Smart & Connected Life > Smart Home 44 44 people found this article helpful Google Home vs. Apple HomePod Which one is right for you? It depends on how you plan to use it By Sam Costello Sam Costello Facebook Twitter Writer Ithaca College Sam Costello has been writing about tech since 2000. His writing has appeared in publications such as CNN.com, PC World, InfoWord, and many others. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on January 17, 2020 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email In This Article Expand Jump to a Section Overall Findings Best Intelligent Assistant Streaming Music Sound Quality Smart Home Messaging and Calls Form Factor and Use in the House Multiple Users Ecosystem Integration Final Verdict With so many similar options available, it's hard to figure out which smart speaker is the best choice to welcome into your home. While the Apple HomePod was released after the Google Home, they are closer in age than you might expect. We compare the two in several key areas to help you make the best choice for you. Overall Findings Google Home Draws on Google's vast database. Supports third-party music streaming apps. Support for multi-room audio. Controls major smart home devices. Apple HomePod More limited than Google when accessing information and performing tasks. Lacks built-in support for services other than Apple Music. Best-in-class sound quality. Controls major smart home devices. Deciding whether HomePod or Google Home is the best device for you depends on how you plan to use it. Both speakers can do the same kinds of things—answer questions, set timers, control smart-home devices, stream music—but the ways they do them, and the tools they use, can be different. Curious about how HomePod stacks up to the Amazon Echo? Check out Amazon Echo vs Apple HomePod: Which One Do You Need? The Best Intelligent Assistant: Google Is Hard to Beat Google Home Google Assistant is a powerful, flexible tool. Draws on Google's database of information; it's great at answering questions. Supports third-party apps and actions. Doesn't support secondary calendars. When multiple devices are near each other, all respond to the "OK Google" launch phrase. Apple AirPod "Hey Siri" is smart enough to only have the correct device respond when prompted. Siri is more limited than Google Assistant when it comes to accessing information and performing tasks. HomePod doesn't allow third-party apps or skills on the device (but some iPhone apps can have them added). The thing that makes a smart speaker smart is the intelligent assistant that listens for your voice and responds to your commands. It's not the only factor in deciding which speaker is best for you, but it's a big one. There's no question that Google Assistant is far ahead of Siri. Siri responds well to a limited set of commands and questions, but Google Assistant responds well to a wider set of scenarios and draws from a larger pool of information. Streaming Music: It's a Tie Google Home Supports YouTube Music, which is not naturally supported on other smart speakers. Built-in support for Spotify, iHeartRadio, and others. No Apple Music support. Apple AirPod Built-in support for Apple Music. Other music services streamed using Airplay. Lack of built-in support for services other than Apple Music. Streaming music is one of the best uses for a smart speaker. Just shouting out "play some happy music" is both a fun trick and a great mood lifter. Both speakers can play virtually any streaming music service you prefer. The difference is built-in support. HomePod delivers Apple Music support, which means it can be controlled via voice, but it supports all streaming over AirPlay. The same is true for Google Home, except it has built-in support for Google services and streams over Bluetooth. Your preferred service should guide your decision, but fundamentally, you can stream virtually anything on both devices. Sound Quality: Apple Is Best-in-Class Google Home Support for multi-room audio (all Google Home devices in the house play the same audio). Lower-quality sound than HomePod. Apple HomePod Best sound quality among all smart speakers, according to different tests. Siri can hear you even when audio volume is high, so you don't have to shout. The range of music services supported by a smart speaker isn't the only thing to pay attention to. Your music and podcasts should sound fantastic. Apple has positioned HomePod as an audio device first, a smart speaker second, and it shows in the sound quality. It sounds clear, detailed, and huge. Google Home delivers decent sound, but can't match the room-rattling HomePod. Smart Home: Control Your Thermostat, Lights, And More Google Home Controls major smart home devices, like the Nest Thermostat or Philips Hue lightbulbs. Built-in support for Chromecast. Fewer compatible devices than Amazon Echo. Apple HomePod Controls major smart home devices, like Nest and Hue lights, using the Apple HomeKit standard. Fewer compatible devices than Amazon Echo. If you're making your home smarter with internet-connected, app-controlled smart home gadgets, both HomePod and Home can help. You can speak to either device and ask them to raise or lower the temperature, turn off the lights, or perform other tasks. While neither device supports as many smart home devices like the Amazon Echo, both of them work with most of the major offerings. HomePod has the added benefit of HomeKit support, which means devices such as the Nest Thermostat can be controlled from your iOS devices. Double-check that your preferred smart home gadgets work with the speaker you're interested in buying, but you shouldn't run into many problems. Messaging and Calls: To Text or Not to Text Google Home Make calls directly from Google Home. No official support for text messaging. Apple HomePod Siri reads and sends text messages. Support for multiple texting apps, including Apple Messages and WeChat. Can't make calls directly, only transfers calls started on iPhone to HomePod. With a smart speaker in your house, sending texts and making phone calls doesn't require your smartphone. Both Home and HomePod have some notable limitations in these areas. HomePod has a slight edge since it supports calls and texts, with a few hiccups. Google Home only sends texts with awkward workarounds. Neither option is ideal. Form Factor and Use in the House: Google Gets Colorful Google Home Three different sizes for different uses and rooms. Mini comes in four colors—white, slate, aqua, and coral. Apple HomePod Comes in black or white. Attractive styling. High-quality construction and materials. Different rooms and uses may call for smart speakers that come in different shapes and styles. The HomePod is typical of Apple hardware. It is beautifully designed, built to the highest standards, but also somewhat limited in its style options. If versatility and adaptability are what you want out of your smart speaker, Google Home—with its multiple sizes and colors—is your best bet. Multiple Users: Tools For the Whole Family Google Home Supports up to six users and recognizes their voices. Responds with individualized content, such as calendars and playlists. Can't delete, edit, or cancel events by voice. Apple HomePod Add notes, reminders, and other content. Only works for the owner of the iPhone that was originally used to set up the device. No multi-user support. If you have more than one person in your household, you'll have more than one person who wants to use your smart speaker. But different smart speakers work with multiple users in different ways. The HomePod's single-user support is deeply limited for multi-person households, putting it behind Google Home (and very far behind the Amazon Echo, which has sophisticated multi-user support). Between these two devices, only Google Home offers anything approaching a tool that works for the whole family. Ecosystem Integration: Access a Broad Range of Services Google Home Deep integration with Google services and devices, such as Chromecast. No connection to Apple services. Apple HomePod Deep integration with Apple services like Apple Music, iCloud, and iMessage. No connection to Google services. When buying a smart speaker, get one that works well with the broadest range of services and gadgets you use. That kind of compatibility makes these devices most useful. Similar to the streaming music services category, this one is mostly a toss-up that is determined by what ecosystem you invested in. If you own Apple products, HomePod will interact with them smoothly and offer deep connections. On the other hand, Google fans will find Home gives them the best experience. Final Verdict: Google Home Stands Out It's fair to say both Google Home and Apple HomePod are behind the Amazon Echo in terms of features, third-party app support, and speed at which they're developing. But Echo isn't part of this comparison. When comparing just Google Home vs. Apple HomePod, Home stands out with its advanced features, multi-user support, and third-party apps. The smarts in the smart speaker are also an advantage. Google Assistant is a lot smarter than Siri. HomePod is a great device if you primarily want to use it for music and other types of audio playback. But if you're looking for a versatile smart speaker with a well-rounded feature set, Google Home is the pick. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! 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