There are many smart speakers on the market, with three main brains behind them: Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple Siri. There are pros and cons to each ecosystem, and the need to consider the type of phone you use and the compatibility of the smart doorbell or smart lights you already have.

Whether or not you have your own voice assistant preferences, we’ve organized this guide based on our preferred speaker in each category regardless of whether that’s with the same assistant for each pick. Overall, Google- and Amazon-powered smart speakers are the way to go, though we prefer Google’s ecosystem over Amazon’s. Amazon’s speaker lineup is more vast, but our favorite models are still Google’s, including the Google Nest Audio for a smart speaker (especially if you want stereo sound and two speakers for a great price) and the Google Nest Hub Max for a smart display. Amazon makes our favorite smaller speakers, though, particularly the new Echo Dot Max.

Check out our Best Alexa Speakers, Best Google Speakers, and Best Smart Displays guides for more recommendations on the best smart home speakers. If you’re looking for more speaker advice, don’t miss our guides to the Best Bluetooth Speakers, Best Soundbars, and Best Sonos Speakers.

Updated November 2025: We’ve added the Echo Dot Max as our new mini smart speaker pick, and additional notes on all of Amazon’s newest smart speakers. We’ve also ensured up-to-date links and prices.

Our Favorite Smart Speaker

Overall, Google Assistant is our go-to smart speaker and helper of choice, so it’s no surprise that the Nest Audio is our overall pick. It’s got a compact, pillowlike shape and great sound that will easily fill small- and medium-size rooms. We really like using two Nests as a stereo pair because they combine to offer some of the best audio quality you can achieve in a smart speaker for $200.

As with all Google Assistant–powered devices, you can ask the Nest Audio to set timers, play music, or tell you the weather, and you can ask it anything you’d search on Google. The Google Home app makes it easy to pair up the speakers with any other Google-friendly smart device you have too. Google’s ecosystem is overall easy to use and easy to integrate into tons of other products, both from Google itself and others.

Google has announced that this smart speaker will be compatible with its new assistant, Gemini for Home, which is starting to roll out in early access. This assistant will replace the current Google Assistant and will be free, but some features will require a subscription. There will also be a new flagship smart speaker, called the Google Home Speaker (yes, that’s the same name as the original smart speaker from Google in 2016), launching in spring 2026 and retailing for $99. While it’s the same price as the Nest Audio, it’s a similar size to the Nest Mini, so we’re curious how the two will compare down the line. Learn more in our section about Gemini for Home.

Best Smart Display

I love a smart display, because I love the option to either use voice commands to control my smart home or a tap of my finger. The Nest Hub Max is my favorite because it doubles as a digital photo frame. It does a great job showing me all kinds of pictures since I’m a Google Photos user, but even if you aren’t actively backing everything up to Google Photos like I am, it’s easy to create and add to albums to display on the 10-inch screen.

The Hub Max is also easy to use to control your smart home, letting you adjust the lights with a tap or get the doorbell feed straight to your device. It has a built-in hub, so smart home devices can connect to it for setup, and it supports Matter over Thread and Wi-Fi. It also has surprisingly solid sound for its slim speakers and profile, especially for casual listening sessions in the kitchen or to set the ambiance during Dungeons and Dragons sessions.

Google has announced that this smart display will also be compatible with Gemini for Home, Google’s new voice assistant that’s rolling out in early access. Learn more below in our section about Gemini for Home.

★ If you’d prefer an Alexa display: Amazon has a borderline insane number of smart displays, but my favorite is easy to name: the third-generation Echo Show 8 ($150). The 8-inch screen is just big enough for everything you could use it for, and it packs a nice speaker and has a built-in hub compatible with Zigbee, Matter, and Thread. The larger sizes are too big for any regular-sized home, unless you’re a smart home addict and are certain you’ll put a 21-inch smart display to use. There’s a newer fourth-gen version, but the third-gen version has better sound quality. If you want one of Amazon’s newer Echo Shows, swing for the Echo Show 11 ($220) instead.

Best Mini Smart Speaker

Amazon has the biggest suite of smart speakers, and our new top Alexa speaker is also the best miniaturized one: the 4-inch-tall Echo Dot Max. Amazon’s Echo Dot devices have done well in our tests again and again over the years, so it’s not a huge surprise that the newest one is another hit. It’s got a higher price tag than past models, but packs impressive sound and a smart home hub, two things we usually don’t see on such small smart speakers. The buttons have moved to the front of the device on a dust cap-looking panel, but there are also tap controls at the top to instantly pause or play your music.

You can also still shop the fifth-gen Echo Dot ($50) if you’re looking for something small on a budget. It’s still a good little speaker that has improved bass compared to older generations, but not nearly as powerful as the Dot Max.

★ If you prefer Google: Usually we do, too. But the Nest Mini ($49) is out of stock in most colors and hasn’t been updated since 2021. The sound quality is fine if you just want a voice assistant, but if you want a new Google speaker, I’d wait for the new one due out in the spring.

Best Third-Party Smart Speaker

JBL’s Authentics 200 is a smart speaker that speaks to both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, letting you switch between the two for different tasks without having to swap your preference in the app. That makes this speaker particularly appealing for folks with a sprawling collection of smart products from both, or folks who are worried about investing in an ecosystem they might switch out of. However, it’s not determined yet if it’ll be compatible with the newer Gemini for Home assistant, but that assistant will only be in early access this fall.

The 200’s vintage-inspired foam grille and handy control knobs add a sweet retro vibe, but it’s the sound quality that really makes this speaker a winner. We put it head-to-head against some of the best, including the Sonos Era 300 and Era 100, and found it sitting pleasantly in between them, making it among the best-performing smart speakers for the money we’ve heard. With good looks, a big brain, and uncommon versatility, the Authentics 200 is a sharp contender in a crowded field. —Ryan Waniata

Best for Sound Quality

We’ve been big fans of Sonos’ compact smart speakers for three generations now, with its previous Sonos One topping this list for years. With the Era 100, Sonos expands the best smart speaker to stereo and ups the bass, with new tweeters and a 25 percent larger woofer that do an even better job of filling your room with sound. It’s got tons of great features, from built-in room tuning and multiroom audio support. The Bluetooth connectivity offered by the Era 100 means you can even wirelessly connect a turntable. If you want to keep things wired, the USB-C port on the back of the Era 100 lets you connect other devices with a dongle.

As with its predecessor, you’re able to use a couple of Era 100s as surround speakers with Sonos soundbars in your home theater, and you can pair two Era 100s for use as stereo speakers. It’s worth noting that Sonos was in a bit of hot water in 2020 over the fact that its older speakers weren’t going to get software updates. There is now a fix to support legacy hardware, but unfortunately, this is a reality for computer-powered speakers. Unlike their analog predecessors, you can’t expect them to last forever. Sonos smart speakers, however, have a track record of lasting longer than anything else we’ve tested, and that will likely continue in the Era era.

My only complaint is the lack of Google support, and I expect that to remain true as Google switches from Google Assistant to Gemini for Home. The Sonos One had it, but the Era 100 does not. It does support Alexa and Apple AirPlay 2, so if you use either of those, you’re in luck.

Best Smart Soundbar

Sonos’ second-generation Beam is the best smart soundbar you can buy right now. It might look similar to the first-generation model, but it’s got major sound upgrades. It’s easy to use with other Sonos speakers as a multiroom audio system, too. The Beam also has plenty of inputs, has immersive Dolby Atmos, and pairs with both Alexa and Google Assistant, unlike Sonos’ newer speakers. We’ll have to see if the Beam remains compatible with Google as it moves from Google Assistant to Gemini for Home, though.

Comparing Our Favorite Smart Speakers

Honorable Mentions

There are tons of smart speakers. Here are a few more we like:

Amazon’s Echo Spot for $80 is a great partial smart display. While the music quality isn’t the same depth that you’ll get on the Echo Dot, you’ll instead get a fun little half-screen with the second-gen Echo Spot that shows you the time, the weather, your calendar, and the name of the song playing. It’s a fun little set of features that make it a great speaker for the bedroom, especially since there’s no camera.

The Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) for $150 is the best Alexa smart display for the money. While it’s the older model, the sound is better than the newer Echo Show 8, and it still can use Alexa+ and has a built-in smart home hub.

Amazon’s Echo Show 11 for $220 is the best new Alexa smart display. If you’re looking to upgrade to one of Amazon’s newer Echo Show devices, the Show 11 has better sound and a good-sized screen. I liked it a lot better than the newest Echo Show 8, which has weaker sound than the older Echo Show 8 and the Show 11. The screen didn’t feel that big, either, and is my new favorite size for things like recipes and streaming.

The Amazon Echo Studio (2nd Gen) for $220 is the best-sounding Alexa speaker. We already loved the first model, so it’s not a huge surprise we love the second-gen version, too. It’s got fantastic sound quality and power, and has a built-in smart home hub and spatial audio capabilities. While it’s smaller than the Apple HomePod, it easily filled my entire second-floor great room with music.

Apple’s HomePod Mini for $99 is the best for Apple enthusiasts. The HomePod Mini has the same issues as the larger HomePod speaker, including a higher price than much of the competition and a muddy midrange. It doesn’t have anywhere near the level of third-party smart home support you’ll find with Amazon or Google. You can get a full-size Nest or Echo speaker for the same money, and you should. But if you’re truly, immovably set on using Siri as your smart home’s voice assistant, the Mini is a better price for the same experience.

The Google Nest Hub for $100 is a great bedside speaker for Google Assistant users. The 7-inch screen feels like a smartphone propped up on its side rather than a massive smart display, and it has sleep tracking technology built into it to track your sleep without needing any accessories on your body. Handy! Plus, no camera.

What About Alexa+?

Amazon has started rolling out the new and improved Alexa, named Alexa+, after announcing it in February, though it’s still not yet available to all users. This second generation of the Alexa voice assistant is more conversational, similar to an experience with AI assistants like ChatGPT, which isn’t a surprise since Alexa+ was built on generative AI. It does a better job answering a variety of different questions and responds quickly to all kinds of requests. Check out more in my hands-on with Alexa+.

It’s free in early access right now on many devices, including the Echo Show. Once it officially rolls out, Alexa+ will be available for $20 a month, or free if you have an Amazon Prime membership. While you likely have a membership if you added an Alexa device to your home, it’s a big jump from the previously free assistant (and both versions will have less privacy).

Alexa+ will also require that all voice recordings be sent to Amazon to be processed, and Amazon’s changing its features for recordings with regular Alexa to go to Amazon, too. There was a “Do Not Send Voice Recordings” privacy feature that you could select to have voice requests processed locally, but that feature was killed in March. The privacy change will affect all users, whether or not you sign up for Alexa+ and no matter if you’re using a compatible device or not.

What About Gemini for Google Home?

Google announced that Gemini for Home, the new version of its voice assistant, is rolling out in early access to existing Google Home users. It’ll eventually replace the current Google Assistant entirely, and is currently slated to roll out to almost all of Google’s devices. One of the notable exceptions is the Pixel Tablet; otherwise, Google’s existing hardware is pretty well reflected for what Gemini for Home will reach.

Unlike Alexa+, this new assistant will always be free. However, Google is changing its camera subscription, Nest Aware, to become a subscription for Gemini for Home that will have two tiers, Standard ($10 a month) and Advanced ($20 a month), to replace the Nest Aware and Nest Aware Plus subscription. This new subscription model will extend beyond cameras and include some advanced smart assistant features, including Gemini Live, which is a more conversational chat mode you can activate on a smart speaker, and automation features you won’t get on the base assistant. The Advanced mode will also let you ask Gemini for video history, get AI notifications and descriptions, and a customized summary at the end of the day called Home Brief. The Standard Plan will have 30 days of video event history plus intelligent alerts for its cameras, while the Advanced plan will have 60 days and 24/7 video history.

Google also has a new speaker coming for the first time in years. The Google Home Speaker has the same name as the original Google smart speaker from 2016, but looks like a taller Nest Mini (it actually looks the most like a HomePod Mini rather than Google’s own lineup) and while it’s small, it will become the new flagship speaker of Google’s lineup. It’s due out in spring 2026 and will retail for $99. We’re curious to see if Google’s other speakers remain available, and if any other hardware is slated to come out as Gemini rolls out, whether from Google or from third-party partners.

More Smart Speakers We’ve Tested

Amazon’s Echo Hub for $180: The Echo Hub is designed entirely to control your smart devices, and acts more like a home security device than a true smart speaker. It also has the worst built-in speaker of Alexa’s ecosystem, since it’s designed to be used in tandem with a more powerful Alexa speaker like the ones above.

Amazon Echo Pop for $40: The Echo Pop is a cute little speaker that’s affordable and comes in fun colors. It’s a fine choice for college students or teenagers who want something with a little personality, but everyone else should just upgrade to the Echo Dot for much better sound and otherwise the same features.

Amazon Echo Show 5 for $90: The Show 5 can do everything the Show 8 can do, but on a smaller, less convenient screen. It’s a good size for a bedroom, but it has a camera; I’d rather add the Echo Spot or the Google Nest Hub for a similar mini screen on my bedside table.

Amazon Echo Show 8 (4th Gen) for $160: This is a solid smart speaker with Amazon’s latest phsyical design and Alexa+ right out of the box, but it’s not a sound improvement over the older model, so I’d personally pick the old model while it’s still available or upgrade to the Echo Show 11 ($220) instead.

Amazon Echo Show 15 for $300: The Show 15 is somewhere in between a smart display and a smart TV, but doesn’t quite nail it at being either. The widgets are fun to use since you can add so many to the Show’s 15-inch screen, but I’ve tried this device a few times and always walked away underwhelmed. There’s now the even larger Echo Show 21 ($400), which is the same speaker, just 6 inches larger. The device has grown on me while using it with Alexa+, though, particularly with a stand ($125) to sit on my desk. But it’s still larger than I need for day to day tasks.

Apple HomePod for $299: Apple’s flagship smart speaker has a muddy midrange and high-end, which is disappointing for the price point. The HomePod does have a lot of bass, though, if that’s your jam. If you want an Apple-powered smart speaker in your home, the Mini is a third of the price and can do nearly everything it can do.

Bang & Olufsen Beosound Level for $2,250: This is a gorgeous—though seriously expensive—speaker that’s built to last. The company has designed the high-end model to be repairable and upgradable over time. It’s made of natural fabric and wood for a truly sustainable “cradle to grave” experience. It’s a gorgeous flat speaker that comes with Google Assistant onboard—or you can buy it without a smart assistant for the same amount of money.

Google Pixel Tablet and Speaker Dock for $399: This is a tablet and smart speaker in one. It’s a fantastic option if you want both a new tablet and a smart display in your life, since you can purchase the Pixel Tablet and get both in one fell swoop. But the speaker dock seems sold out everywhere, so right now you can only get the tablet. Google cancelled its plans for a second generation, so this might signal the end of the Pixel Tablet and its smart display abilities entirely.

WiiM A10 for $229: This speaker doesn’t have a voice assistant, but it does have compatibility with AirPlay 2, Google Cast, and Siri to be used as a Bluetooth speaker. WIRED reviewer Parker Hall says it reminds him of a Sonos speaker, but that it can instantly connect with Spotify Connect—faster than any other speaker he’s tried.

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