Think of a smart speaker as one hub in a larger digital environment. With most models you’re going to need a mobile app on a smartphone or tablet to perform basic setup. And all models work in concert with cloud-based artificial intelligence (AI), which controls everything from streaming music to the speaker’s ability to interface with other smart devices, ranging from lightbulbs to refrigerators.

So before you decide on a speaker, you need to decide which digital tribe you belong to: Amazon, Apple, or Google?

Amazon Alexa

Alexa has enjoyed something of a first-mover advantage. That means a wide array of devices already work with Alexa-powered smart speakers, so you’ll find a robust selection of third-party tasks—or “skills,” in Alexa parlance—that the speaker can perform. Alexa-powered devices are also well-integrated in the Amazon Prime universe, with features such as the Amazon Music service and the online retailer’s robust shopping tools.

Google Assistant

Google has been coming on strong in recent months, adding device integration with companies such as JBL and more third-party “actions,” while piggybacking on the tech giant’s formidable search capabilities. The Google Home’s ability to integrate easily with Google devices such as Chromecast streaming players is an advantage for many consumers.

Apple Siri

Apple’s HomePod lacks the full Siri experience available on other iOS products, according to our testers. On the other hand, if you’re deeply embedded in the Apple universe, with a subscription to Apple Music, and a bag filled with iPhones and MacBooks, that difference might not matter to you.

Smart Home Management

Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri can control pretty much any smart home device nowadays. In the Alexa and Google apps, and with the new Siri Shortcuts feature, you can set up rooms of multiple devices to control, and set up multi-step routines, like “I’m leaving the house.” All three smart assistants support most major smart home device brands, with few holes between them.

The Amazon Echo and Echo Studio add a Zigbee smart home for controlling compatible products, which expands the list of what devices work with them (and other Echos in your home, as a result). Most newer smart home devices are Wi-Fi-based and hubless, or otherwise work with Alexa and Google Assistant, so you should be covered.

If you’re going to use Siri to control your smart home, you want to make sure the smart home devices you buy are HomeKit-compatible, and you have a HomePod, iPad, or Apple TV to use as a hub. You’ll then be able to create rooms, groups, and multi-step routines, and control your devices remotely, but only from iOS. Apple’s Home app is gorgeous, but you have to be all-in with Apple for it to work well.

Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri can all be used to control a TV or home entertainment center, with a compatible TV or appropriate hardware add-on (an Amazon Fire TV device for Alexa, a Chromecast or Android TV for Google Assistant, and an Apple TV for Siri).

Third-Party Skills

Amazon’s voice assistant ecosystem has been supercharged by tens of thousands of third-party “skills,” and Amazon has a directory of them on its site. These skills do everything from giving you your local transit status, to checking your credit card balance, to trivia about your favorite college football team, to playing games and singing songs. However, you have to seek out the skills you want, and use the very specific syntax they want you to use. It’s a stunningly powerful system, with a learning curve.

Google Assistant has fewer skills, but they’re steadily growing in number. It tends to accept more free-form conversation rather than demanding specific word-by-word syntax, making it easier to use with these skills. You can check out Google’s skills (which it calls “actions”) in its convenient web-based directory.

Phone Calls

All of the voice assistants will let you make phone calls from your smart speaker. Alexa and Google make free phone calls directly. Google Assistant will call numbers in the US and Canada through Google Duo. Alexa will call anyone in the US, Canada, and Mexico, but not toll-free numbers. The HomePod can be used as a speakerphone for your phone, but you have to start the call on your phone.

How Do Smart Speakers Sound?

All smart speakers can play music from your phone, but if you’re relying only on voice commands, then you’ll be relying on cloud services. Alexa and Google Assistant both connect to Spotify Premium accounts, as well as to Pandora, TuneIn, and iHeartRadio for free. Alexa speakers will also play Amazon music. Google Assistant speakers will play Google Play and YouTube music, including tunes you’ve uploaded to your own Google account library. Siri on the HomePod and HomePod mini will play Apple Music and songs from your Apple Music account. For any of these services, you can just ask the smart speaker to start playing music from them.

Video Screen

The Amazon Echo Spot has a screen so you can:

• Make and receive video calls to other Echo Spots or devices with the Alexa App.
• Watch news highlights and online videos.
• See online recipes while you’re cooking.
• See live footage from your smart security camera.
• See live baby monitor footage.
• Set up a household video intercom.
• Enjoy a smart speaker with a clock.