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You’d be forgiven for thinking that Amazon has the smart speaker market all to itself. The giant has created several very popular smart speakers that anyone looking for one of these products should absolutely check out. But hot sellers like the Amazon Dot and Echo aren’t the only show in town these days.
Big players like Google, Lenovo and a host of other tech giants have their sights set on this market too. So what is the best alternative to Amazon Echo Dot? How do they stack up, and are they good enough to tempt you away from the current best seller?
If you want to save time and jump to the top alternative to Amazon’s Echo Dot, you’d be hard pushed to beat the Google Home Mini. Google Voice Assistant sounds like a real person at times and has access to all of Google’s search power. The compact speaker has a room-filling quality to it and this speaker is easy to set up and use.
What are the most popular alternatives to Amazon Echo Dot?
It’s 100% worth your time to look into the alternative products to Amazon Echo because there’s some really good ones on the market in 2024. Huge brands like Google have their own smart speakers and virtual assistants. The next part of this guide will cover the main players in the exciting world of smart speakers. We’ll look at what they do, and why you might want to get one!
The top recommended alternatives to the Amazon Echo Dot are:
Lets go over each alarm system in more detail:
#1 – Google Home Mini
What is it?
The Google Home Mini is a great alternative to Alexa and it’s priced in the same bracket as the Echo. It’s a smart speaker than behaves in a similar way to the Echo but, instead of Alexa, you get Google Assistant – Google’s own brand of virtual assistant. Like Alexa, it’s always listening and to start it you say “OK Google“.
Why is it a good alternative to Amazon’s?
This is probably Amazon’s biggest competitor in the smart speaker world and google’s assistant is a very good piece of software. Drawing on Google’s data, you’ve got traffic, news and much more just waiting for you. It’s also great for entertainment, streaming from all the popular sources. The hardware itself is also very high quality, with deep, clear sound.
Smart Speaker Features
- Powered by Google Assistant
- Play music from Google Play, Spotify
- Get real time answers from Google on traffic, weather and much more
Compare prices on the Google Home Mini
#2 – Apple HomePod Smart Speaker
What is it?
The Apple HomePod is Apples own alternative to the Amazon Echo. It’s a smart speaker packed with Apples technology that you can control with your voice, just like the Amazon Echo. It costs a fair bit more than the Echo too. The HomePod’s virtual assistant is Siri, which you’ll be familiar with if you have owned an Apple iPhone.
Why get the HomePod vs the Amazon Echo?
If you’re an Apple fan, you’re probably already going to pick this one to add in to your existing products. Even if you’re not, the HomePod is more than worth a look. Far from being a copy of the Amazon Echo, it has innovative features of it’s own.
For example, this smart speaker will detect the kind of room it’s in and then pick the best sound settings for that room. If you have more than one, the music will automatically ‘follow’ you around your home. Thanks to Apple’s audio tech, it sounds REALLY good too. Go in the local Apple Store for a demo! And if you subscribe to Apple music, you’ve got 45 million songs to keep you busy!
Smart Speaker Features
- Detects its surroundings and adjusts accordingly
- Access 45 million songs on Apple music
- Uses Siri
- Really good Apple audio technology
- Music ‘follows’ around house
Compare prices on the Apple HomePod
#3 – Azatom Venture Smart Speaker
What is it?
Moving on to our next alternative to the amazon echo is the Venture smart speaker from Azatom. You can talk to Alexa and do many of the things you can with Amazon’s own smart speaker. This is another one that’s currently very popular with customers. Setup is little more than plugging in, connecting to the Internet and logging in with your Amazon account.
Why is it a good alternative to the Amazon Echo?
This speaker also has a better sound quality than the Amazon Dot although being a similar price. Although it’s a small speaker, you can expect a nice LOUD output, without any distortion. It’s really easy to hook up to your existing music libraries too.
If you order a few smart plugs and bulbs, you’ll also be able to control your smart home with it!
Smart Speaker Features
- Talk to Alexa without an Amazon Speaker
- Connect up to 8 smart speakers together for multi-room use
- Very high quality sound
- Download the venture player app for more control
- Play your music wirelessly from any device
See more at Amazon
#4 – Zolo Halo Smart Speaker
What is it?
If you’re in the market for a super-cheap alternative to amazon echo dot then don’t sleep on the Zolo Halo Smart Speaker. It’s a fair bit cheaper than the dot and has Alexa built in. It’s shaped a bit like the Echo plus too. For the price point, this smart speaker packs a heck of a punch and will do things like control your smart lights as well as play you favourite playlist.
Why is it a good alternative to Amazon Echo?
The Zolo is a really good priced smart speaker. It’s a lot smaller than you’d think and has a sleek and stylish design and a weighty quality feel to it. Zolo works both over WiFi or as a standalone bluetooth speaker. To get going you just download the free app and from there setup is quick and easy.
Smart Speaker Features
- Great budget-priced Echo alternative
- Supports multi-room audio
- High quality sound for the price
- Stream audio services like Amazon and Spotify
- Works with bluetooth or WiFi
See more at Amazon
#5 – Sonos One
What is it?
Another hugely popular alternative to the Amazon Echo & Dot is the Sonos One. This smart speaker does everything you can with Amazon’s devices and has Alexa built in. Get one for every room, or just have one Sonos where you prefer it.
Why is it a good alternative to Amazon Echo?
It also has nifty touch control on the device that lets you do stuff like swipe onto the next track. Setup is quick and easy once you download the app and you can stream music from any source with the Sonos. The sound quality is really good with the Sonos. You can really feel the bass quality and it doesn’t distort when cranked up.
Smart Speaker Features
- Has Amazon Alexa built in
- Manage Spotify, Apple Music and More in one place
- Connects to your devices over WiFi
- Stream directly from AirPlay
- Get news updates and control your smart home
See more at Amazon
What is it about Amazon Echo and Alexa?
Amazon Alexa is a brilliant idea that was inspired by sci-fi movies where the crew of star ships would talk to their computers using their voice. It’s Amazon’s own technology that uses your voice to command your device to do stuff.
When it was announced in 2014, it was hailed as a game-changer, and when people try it for themselves, they normally agree! While there are plenty of alternatives to Amazon Echo Dot, it’s still the best selling smart speaker at the moment.
Why is Alexa the most popular smart speaker?
Like the Wii and smart phone before it, Alexa uses really advanced technology but doesn’t bother the user with the boring details. Instead, ANYONE can instantly use the Alexa using their voice and appreciate how cool it is. While the most popular use for Alexa is to play music, it can be used for so many other things.
The Amazon Echo and related products are very easy to use, made from high quality components and are fun to use! Products like Amazon Echo have their work cut out if they want to compete!
Why get an alternative to the Amazon Echo / Dot?
One of the main reasons people look for an alternative to the Amazon Echo is that you can get better sound quality from some alternative devices. Some people also have a favourite brand that they want to go for, or prefer the design of the competing products.
Whatever your reason for seeking out an alternative to the Amazon Echo / Dot then we’ve got some great ideas for you below. Price is another biggie, with plenty of budget-priced Alexa smart speakers on the market.
Amazon Alexa Alternatives Buyer’s Guide
Compatibility?
While many products are proud to announce the ‘Works With Alexa’ label on them, you might find it more tricky to reveal if your devices work with alternatives to amazon alexa.
Sound quality & volume
A good alternative to amazon echo dot will need to have the same impressive sound quality the Amazon devices are known for. You should be able to hear everything clearly on low volume, while not having any distortion (annoying buzzing) when the smart speaker is on a higher volume.
Do you need to use an app?
If you’ve read any of the suggestions here, or any product descriptions for alternatives to Amazon Echo Dot, then you might have read a lot about the apps that each manufacturer provides. I mean isn’t the whole point you want to use your voice?!
The good news is the apps are primarily there for setting up. Once you’ve got logged in and everything is updated, you can just use your voice and forget about screens… if you want to!
Let me know in the comments down below how your smart home is coming along. Did you use any of these alternatives to Amazon Echo Dot? Which smart speaker are you using that you think our readers will love?
