So, my ex was totally against smart speakers. Now that I’m on my own, I want one that plays Spotify or Audible when I ask. I’d also like to eventually add smart home controls, but probably not for a year since I’m in an apartment for now (post-divorce life!).
I already have Amazon Prime, but it’s mostly for the delivery benefits. I also have Gmail accounts, but I’m not attached to any ecosystem.
How do I pick between Amazon and Google for a smart speaker?
This sub might be biased towards other systems, but if you just want a smart speaker and some basic smart home stuff, pick whichever company you prefer. If you want to go deeper into smart home control later, look into something like Home Assistant.
Ignore the downvotes—if you’re looking for voice control, you’ll need to pick one of the big systems. I love Home Assistant, but voice control on it isn’t super user-friendly unless you have a lot of experience.
I personally use Alexa across my home, and 90% of the time it works well. But if you’re choosing between Amazon and Google, I’d go with Alexa. Google Assistant has gotten worse over the years, especially for location-based stuff.
That said, Amazon has been restricting Alexa’s ability to work with things outside their ecosystem lately, like removing support for sharing tasks with other apps like Todoist. If you mainly want Audible, Spotify, and some smart home control later, Alexa is a solid option to start with. Plus, it integrates with a lot of other platforms down the line.
@Tyson
I use Alexa on top of Hubitat, and it works great. One fun thing is you can change the wake word to “computer,” which makes it feel like you’re living in the future! Just avoid Wi-Fi bulbs—you’ll run into issues with capacity quickly. Look into Zigbee hubs like Hubitat or Sonoff instead.
@Sidney
You can even say something like “hey booboo” instead of “hey Google,” depending on the dialect.
Orlando said:
@Sidney
You can even say something like “hey booboo” instead of “hey Google,” depending on the dialect.
That’s hilarious! Still, the Star Trek “computer” option has my heart.
@Sidney
Can you explain what you mean by capacity issues with Wi-Fi bulbs?
Dragonsecure said:
@Sidney
Can you explain what you mean by capacity issues with Wi-Fi bulbs?
Wi-Fi bulbs sometimes have a limit to how many you can connect, and they can slow down over time. Plus, they usually rely on the cloud to work, so if the internet goes out, your lights might stop working. Zigbee hubs are local, so they’ll still work even without internet.
@Sidney
Thanks for clarifying!
@Tyson
I started with Alexa for the easy stuff, then added a SmartThings hub and a Hue hub for better bulbs. Now I’ve got some motion sensors and wired switches too. It all grows over time, especially when you’re techy and recovering from a breakup! 
zedeck said:
Home Assistant
Home Assistant?.. stands up and dramatically declares HOME ASSISTANT!
zedeck said:
Home Assistant
Came here to say the same!
Some hardcore enthusiasts choose other systems, but if you want something simple that works right away, Alexa or Google is a great choice. It sounds like that will suit your needs better.
Think about what phone you have, too. Google works well with a lot of brands, big and small. Alexa is also great, while Apple is more limited. I’m a Google Assistant person and I love controlling everything from my Pixel watch, which makes things super convenient.
I’ve been using Alexa for years with a lot of Amazon products. It’s great for smart home control, but Alexa often doesn’t know basic internet questions or messes up simple queries. If you want your smart speaker to actually provide information from the web, go with Google.
@Jesse
Google is good for answering questions, Alexa is better at doing things. I use both: Google for queries and Alexa for smart home control with Home Assistant in the background.
Trevor said:
@Jesse
Google is good for answering questions, Alexa is better at doing things. I use both: Google for queries and Alexa for smart home control with Home Assistant in the background.
That’s spot on. Google answers my questions well, but they’ve been removing features lately, so I rely on Alexa for actions.
@Nick
Yep, no single platform is perfect, so I combine the best parts of each. Home Assistant runs everything in the background, while Alexa handles voice commands and Google helps me with information.
A smart home that relies on the cloud isn’t a great idea in the long run.
Stay away from Google—it’s awful! Half the time it won’t even connect to Spotify.