Today, virtual assistants and smart speakers are becoming more popular in households due to their easy voice controls and useful smart home compatibility. Among the many smart home assistants and speakers out there, two of the most popular are Google Home and Amazon Alexa. However, as much as these two differentiate themselves from their rivals, their similarities are showing with every update. No wonder there have been Google Home vs. Alexa debates.
Both Google Home and Amazon Alexa are great options for a voice assistant. They can both do practical skills like setting timers, checking the weather, listening to music, and doing smart home controls. However, each of them has its strengths and weaknesses, too. If you are wondering which of the two is better, you’re in the right place. Today, we are going to tell you more about what each of them can offer.
Google Home
Google Home or Google Assistant is a perfect choice for people who are looking for a dynamite personal assistant. Even if Alexa has more third-party skills than Google Home, Google’s focus on productivity makes for better core skills to help you get your tasks for the day done. It is very helpful, especially if you already have a Google account. In addition, Google also has a more substantial selection of video streaming services.
Smart Speakers
Compared to Amazon, Google has a smaller selection of smart speakers. They have their own terms of audio quality, but they are not as good as Echo speakers overall. Some of the best smart speakers by Google are Google Nest Mini for walls and shelves, Google Nest Audio for living rooms and larger bedrooms, and Google Home Max for large family rooms.
Smart Displays
We can say that the smart displays of Google Home are pleasant to use, and it supports lots of video streaming services. It is not a perfect feature, but we can say that it’s more capable than what Alexa offers. Some of the smart displays by Google are the Google Nest Hub, which is a great alarm clock for adults and a tiny TV alternative for kids, and the Google Nest Hub Max, which is great for recipes in the kitchen and for watching TV shows in the background.
Unique Features of Google Home
Here are some of the unique features that you can enjoy with Google Home:
- Can translate language real-time: Google Home’s assistant has the ability to translate conversations between two languages. All you need to do is ask Google to help you speak a specific langue or turn on interpreter mode, and it will do the work for you.
- Multitasking: Google Home’s assistant can handle up to three actions in one voice command. All you need to do is say “and” between each command. For example, you can say, “Hey Google, lock the door and turn off the lights.” It can make tasks go a bit faster compared to making requests to Alexa that you need to do one at a time.
Amazon Alexa
Amazon Alexa is the best choice for those who have a house full of the latest smart home devices. Even if it can’t match Google’s productivity, we can’t deny that Alexa is better when it comes to building a smart home. Its drive to experiment with many different devices leads to more innovation.
Since Amazon has a large manufacturing scale, it can afford to make Alexa-enabled ovens and microwaves without having to change its business. Another advantage of Amazon Alexa is that its Echo smart speakers sound really good. In fact, they have better audio quality and music service selection compared to Google speakers. This is why music is one of its most popular features.
Smart Speakers
Smart speakers of Amazon are called Amazon Echo. They deliver big when it comes to audio quality, and they are more affordable compared to other wireless speakers out there. Some of the different Amazon Echo speakers are Echo Flex, Echo Dot, Echo, and Echo Studio.
Smart Displays
When it comes to smart display, we can say that Google is better than Alexa as they offer a more massive service selection and easier to use products. One advantage that Alexa has when it comes to smart displays is that every model has a camera for video calls. Some of the best devices for smart displays by Amazon are Echo Show 5, Echo Show 8, Echo Show, and Fire TV Cube.
Unique Features of Amazon Alexa
Here are some of the unique features you can enjoy from Amazon Alexa:
- Location triggers: Routines of Alexa can trigger based on location. This way, it can control all kinds of devices and services, such as starting a Spotify playlist when you get home from work. You can also set it to remind you to get some potatoes when you go to a grocery store. You can use Alexa to add as many locations as you like by using the settings menu in the Alexa app.
- Dynamic voice tones: Alexa has the ability to adopt different vocal tones to match the emotions when reading news articles and for user interactions, as well. It means that it can tell if you are happy or sad, and it reacts accordingly.
Similarities and Google Home and Amazon Alexa
Google Home and Amazon Alexa are different from one another, but they also have lots of similarities. Here are some of those:
- Voice controls: The main selling point of virtual assistants like Google Home and Amazon Alexa are voice controls. You can use them both for setting up timers, reminders, and alarms, knowing the news and weather, smart home controls, and for playing music.
- Entertainment: Both Google Home and Amazon Alexa offer different music platforms and video services. Some of the similar platforms that you can use in both Google Home and Amazon Alexa are Deezer, Pandora, SiriusXM, Spotify, TuneIn, Netflix, and Hulu.
- Multiple accounts: Both Amazon Alexa and Google Home support up to 6 user accounts. However, Google can handle its accounts better as you can add anybody for free as long as they have a Google account. Amazon, on the other hand, allows you to add one other adult with an Amazon account to your Alexa household and up to 4 accounts for children.
- Calls: Google Home and Amazon Alexa can both be used in making free phone calls to anyone in your contacts list. Calls also work on the smart speakers they offer.
Differences of Google Home and Amazon Alexa
Here are the differences between Google Home and Amazon Alexa:
- Smart speakers and smart displays: When it comes to smart speakers, Google and Amazon have different beliefs. Amazon offers a lot of devices, while Google is into perfecting a few devices which can be used in specific scenarios.
- Smart home compatibility: Compared to Google Home, Alexa supports more smart home devices. In addition, it can also directly control Zigbee devices using the Echo, Echo Show, and Echo Studio. This makes Alexa a better choice if you have many smart home devices.
- Mobile apps: Using mobile apps is best for managing settings and during times when you do not want a vocal reply. The Google Home app is the better option if you are looking for quick access to control your smart home devices. It puts all of your devices on the home screen of the app, allowing you to quickly navigate through them. Alexa, on the other hand, does not place your devices on a single screen.
- Smart home routines: Both assistants have different approaches to your smart home’s functionality. Alexa can trigger actions and react to the conditions in a smart home. Google Home, on the other hand, can only trigger actions but can’t react to most smart home devices.
Conclusion
Google Home and Amazon Alexa both have their fair share of similarities and differences. But both of them achieve similar performance when it comes to helping you accomplish daily tasks. For us, Google Home’s smart displays and access to Google’s information make it a great digital assistant. But when it comes to speaker quality and smart home integration, Amazon Alexa is the better choice. Choosing between these rivals depends ultimately on your personal preferences and how you intend to use digital assistants. We hope this post helped you in learning more about Google Home and Amazon Alexa.