Google Nest Hub is a versatile tool that can sit on a counter, desk, or dresser and lets you connect and control smart devices to it. You can talk to it, see photos on it, and even watch YouTube or stream music through it. It’s designed to bring all your smart devices together in one central location to help you control cameras, make phone calls, set schedules, and listen to music throughout the day, without relying on your phone.
For the cost of around $100, you can get a Google Nest Hub (2nd generation) model. The Nest Hub Max costs $229 and has a larger screen, but lacks the company’s radar-powered sleep tracking system. Reviewers say they find the Google Nest Home has a great design and is easy to use, but complain that some models don’t have a camera for video calls.
Reddit users point out that you can use your smartphone to do essentially the same things as the hub, which is true. But the hub’s hands-free design makes it easy to simply ask questions and bark orders, rather than fiddle with the screen. It may be at the low end of the smart speaker brands ranked by Consumer Reports, due to the disappointing quality of its speakers and lack of a privacy shutter, but that doesn’t seem to bother some.
The Pros and Cons of the Google Nest Hub
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In addition to the Google Nest Hub’s ability to control your smart devices, it also supports watching YouTube and Netflix, as well as Spotify. This makes it better than some smart home hubs that focus on utility rather than entertainment.
Another difference between Google and its competitors is price. Compared to other smart home hubs, Google’s Nest Hub is considerably inferior. The screen version of Amazon’s popular Echo smart devices can cost between $200 and $500, although they are usually on sale. Still, in comparison, the Google Nest Hub may seem like a bargain. Compared to Amazon’s older Echo Show 5 from 2023, the Amazon Echo Show and the $100 Google Nest Hub have similar features, but the Nest Hub has a larger screen — 7 inches, compared to the Show’s 5.5-inch screen.
The Google Nest Hub is capable of making phone calls and video calls, but there is a problem with the cheaper 2nd generation Nest Hub model. As mentioned before, it doesn’t have a camera, so while you can see who you’re talking to, they won’t be able to see you. The Nest Hub Max includes a camera, but it’s more expensive than the Nest Hub and will cost around $229.
Google Nest Hub Alternatives
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The Google Nest Hub isn’t the only smart home device available. If you’re one of those ditching Google, there are devices from Amazon, Apple, Sonos, and even Ikea. If you prefer to keep a screen and video calls, however, the list is shorter. The best competitors of the Google Nest Hub 2nd generation model and the Google Nest Hub Max are Amazon Echo Show 5 and Amazon Echo Show 8 (4th generation, 2025), respectively.
The Echo Show 8 can cost around $200, making it cheaper than its counterpart, the Google Nest Hub Max. It has a larger eight-inch screen and a camera for video calls. Reddit users say they prefer it over Google because they feel it has better integration with other Amazon devices and products and has good image quality. However, its speaker may not be the best for music and video calls, according to reviews on Amazon.
The smaller Echo Show 5 can cost you around $100 and includes most of the features of the Echo Show 8. The picture quality may not be as good as the more expensive model, but it includes a camera, unlike the 2nd generation Google Nest Hub. With a larger screen, intuitive user interface and fast response time, the Google Nest Hub lets you turn your home into a smart home from a single screen.
