Upgrading from a regular speaker that just plays music to a smart speaker with a built-in voice assistant gives you a whole different set of skills you can control with just voice commands. A smart speaker can answer questions, make phone calls, set timers, play games and control your smart home devices -- and that's just the beginning. You can add this as a way to enhance your entertainment or gaming setup or put it in your kitchen, bedroom, office or more to spread your control throughout the home.
To find the best options, we tested top models like the Echo, Nest, HomePod and Sonos, running on Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa and Apple’s ecosystem. After evaluating their performance, here are our top picks -- many of which are seeing significant discounts thanks to the Amazon Big Spring Sale.
Our Picks
What's the best smart speaker?
Amazon Echo speakers are among the most affordable and easy-to-set-up smart speakers out there. That's why the fourth-gen Amazon Echo is our pick for the top smart speaker overall. It's likely to best meet the needs of most households. Although it's a few years old, the device features improved sound quality over the previous generation is compatible with an assortment of smart devices and goes for the relatively affordable price of $100 (although it can often be found on sale for $80 or less).
For platform-neutral folks (or those looking to switch things up), our top picks also include options from third-party speaker masters and like Sonos as well popular speakers from Google Nest, Apple and more.
Best smart speakers of 2025
- Surprisingly large sound
- Alexa's excellent compatibility options
- Compact and reasonably priced
- Upgraded services available
- Amazon likes to charge extra for things like Alexa Plus and Emergency Assist
We give the smart home edge in the best smart speaker category to Amazon, thanks to Alexa and the $100, fourth-generation Amazon Echo.
The latest Echo (not to be confused with the fifth-gen Echo Dot or Echo Pop) combines the usual Alexa smarts with a speaker that sounds great and has a built-in Zigbee radio. That's a nice inclusion that'll let you connect Zigbee lights, locks, sensors, and other devices to your setup without the need for a separate hub device. Alexa offers some of the broadest compatibility of any voice assistant, so support for streaming services, smart devices, and quirky Alexa Skills is unparalleled.
What helps the Echo clinch first place is its sound quality: This speaker offers loud, room-filling sound with plenty of clarity and bass control. While there are even better-sounding speakers, such as the Sonos Era 100 and the Echo Studio, neither can beat the price of the Echo.
Finally, note there are extra services you can add to your Echo speaker for a price, notably the advanced AI Alexa Plus, free for Amazon Prime users but $20 per month otherwise, and Alexa Emergency Assist, which costs around $6 per month and can listen for alarms or the sounds of broken glass while getting you in touch with an emergency human assistant on demand.
- Affordable
- Many extra sensors for connecting to your smart home
- Good sound for the size
- LED alarm clock version available
- Too small if you want to fill a room with sound
If you're in the market for a budget smart speaker, they don't come any more feature-packed than the Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen). It offers a wealth of capabilities including a temperature sensor, an Eero mesh extender and the ability to tap it like an alarm clock. That makes it an excellent choice for tapping into other smart systems you may have around the house.
The Echo Dot (5th Gen) also sounds better than other speakers at the price, including the Echo Pop and Google's Nest Mini, with plenty of vocal clarity and decent bass weight. Its microphones are sensitive enough to hear you from across the room, even with another speaker playing.
Also, the Echo Dot is available in an "alarm clock" version with an LED clock hidden inside its mesh speaker fabric if you want a model for your bedroom or a similar spot.
- -Improved function and sound
- Google Assistant is a knowledgeable voice assistant
- Wall mount option
- Not as many extra features as Echo Dots
Google has done an admirable job of catching up to Amazon in the smart speaker race. At this point, picking between the lowest-price smart speaker devices from the two companies comes down to splitting hairs.
Google Assistant now has almost as many capabilities as Alexa, making the $50 Google Nest Mini a solid alternative to the Amazon Echo Dot if Google Assistant is your preference. Our tests have shown that Google Assistant responds more flexibly to voice commands if you can't remember the exact name of your smart home devices and it's generally more knowledgeable about things you'd find on the internet.
Overall, Google still has the intelligence edge, and the Google Nest Mini is a great, low-cost way to take advantage of those smarts. While the Nest Mini may not have as many additional features as the Echo Dot (for now), it does one one important option the Dot doesn't: A built-in option to mount on a wall and save space, like by a desk or in a kitchen nook.
- Sounds great for its size
- Compact and interesting design
- Lots of compatibility with Apple products
- Temperature and humidity sensor
- Much more affordable than the HomePod
- More expensive than other "mini" speakers
- Smart home support is lacking compared to alternatives
The first HomePod was an eclectic Apple machine with great sound, but otherwise a bit disappoint, especially with the high price tag. The HomePod 2 is a better in nearly every way, but still expensive at $300. The HomePod mini, however, is a compromise with a smaller unit at a much more affordable price.
The HomePod mini offers Siri functionality, the ability to link to other minis, a temperature and humidity sensor for smart home control, and surprisingly great sound for its size. It also sports some iPhone tricks if you want to hand off music, etc.
Keep an eye on this one: Apple is upgrading Siri intelligence this year and we aren’t quite sure what advanced features will make it to the HomePod line. Also, there are rumors a HomePod mini 2 may be arriving this year as Apple plans on releasing a smart display and other home tech.
- Incredible 6-driver sound
- Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and USB-C connection options
- Dolby Atmos support
- AirPlay 2 support
- Lots of audio adjustment options with the Sonos app
- Very expensive
- No more Google Assistant support
This 300-watt speaker is a master of sound and streaming options, providing an amazing six-driver acoustic sound that can fill your whole house. Connection options include both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, plus the ability to pair with other Sonos speakers. There’s also a USB-C line for wired connections.
It’s no surprise this speaker also supports Dolby Atmos for enhanced environmental sound and top-notch performance on supported audio.
For best-in-class sound, you will have to pay a premium price. Also, while this speaker supports Alexa, Sonos has dropped support for Google Assistant and now focuses more on its own Sonos voice commands. But you won’t find better sound, whether you want to pair with your entertainment system or add a central speaker for whole-home music.
If you like the idea of Sonos but can't handle the price tag, take a look at the more affordable Sonos Era 100, which can't match the 300's sound but is available for $250.
- Portable
- Connects to voice assistants via Wi-Fi
- Great Bose sound
- Some water resistance for temporary outdoor use
- Very expensive
- Needs to be in Wi-Fi range
We’ve got a full list of the best portable Bluetooth speakers, but the Bose Smart Speaker (latest model) stands out as a particularly smart option with its ability to link a built-in microphone to your Wi-Fi so you can talk to your voice assistants and control your music streaming. The excellent Bose sound quality certainly doesn’t hurt, either.
Battery life for this model is around 12 hours and at 2.3 pounds it’s easy to carry around. With limited IPX4 resistance, this speaker can go outside for short periods of time, but it’s most at home in the home, office, or garage.
If you’re looking for a less expensive option, the latest Bose SoundLink Home has many of the same features but is more affordable.
Best smart speakers compared
| Best smart speakers | Amazon Echo (4th-gen) | Amazon Echo Dot 5 | Google Nest Mini (2nd-gen) | Apple HomePod mini | Sonos Era 300 | Bose Portable Smart Speaker |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $100 | $50 | $50 | $100 | $450 | $350 |
| Voice assistants | Amazon Alexa | Amazon Alexa | Google Assistant | Apple Siri | Amazon Alexa, Sonos Voice | Built-in mic for voice assistant linking |
| Internal speakers | 3-inch woofer, two 0.8-inch tweeters | 1.7-inch front-firing speaker | 40mm driver | Full-range driver, dual passive radiators | Six class-D drivers, four tweeters, two woofers | Dynamic driver -- Bose keeps the details under wraps |
| Wireless | Not without third-party add-ons | Not without third-party add-ons | No | No | No | Yes |
| Connections | Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Matter/Thread | Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Matter | Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Matter | Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Thread, P2P | Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, AirPlay, USB-C, Sonos Arc/Beam | Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, AirPlay, Spotify Connect |
| Review score | 8.5/10 | 8.3/10 | 8.2/10 | 4.1/5 | 4/5 | N/A |
Other smart speaker options
The grass isn't always greener on the other side.
The smart speakers above are our current favorites, but you still have lots of other options if you're looking for something specific in audio performance. Read our breakdown of Alexa versus Google Assistant versus Siri if you'd like to learn the pros and cons of each and decide on a smart home device based on its platform.
If you like the idea of ready-to-listen tech but want something more visual, check out our list of the best smart displays. Smart displays essentially combine a smart speaker with a touchscreen so you can watch videos on YouTube, make video calls, scroll through pictures and control your smart home gadgets with a touch. Amazon and Google both have several options worth considering in the category.
Read more: Best Smart Displays
Figure out what platform or features you'd like, and you should be able to quickly narrow down your options and find the best smart speaker for you and your family.
Factors to consider when buying a smart speaker
If you’re still shopping, let’s review some of the most important factors for choosing a smart speaker.
Price
Smart speakers range greatly in price, so consider your budget before deciding. Generally, the better the audio the more expensive the speaker, and our Sonos Era pick is a great example. But you can get tons of smart features for under $50 if audio isn’t a priority. Smart speakers are often on sale, too.
Preferred voice assistant
Do you use Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri the most? Or do you not really care? Find a speaker that supports the voice assistant you like. And if you have a smart home, check to see what platforms your smart devices support. You can control things like smart plugs and smart lights with speaker commands, or connect features like temperature sensing to compatible thermostats (like the Amazon Thermostat and the Echo Dot 5).
Size of room
If you want a smart speaker for a small space, like a desk where you work, a garage bench, a reading nook or a small bedroom space, then the size of the speaker doesn’t really matter. But if you want to fill a large living room, open-floor plan or high-ceiling kitchen, you’ll want a larger speaker noted for 360-degree or room-filling sound.
Entertainment system connections
Smart speakers often pair well with entertainment systems -- check out our best soundbars to learn even more. If that’s an important feature to you, check if the speaker can pair with your current speaker system, your smart TV, your computer or other tech you use for entertainment. It’s not quite surround sound, but it can get you an added dimension of sound or broadcast sound into other rooms.
Portability
Most smart speakers are wired. However, some can be mounted, and some like Echos have third-party battery add-ons to make them portable. Consider if you’ll be moving the speaker around.
Linking speakers
Many smart speakers have the ability to link together if you get two of them, allowing for bigger sound, multi-room sound and other tricks. If that’s a goal, look for speakers that link easily (most on our list can do it).
Where should I put a smart speaker?
Hear every play call by linking your kitchen smart speaker to your TV.
First think about how you use voice assistants and where. If you’re setting timers, asking about measurements or listening to tunes while you cook, the kitchen is an obvious spot. Setting wake up alarms and getting weather reports? Consider your bedroom. Putting on music for a party or ambience? A central location on counter or shelf is a good bet. And if you’re setting reminders, asking questions or making calls, a spot beside your computer may be best.