Google assistant vs alexa

Both virtual assistants are at our total disposal not only on devices such as Google Home Mini or Echo Dot, but on our mobiles, tablets or any other multimedia option. However, who is better at dueling Google Assistant vs. Alexa? Let's compare them.

Google and Amazon have been in the assistants' war for a few years now and the two companies are trying to make what they offer capable of making a difference, for this reason we are going to see the main differences between both artificial intelligence.

Index of contents

What Google Assistant VS Alexa can do

Both assistants have different approaches to their abilities. Google Assistant has a really wide catalog of actions in which we can see at a glance examples of its most useful or used features and Alexa has something similar in its SKILLS catalog. Both catalogs receive updates almost every week with new options or improvements to previously existing ones, which generates a very high optimization rate.

An advantage of the Google assistant compared to Amazon is that it can collect information from all those Google applications that we can use if we allow it: search results, calendar, YouTube views and more. This makes it easier for you to give us results that are more in line with our preferences and makes it a more natural assistant to our eyes, with a certain ease.

We have a full article on the assistant here: Google Assistant: What is it? All the information.

With Alexa, Amazon tries to improve its software to provide it with the ability to interpret our questions taking as a reference all those that we have previously formulated. This means that the more we talk to Alexa, the more refined their responses will be. Obviously it takes some time, but in the end it becomes as effective as Google Assistant.

Initially, both assistants can perform the same type of basic actions: Play music lists, questions and answers, radio, traffic, calendar, lists, calls, messages, calendar reminders and more.

Something interesting to note are the type of services that both assistants are likely to provide. Google Assistant is predisposed to take us to listen to music from Google Music, while Alexa takes us to Amazon Music. This is obviously so if we do not establish other types of default applications, such as Spotify.

Exclusive to Google Assistant

In a way, Google Assistant can perform more administrator-focused tasks as we know it. Activities in our agenda, shopping lists, reminders, alarms… The touch of virtual butler is very strong in him since it works from "actions" that we can order and do not require a downloadable catalog.

We have a very complete article that covers all the options of the wizard that you can read here: OK Google: how to activate it and list of commands.

Google Assistant is activated with the command "OK Google", while the Amazon device does it simply when we say its name, "Alexa". This can have its advantages and disadvantages, since it can happen that we are talking about the Amazon device and it is activated. On the other hand, "OK Google" or "Hey Google" does make the difference between mention and order. It is also worth mentioning the use of Chromecast and Chromecast Audio for teams that do not have WIFI connections on their own and can use them from our mobile through the wizard. The famous "Hey Google, put Netflix" is activated in this way once we have linked our Netflix account to that of Google Home. In the case of SmartTVs, Chromecasts would not be necessary.

You can find more detailed information at: OK Google: what it is and what it is for.

Only with Alexa

With the Alexa SKILLS catalog, Amazon makes available to its assistant a collection of applications that allow you to perform tasks as we choose to install them. For this reason, Alexa has two groups of providers. On one side we have Amazon itself and its applications and on the other, all those created by third parties and entered in the SKILLS catalog to be downloaded according to the needs of users.

As with Google, Alexa offers the possibility of linking the assistant to all those compatible smart devices that have a WIFI or Bluetooth connection or through Echo Input.

Smart Home and devices

It is impossible to talk about attendees and not address the issue of Smart Home-oriented devices. At the end of the day both Google and Amazon have this goal in mind when designing their functions. The intelligent automation of these actions can be carried out with a multitude of devices: thermostats, music equipment, televisions, light bulbs, blinds, cleaning robots…

Devices with Google Assistant

Currently, there are more than 10, 000 types of devices supported by Google Assistant. If we compare it with Alexa, it has less than half of compatible devices since Google is somewhat behind compared to Amazon. Google's own devices are:

Speakers:

• Google HomeGoogle Home MaxGoogle Home MiniChrome Cast

Screens:

• Nest hub

Smartphones:

• Pixel 3

Devices with Alexa

Currently, there are more than 28, 000 different types of devices supported by Alexa. Here we can find additions such as smart bulbs or weather stations among others. Instead, the original Amazon devices can be divided into two categories:

Speakers:

• Amazon EchoEcho PlusEcho DotEcho Stereo SystemEcho Input

Screens:

• Echo ShowEcho Spot

Google Assistant on mobile

In the same way that on devices, we can use Google Assistant in:

• Android 5.0 or later version Google app 6.13 or later version Can be installed on iPhone, but tends to conflict with Siri services

Similarly, if we do not want to install the application as such or have the Google Assistant always active, we can use it only from the Chrome search engine or Google Maps.

Amazon's Alexa on mobile

The Alexa application is compatible with mobile devices that work with the following operating systems:

• Android 5.0 or later OS 9.0 or later Firm OS 3.0 or later

Both applications can be downloaded from the Play Store, App Store or Amazon Appstore respectively.

Conclusions about Google Assistant VS Alexa

After weighing the characteristics of both assistants, we can put on the table some of the most relevant key points to consider:

• Alexa has more compatible devices at your disposal. Google Assistant offers more precise answers by linking to other company services. Alexa allows you to download applications to your liking from its SKILLS catalog. Google includes "actions" within its software that are updated or They periodically expand. Alexa responses progressively improve with use.

Finally, there is an interesting fact to highlight. Thanks to the study carried out by the independent website Loup Ventures that compares the assistants of Google, Apple and Amazon, they have concluded that the Google Assistant is the AI ​​that has shown the best results in the test. We leave you a graph so that you can see the percentages and a link so that you can read the conclusions in detail.

A correct conclusion is to say that Amazon offers Alexa much more compatibility on both its own and third-party devices, but Google Assistant has a friendlier and more complex artificial intelligence. From Professional Review we can tell you that if you aspire to have a smart home, the Amazon assistant offers more variety and is a safe bet. However, if for now all you are looking for is a reliable assistant, then you should go for Google Assistant.

WE RECOMMEND YOU Google Home already understands three versions of Spanish

We must not forget that although for now Alexa takes advantage of diversity that is something that can change, and in the same way Amazon's artificial intelligence can improve and catch up with that of Google. There is no clear winner in the Google Assistant VS Alexa duel if we consider the external factors, but if we evaluate only the assistant, Google Assistant is a better option.