Smart Displays / Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) vs Google Nest Hub (2nd gen)
Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) vs Google Nest Hub (2nd gen)
Google Nest Hub (2nd gen)
Old hardware, no ads, no camera — and the cheapest Thread border router with a screen.
Wins overall by 0.6 points
Quick Verdict
A 0.6-point gap makes the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) the straightforward choice here. Old hardware, no ads, no camera — and the cheapest Thread border router with a screen.
The Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) and Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) are both closely matched smart Display models, and the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) is $300 cheaper than the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) ($99.99 vs $399.99). On Ad Freedom, the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) leads (9.0 vs 3.5/10) — how much of the screen you paid for the vendor sells back to you, and whether you can turn it off. On Privacy Hardware, the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) leads (9.0 vs 6.5/10) — physical camera shutters, hardware mic cut-offs and how much sensing runs by default. On Display Quality, the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) leads (7.0 vs 5.0/10) — size, resolution and pixel density for the money. Overall, the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) scores 6.9/10 across our 8 scoring categories versus 6.3/10 for the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024). Below, we break down the full spec sheet, category-by-category scores, and exactly who should buy which one.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Spec | Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) | Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $399.99 | $99.99 |
| Release Year | 2024 | 2021 |
| Voice Assistant | Alexa+ — Amazon's own FAQ states there is no free Alexa+ tier on Echo hardware: it needs Prime or a $19.99/mo Standard plan | Gemini for Home (has replaced Google Assistant on this device); basic voice control needs no subscription |
| Screen Size (in) | 21✓ | 7 |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1024 x 600 |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Camera | 13 MP centred camera with auto-framing and 3.3x zoom | No camera — Soli radar handles presence and gestures instead |
| Physical Camera Shutter | Yes — physical shutter, plus a mic/camera off button | No camera fitted; a hardware microphone switch on the back physically cuts the mics |
| Speakers | Two 2-inch woofers plus two 0.6-inch tweeters — identical to the 15.6-inch model | One full-range driver — Google publishes no driver size, only '50% more bass than the original Nest Hub, measured 40 Hz to 200 Hz at max volume' |
| Smart Home Hub Radios | Zigbee hub + Matter controller + Thread border router (Amazon's own tech specs; one third-party FAQ claims Matter over Wi-Fi only, which contradicts Amazon and the launch press release) | Matter controller AND Thread 1.x border router — Google names only Nest Hub (2nd gen), Nest Hub Max and Nest Wifi Pro as its border routers |
| Subscriptions Required | Alexa+ requires Prime or $19.99/mo; every Fire TV streaming service is billed separately | No subscription for voice control; Google Home Premium ($10/mo Standard, $20/mo Advanced) is required for camera history and the sound-detection alerts Google advertises on this product page |
| Home-Screen Ads | Sponsored cards appear on the home screen; Amazon's own help page says these ads cannot be turned off, only swiped away | No sponsored cards on the ambient screen — Google sells you a subscription instead of an ad slot |
| Video Calling | Alexa calling and Drop In only | None — no camera. Audio calls and Broadcast only |
| Wall Mountable | Yes | Yes |
| Warranty | 12 months | 12 months |
| Colors | Black | Charcoal, Sand |
Category Scores
Display Quality
The Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) leads clearly here, 7.0 against 5.0 — a 2.0-point margin on size, resolution and pixel density for the money. If that is what you are buying for, the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Sound
The Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) leads clearly here, 6.5 against 5.5 — a 1.0-point margin on whether it is honestly a music speaker or just a voice speaker with a screen. If that is what you are buying for, the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Assistant
The Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) leads clearly here, 7.5 against 6.5 — a 1.0-point margin on how capable and responsive the built-in assistant actually is on this hardware. If that is what you are buying for, the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Smart Home Hub
The Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) leads clearly here, 9.0 against 7.5 — a 1.5-point margin on zigbee, Matter and Thread border-router support — often the real reason to buy the bigger model. If that is what you are buying for, the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Ecosystem Freedom
The Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) leads clearly here, 5.5 against 4.5 — a 1.0-point margin on how much of a rival ecosystem's gear, apps and calling networks it will still talk to. If that is what you are buying for, the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Privacy Hardware
The Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) leads clearly here, 9.0 against 6.5 — a 2.5-point margin on physical camera shutters, hardware mic cut-offs and how much sensing runs by default. If that is what you are buying for, the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Ad Freedom
The Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) leads clearly here, 9.0 against 3.5 — a 5.5-point margin on how much of the screen you paid for the vendor sells back to you, and whether you can turn it off. If that is what you are buying for, the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Value
The Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) leads clearly here, 7.0 against 5.5 — a 1.5-point margin on hardware and features relative to price, including accessories that are not in the box. If that is what you are buying for, the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Best For
Choose the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) if…
- • Display Quality matters most to you — the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) scores 7.0/10 here (size, resolution and pixel density for the money).
- • Smart Home Hub matters most to you — the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) scores 9.0/10 here (zigbee, Matter and Thread border-router support — often the real reason to buy the bigger model).
- • Your main use case is family-organizer or video-calling.
Choose the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) if…
- • Ad Freedom matters most to you — the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) scores 9.0/10 here (how much of the screen you paid for the vendor sells back to you, and whether you can turn it off).
- • Privacy Hardware matters most to you — the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) scores 9.0/10 here (physical camera shutters, hardware mic cut-offs and how much sensing runs by default).
- • Value matters most to you — the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) scores 7.0/10 here (hardware and features relative to price, including accessories that are not in the box).
- • You want to spend less — it's $300 cheaper.
- • Your main use case is bedside.
Pros & Cons
Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024)
Pros
- +Nothing else in the category comes close to 21 inches on a kitchen wall
- +Keeps the physical camera shutter, unlike the newer Show 8 and 11
- +Complete hub: Zigbee, Thread border router and Matter
- +Wall mount and Fire TV remote are both in the box
Cons
- −1920 x 1080 stretched across 21 inches is about 105 ppi — pixels are visible up close
- −Same two woofers and two tweeters as the 15.6-inch model, in a much larger cabinet
- −$399.99 buys a 1080p panel; a same-sized 1080p TV plus a Fire TV Stick costs far less
- −Counter stand $99.99 and frame kit $39.99 are both extra
- −Sponsored home-screen content cannot be disabled, on the biggest screen Amazon sells
Google Nest Hub (2nd gen)
Pros
- +A genuine Thread border router at $99.99 — no Echo Show under $180 can say that
- +No camera and a real hardware mic cut-off: the best privacy story in the category
- +No sponsored content on the ambient screen, unlike every Echo Show
- +Sleep Sensing via Soli radar is still free, and still unique
Cons
- −Five-year-old hardware at its full 2021 launch price of $99.99
- −Google has stripped most of the on-device 'apps' since 2021 — Netflix, Podcasts, Meet, Reminders and more have gone
- −Google's 2026 replacement is a rumoured 'Google Home Display' that has not shipped, so buying now is buying into an unreplaced product line
- −Sleep Sensing is explicitly a free preview that Google says it may fold into Fitbit Premium later
- −No camera means no video calling at all, and it will not act as an indoor camera
Shop by Need
FAQs
Is the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) or Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) better overall?+
Based on our 8-category scoring, the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) comes out ahead overall. See the full breakdown in the scores section above — the right pick still depends on which categories matter most for your use case.
Which is better for Ad Freedom, the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) or the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen)?+
The Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) scores higher on Ad Freedom (9.0/10 vs 3.5/10) — how much of the screen you paid for the vendor sells back to you, and whether you can turn it off.
Which is better for Privacy Hardware, the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) or the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen)?+
The Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) scores higher on Privacy Hardware (9.0/10 vs 6.5/10) — physical camera shutters, hardware mic cut-offs and how much sensing runs by default.
Which is better for Display Quality, the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) or the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen)?+
The Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) scores higher on Display Quality (7.0/10 vs 5.0/10) — size, resolution and pixel density for the money.
Which is better for Smart Home Hub, the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) or the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen)?+
The Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) scores higher on Smart Home Hub (9.0/10 vs 7.5/10) — zigbee, Matter and Thread border-router support — often the real reason to buy the bigger model.
Is the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) worth the price difference over the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen)?+
The Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) is the cheaper option at $99.99 versus $399.99. Whether the pricier model is "worth it" depends on how much you value its lead in Ad Freedom.
Which is better suited to my use case?+
The Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) is the better fit if you mainly care about family-organizer or video-calling. The Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) is the better fit for bedside.
What's the warranty on the Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) vs the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen)?+
The Amazon Echo Show 21 (2024) ships with a 12-month warranty; the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) ships with a 12-month warranty. Always confirm current terms on the manufacturer's site before buying.
Should I wait for the next model instead of buying either of these?+
If either model is more than two years old, a successor may be close — check the "Latest Model" link on each product page. Otherwise, both are current, well-supported options and there's no strong reason to wait.
Cheaper Option
Amazon Echo Show 15 (2nd Gen, 2024) — $299.99
Premium Option
Amazon Echo Show 8 (4th Gen, 2025) — $179.99
Specifications and prices for both products last verified . Scores are calculated from published specifications — see how we compare products.