a new Alexa skill to meet specific needs.
While Google Assistant doesn’t have an easy-to-use skill system, that doesn’t mean it’s ineffective. Google Assistant is capable of a lot through Google Actions. Google Actions is the answer to the Alexa Skills question, but it’s not as robust, extensive, or user-friendly as its counterpart.
Google has a few extra features that Alexa lacks, especially in terms of hardware. For example, the Nest Home Hub Max has a built-in Nest Camera. This means your smart display can be used as a home security camera.
Google Assistant also supports Google Music and YouTube. On the other hand, Alexa supports Amazon Music and Prime Music Other streaming services like Spotify can be controlled through any platform.
Alexa tends to be more powerful in software (although this isn’t always true), while Google Home tends to have more powerful hardware.
Google Home vs. Amazon Echo
The choice between them comes down to a few simple questions: what other devices do you have? If your smart devices primarily work with Google Home, then you should choose this platform. If they are for Amazon only, choose Alexa.
What features are most important to you? If your entire music library is on Amazon, Alexa is your best bet. If you’re leaning towards Google Music, go with Google Home. Alexa Skills makes it popular, but if you don’t need specialized skills, any of them will work – the differences in functionality are not yet significant enough to make a huge difference.
Which one do you like best? Since aesthetic appeal plays a large role in choosing a smart assistant, choose the one you like best.
Finally, what’s your budget? The two devices are so close in price that budget is hardly the deciding factor. The miniature, standard, and display versions of both smart assistant platforms are priced the same. Prices only differ when you hit the upper limit of the two, and even then not by much.
If you need a smart assistant, Amazon Echo and Google Home are great choices. Take time to choose between them. If you find that even inexpensive models are out of your budget, look for a sale or special promotion. They come frequently and are a great way to experience helpers for yourself.
Do you prefer Google Home or Amazon Echo? Let us know in the comments below.
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