With its Echo line of devices, Amazon started the smart speaker trend. The speakers are equipped with Alexa, the voice assistant who can control all your smart home products, and even answer your questions and play the music you request. However today Alexa by Amazon is not alone as there are many more smart speakers available in the market. Amazon itself owns seven smart speakers, and now there are many third-party speakers powered with Alexa. And some of the Amazon Echo alternatives are even better than the original.
So if you too are looking for something which is cheaper, and offers better sound quality then you need to check out this list of 10 best Amazon Echo alternatives.
15 Best Amazon Echo Alternatives 2021
Amazon has made a place in everyone’s heart but if you are a true music lover and are looking for a smart speaker which can give tough competition to the boss of all speakers, then this list is for you.
Google Home
One of the best and strongest competitors to the Echo line of devices by Amazon is Google Home. On this Google Assistant-powered speaker, you can do everything that Echo device can do like video and music streaming from various servers like Google Play, Spotify, and more. The speaker is packed with a rich list of commands and just like Google, it has the answer to all your queries. The voice recognition and sound quality of Google Home are quite awesome. Also, it is compatible with Nest, Philips Hue, and SmartThings devices so that you can easily control your home.
You can opt for different Google Home speakers like Google Home Max which has exceptionally good audio quality. If you are looking for a compact design packed with all these awesome features then you can pick Google Home Mini for your place.
Google Home is a little expensive. To buy click on the following link.
Apple HomePod
Apple HomePod is the best smart speaker for you if you are an iOS user. The only reason being its deep integration and compatibility with iOS. This premium smart speaker is designed with the audiophile-grade sound quality for generating great sound. It is pretty much like the Echo Sub or the Mac Pro.
The mesh design of the speaker makes it look really cool. Also on activating Siri, you can observe amazing animations through the tiny display on the top. Powered by Siri, Apple’s smart Assistant you can use it to listen to music. The quality of the audio is extremely excellent. The HomePod by Apple consists of a total of 6 microphone array which though less than Amazon’s Echo devices is good enough at listening to voice commands.
To buy HomePod at best price click on the following link.
Lenovo Smart Display
As the name suggests the Lenovo Smart Display comes with a display, but here Alexa is missing. There are two variants of the Lenovo Smart Display. One variant is an 8-inch display that comes with a resolution screen of 1280×800, while the other variant has a 10-inch full HD screen.
In addition, it has support for Chromecast and Google Assistant. Also, you can make video calls, all thanks to the built0in camera and Google Duo integration. And in case you do not like the camera on your smart display, you can make use of the kill-switch that covers the camera physically.
Click here to get Lenovo Smart Display at best price.
Sonos One
Another Alexa powered smart speaker is Sonos One. It is undoubtedly the favorite of most of the people as it combines excellent audio in a compact design. You can enjoy the true stereo sound by syncing two Sonos One. Also, it allows streaming of music from various music sources like Apple Music, Spotify, Google Music, Napster and more.
At a price of $199, it is the best smart speaker in the market. With a new update, Sonos One now lets you use Google Assistant apart from Alexa with it. Also as you run the two assistants simultaneously, you can easily switch Sonos One between Google Assistant and Alexa in the Sonos app. However, there are some features that you might miss like calls, purchases, voice match, interpreter mode and setting your routines in Google Home application.
You can seal the deal by clicking on the given link.
ivee Voice
The next in our list is ivee Voice. An unconventionally designed smart speaker that performs functions similar to Amazon Echo. You can stream audio and videos easily without any issues. The ivee Voice speaker is compatible with various smart home services like Logitech Harmony, Philips Hue, SmartThings, Belkin WeMo, Nest Iris by Lowe’s and Wink. Moreover, it also allows integration with third-party apps, at a very reasonable price of $99.
To buy ivee Voice smart speaker, check out the given link.
Google Home Hub
Google has added its very own smart display known as the Google Home Hub. If you are looking for one then you cannot get anything better than this. Stylish looking, Google’s smart display is compact and is available in various soft colors, and so you can put it wherever you want. The Home Hub has a 7-inch display screen that looks so good that no one can ever complain about it. Its ambient light sensor technology helps to adjust the brightness automatically. And the dazzling feature of this smart display is the Google Assistant support which is definitely way better than the other smart assistants.
And just like some of the other smart displays, Home Hub allows you to control your house, speakers, lights, door locks easily. A minor drawback of the Google Home Hub is that it doesn’t come with a camera so you cannot make video calls with it. It’s definitely one of the best smart display out there.
You can check out the prices on this website.
JAM Voice
When we talk about the true competitor in terms of the price tag of Amazon Echo, it has to be JAM Voice. The smart speaker is equipped with Alexa, and so you can now control your home, play music and get answers to your questions while sitting at one place. JAM Voice is considered to be the cheapest smart speaker in the market, but the sound quality is great. It is in fact better than Amazon Echo’s devices.
JAM Voice comes with a portable battery, however, it has been criticized by a lot of users.
You can buy JAM Voice from here.
Harman-Kardon Allure
Another strong competitor of Amazon Echo is the Harman-Kardon Allure. This smart speaker beats even Amazon Echo in terms of its appealing design. If you are not very happy with the design of your smart speakers then you need to have a look at Allure which features a mostly functional and alluring industrial design. It semi-transparent body along with lightning features make it the perfect choice for any room.
Equipped with Amazon’s Alexa as the smart assistant, you can access all the amazing features similar to Amazon Echo. Allure has 4 far-field microphones that work for voice recognition and so it can easily hear you from across the room. In addition, its speakers are awesome something quite expected from a speaker built by Harman-Kardon. If you are looking for something stylish and classy then this is the smart speaker that you can buy.
Click on the given link to get Harman-Kardon Allure.
Triby Smart Speaker
Triby is another Alexa powered smart speaker. It is powered by a battery and is a great combination of a wide range of features and good looks. This small and portable device performs various tasks for you like checking the news, giving you weather reports and more. You can also operate a lot more functions with the Triby app on your phone. Plus, you can even mount it on the refrigerator and even send doodles using the mobile app to the e-paper display on the device.
Apart from this, you can also use it as a portable Bluetooth speaker to listen to music and taking a hands-free call. Even though Triby retails at $19, you can get it from Amazon for $99. Click here to buy the product.
Mycroft Mark 1
The next smart speaker is a bit different but definitely stand a chance in the competition of best and affordable smart speakers. It is a device with artificial intelligence for everybody. The Mycroft Mark 1 has been built on Arduino and Raspberry Pi instead of proprietary hardware. Also, the natural language processing helps it to perform the actions by understanding your commands.
It allows easy integration with the smart home devices like SmartThings, Philips Hue, among others. Now you can control your rooms and hoe with Mycroft but being an open platform, the ability of this speaker will only grow.
You can order the Mycroft Marker 1 from the given link.
JBL Link View Smart Speaker
When Google Home Hub like smart display is there in the market, you might not find the BL Link View that much appealing. But it is definitely worth to check this smart display out. Powered by Google Assistant it performs everyday functions quite nicely. With Google Assistant like smart assistant at your service, you can be assured to have an amazing experience. However, it lacks some third-party features and skills that are offered by Alexa.
It comes with an 8-inch HD display, which makes watching videos, or recipes in the kitchen much more fun and easy. It also has a 5MP built-in camera which allows you to make video calls whenever you want. And in case you want some privacy then you can just use the physical shutter button cover the camera.
Click on the link to buy JBL Link View Smart Speaker for your home.
Harman Kardon Invoke
Another classy speaker by Harman-Kardon that you can check out if you want a smart speaker that is compatible with Cortana, the Windows smart assistant. The Harman-Kardon Invoke is thus one of the best alternatives to Echo that you will find as till now none of the smart speakers were powered by Cortana. So welcome this new kid on block. The Invoke has a 7 far-field microphone array so that it hears your commands easily.
With Microsoft’s collaboration, Invoke works well with its ecosystem of services and apps, which is a plus point if you have already invested in the ecosystem of Microsoft and so probably this is the best option for you. As said Invoke is a built by Harman-Kardon, and so sound quality of speakers is amazing, all thanks to the three tweeters, three direct-radiating woofers, two passive radiators that are built-in.
You can get Invoke at best price from here.
Samsung Galaxy Home
The next in our list of best smart speakers that you can try is a recent launch by Samsung. The Galaxy Home is an elegantly designed device that hosts speakers with amazing sound quality. It is definitely a good choice for all smart speaker lovers. You can enjoy premium quality sound as it hosts six in-built speakers and a sub-woofer.
Powered by Bixby, Samsung’s smart assistant you can control and work with other smart products at your home. However you may not find Bixby as efficient as Alexa, but if you are thinking more about sound then it is the perfect choice of a smart speaker.
Samsung Galaxy Home, buy here.
UE Megablast
The Megablast smart speakers by Ultimate Ears offers Alexa voice control which is always on so that it listens to your voice every time. Even the smaller version that is available by the name Blast offers similar features. The only caveat with this amazing smart speaker is that it requires a Wi-Fi connection to operate and so you can use it only at your home.
If you are expecting fantastic sound quality from this speaker then you won’t be disappointed as it is a dedicated speaker. Also, it is portable and waterproof, so you can use it around your house using the Wi-Fi connection.
To buy this amazing smart speaker hit the given link.
Libratone Zipp
Another portable speaker that sounds fantastic is the Libratone Zipp 2. It comes with interchangeable jackets where the sound is fired out in 360 degrees making an ecstatic environment. Using the companion app you can even adjust the overall profile.
The second generation by Libratone, the Zipp 2 can be considered as the Amazon Echo Plus that is on steroids. Just like its successful predecessors Zipp 2 comes with good voice control, sound quality, and decent app support. And being portable you can just take it with you anywhere you go.
You can get the Libratone Zipp from Amazon. Click on the given link.
Wrapping Up
It is not right to judge Amazon Echo and Alexa’s capabilities and so we would like to know your thoughts as well. Also if you are using some other smart speaker that we have missed out on our list then share it with us. Or would like to suggest any other alternatives then let us know about it in the comment section.