Alexa vs Google Assistant – Who has the better Smart Voice Assistant?

If you’re looking to start or build out your smart home then You probably start to wonder who has the better smart voice assistant is it Amazon or Google I had the same question when I started so I decided to dive deep into both ecosystems in this article I’ll explain the similarities and differences between these two and in the end I’ll let you know what I went with so with that said let’s get started okay let’s Jump Right In.

Ecosystems

Let’s talk about these two ecosystems. The first thing you need to know is that Amazon and Google do not play nice with each other years ago Amazon refused to sell Google products on amazon.com so Google retaliated and pulled support off of Amazon products this Feud also blended into smart home products. Amazon owns the Ring brand, and Google owns the Nest brand.

Alexa vs Google Assistant

Because of this, Ring devices cannot be viewed on Google displays, and Nest cameras cannot be viewed on Echo displays. Recently relationships have been mending between these two companies and you are now able to view Nest cameras on your Amazon displays but for some reason, you still can’t view ring cameras on Google devices.

Another thing to keep in mind with blending ecosystems is that even though you can view Nest cameras on Amazon devices the features are going to be somewhat limited you can view the live view but you’re not going to have the feature of two-way talk. Keep in mind which brands own which products: Google owns Nest products and Chromecast, while Amazon owns the Echo and Fire TV lines. Additionally, Amazon owns Ring and Blink.

Streaming Devices

When it comes to Ring and Nest security Brands Ring is going to have a lot more device options with cameras video doorbells security systems and smart light bulbs also they have a dedicated Ring app that has a great layout Google on the other hand has fewer camera options but the quality is going to be better they also include 24/7 recording for up to 10 days on their Nest aware plus plan where Ring does not offer 24/7 recording.

Alexa vs Google Assistant

The biggest downside with Nest cameras is that you’re going to have to use the Google Home app to manage your cameras and that has been proven to be kind of buggy when it comes to streaming devices. Amazon has Fire TV, and Google has Chromecast. These devices can be compared in a video, but I prefer the Google Chromecast, the menu is much faster to navigate through and I like the voice search that Google offers.

Now I have heard the biggest factor when choosing an ecosystem is if you have an Android phone you can use the built-in Google Assistant to control your smart home since I’m an iPhone user this doesn’t apply to me now the last thing that I wanted to touch on is privacy neither one of these ecosystems is very private I think Amazon is going to be a little bit more invasive than Google.

Routine

Routines are what you’re going to use to automate things in your house these can be triggered through schedules smart home devices and voice commands to name a few. Currently, Google routines can only be triggered through voice commands. However, the great thing about these commands is that you can use multiple phrases to activate a single routine.

For example, you can start a “dinner time” routine with various phrases like “It’s dinner time” or similar expressions and this way everyone in the house doesn’t have to remember the exact phrase they need to use. Amazon, on the other hand, offers a robust automation ecosystem that integrates seamlessly with Smart Home devices.

For example, you can use a motion sensor to turn on the lights when you walk into a room at night. Other possibilities include announcing when the front door is open or turning on the porch lights automatically after dark.

You can also set up automation to open the garage door when you arrive home. For more advanced automation, the Google ecosystem can be enhanced with a hub like SmartThings or Hubitat, allowing for more complex and versatile setups.

When it comes to the sound quality of entry-level devices, they both sound pretty similar. However, the Echo Dot (4th generation)’s new design of angling the speaker to point more into the room, it gives the Echo a slight edge. The Google Nest Mini has a cleaner, buttonless look with indicator lights in the middle.

You can tap on the sides to adjust the volume, and there is a physical switch to mute the device. The new Echo (4th generation) has a spherical design with four buttons on top and an indicator light on the bottom that reflects off the surface, making it brighter and easier to see. The Echo device also has a 3.5 mm jack to connect to external audio, like a sound system.

If you are looking for better audio from these two systems, both can connect to an external Bluetooth speaker. Another thing to keep in mind is that both ecosystems offer larger, better speakers with voice assistants built-in. However, as expected, those come at a more premium price.

Display

Amazon has a lot more device options and sizes, but for me, when it comes to day-to-day use, the Google display blows the Amazon displays out of the water. Though both can be used as digital picture frames, Amazon likes to insert its content into the mix. Some of it can be helpful, like reminders of calendar events and weather updates, but I also get other things popping up, such as daily insights, celebrity quotes, places to explore (like restaurants), and random trivia questions.

And I hate to even say it, but there are sponsored ads. Yes, I did have this happen to me a sponsored ad popped up, and when I tried to swipe it away, it wouldn’t let me. The ad stayed on the screen until enough time passed for it to finally move on. So, keep that in mind: Amazon is testing sponsored ads on their devices.

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When it comes to controlling your smart home through the displays, Google offers a lot more features and is easier to navigate. Scrolling down from the top of the menu immediately brings you to home control. You can select your smart home category or access other features from the tabs at the top.

With Amazon, you have similar smart home options, but the interface is slow and can be frustrating at times. The features of products differ between the two ecosystems as well. For example, with Philips Hue colored light bulbs, the same bulb offers more functionality on Google. On the Google display, I can turn the light on and off, adjust the brightness, and change the colors.

However, in the Amazon ecosystem, I can only turn it on and off and adjust the brightness. I have no option to change the colors with that same light bulb, which, to me, is a big disadvantage.

Conclusion

If your primary focus is high-end security cameras smart displays streaming content and a little bit better privacy I would recommend Google Nest remember that you can always add a smart things hub for more robust automation if you’re more interested in an EOS system that’s just going to be easy to use kind of has everything combined in one neat little package and has lots of smart home device options then the Amazon Alexa is going to be a good choice for you.

Now what do I use personally I use a mixed environment I mostly use Amazon devices around my house to control my smart home but hands down by far my favorite smart home device is the Google Nest display I love the digital picture frame and how easy it is to control my smart home with the addition of the streaming services.