Smart Displays / Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) vs Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023)
Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) vs Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023)
Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023)
Standard Show 5 hardware, a 2-year guarantee, and a subscription that quietly starts billing.
Wins overall by 0.0 points
Quick Verdict
The Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) wins by 0.0 points, which is not enough to settle it. The cheapest real Echo Show — and the cheapest one that still has a camera shutter. Pick on the specs that matter to you, not the overall score.
The Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) and Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) are both current-generation smart Display models, and the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) is $10 cheaper than the Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) ($89.99 vs $99.99). On Ad Freedom, the Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) leads (6.5 vs 4.0/10) — how much of the screen you paid for the vendor sells back to you, and whether you can turn it off. On Value, the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) leads (7.5 vs 6.5/10) — hardware and features relative to price, including accessories that are not in the box. On Assistant, the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) leads (7.0 vs 6.5/10) — how capable and responsive the built-in assistant actually is on this hardware. Overall, the Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) scores 5.4/10 across our 8 scoring categories versus 5.4/10 for the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023), though the gap is close enough that your specific use case should decide it. 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 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) | Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99.99 | $89.99 |
| Release Year | 2023 | 2023 |
| 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 | 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 |
| Screen Size (in) | 5.5 | 5.5 |
| Resolution | 960 x 480 | 960 x 480 |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Camera | 2 MP fixed front camera | 2 MP fixed front camera |
| Physical Camera Shutter | Yes — physical sliding shutter, plus a mic/camera off button | Yes — physical sliding shutter, plus a combined mic/camera off button |
| Speakers | One 1.75-inch full-range driver (mono) | One 1.75-inch full-range driver (mono) |
| Smart Home Hub Radios | Matter over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth LE Mesh only — no Zigbee radio and NOT a Thread border router | Matter over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth LE Mesh only — no Zigbee radio and NOT a Thread border router |
| Subscriptions Required | Amazon Kids+ is free for 1 year then auto-renews monthly (Amazon and retailers quote $4.99/mo for Prime members and $7.99/mo otherwise); Alexa+ still needs Prime or $19.99/mo on top | Alexa+ requires Prime or $19.99/mo; Amazon Music Unlimited / Spotify etc. billed separately |
| Home-Screen Ads | Ads are suppressed inside the Amazon Kids profile, but the adult profile behaves like any other Echo Show | Sponsored cards appear on the home screen; Amazon's own help page says these ads cannot be turned off, only swiped away |
| Video Calling | Alexa calling and Drop In, restricted to parent-approved contacts | Alexa-to-Alexa calling and Drop In only; Skype support died with Skype itself in May 2025 |
| Wall Mountable | No | No |
| Warranty | 24 months | 12 months |
| Colors | Galaxy | Charcoal, Glacier White, Cloud Blue |
Category Scores
Display Quality
The Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) and Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) are level here, at 4.5/10 each. size, resolution and pixel density for the money is not what separates these two — look to the categories where the scores diverge.
Sound
The Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) and Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) are level here, at 5.0/10 each. whether it is honestly a music speaker or just a voice speaker with a screen is not what separates these two — look to the categories where the scores diverge.
Assistant
The Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) leads clearly here, 7.0 against 6.5 — a 0.5-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 Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Smart Home Hub
The Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) and Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) are level here, at 3.0/10 each. zigbee, Matter and Thread border-router support — often the real reason to buy the bigger model is not what separates these two — look to the categories where the scores diverge.
Ecosystem Freedom
The Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) leads clearly here, 4.0 against 3.5 — a 0.5-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 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Privacy Hardware
The Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) and Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) are level here, at 8.0/10 each. physical camera shutters, hardware mic cut-offs and how much sensing runs by default is not what separates these two — look to the categories where the scores diverge.
Ad Freedom
The Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) leads clearly here, 6.5 against 4.0 — a 2.5-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 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Value
The Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) leads clearly here, 7.5 against 6.5 — a 1.0-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 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Best For
Choose the Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) if…
- • Ad Freedom matters most to you — the Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) scores 6.5/10 here (how much of the screen you paid for the vendor sells back to you, and whether you can turn it off).
- • Your main use case is family-organizer.
Choose the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) if…
- • Value matters most to you — the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) scores 7.5/10 here (hardware and features relative to price, including accessories that are not in the box).
- • Assistant matters most to you — the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) scores 7.0/10 here (how capable and responsive the built-in assistant actually is on this hardware).
- • Ecosystem Freedom matters most to you — the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) scores 4.0/10 here (how much of a rival ecosystem's gear, apps and calling networks it will still talk to).
- • You want to spend less — it's $10 cheaper.
- • Your main use case is kitchen or smart-home-control.
Pros & Cons
Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023)
Pros
- +2-year worry-free guarantee is double the standard Echo Show warranty
- +Kids profile is genuinely ad-free, which the adult Echo Show experience is not
- +Same shutter, same screen, same speaker as the regular Show 5 for $10 more
- +Parent Dashboard controls are the most complete in the category
Cons
- −The included Amazon Kids+ year auto-renews — cancel it or it becomes a recurring bill
- −Only $10 of the premium is hardware; the rest is a subscription you may not want
- −Same weak hub as the standard Show 5 — no Zigbee, no Thread
- −Sold in a single loud 'Galaxy' print that will not suit every room
- −Drops out of the Kids experience into normal ad-supported Alexa on the adult profile
Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023)
Pros
- +Keeps the physical camera shutter that the 2025 Echo Show 8 and 11 dropped
- +$89.99 buys a real touchscreen, a camera and a clock radio
- +Small enough for a nightstand, unlike every Echo Show above it
- +Genuinely better bass than the 2nd-gen Show 5 it replaced
Cons
- −No Zigbee and no Thread border router — the cheap Shows are not smart-home hubs
- −960 x 480 across 5.5 inches looks soft next to the 2025 models
- −Three-year-old hardware still sold at near-launch price outside sale events
- −2 MP fixed camera has no auto-framing; video calls are Alexa-ecosystem-only
- −Sponsored home-screen content cannot be switched off
Shop by Need
FAQs
Is the Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) or Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) better overall?+
Based on our 8-category scoring, the Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) 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 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) or the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023)?+
The Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) scores higher on Ad Freedom (6.5/10 vs 4.0/10) — 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 Value, the Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) or the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023)?+
The Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) scores higher on Value (7.5/10 vs 6.5/10) — hardware and features relative to price, including accessories that are not in the box.
Which is better for Assistant, the Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) or the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023)?+
The Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) scores higher on Assistant (7.0/10 vs 6.5/10) — how capable and responsive the built-in assistant actually is on this hardware.
Which is better for Ecosystem Freedom, the Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) or the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023)?+
The Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) scores higher on Ecosystem Freedom (4.0/10 vs 3.5/10) — how much of a rival ecosystem's gear, apps and calling networks it will still talk to.
Is the Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) worth the price difference over the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023)?+
The Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) is the cheaper option at $89.99 versus $99.99. 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 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) is the better fit if you mainly care about family-organizer. The Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) is the better fit for kitchen or smart-home-control.
What's the warranty on the Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) vs the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023)?+
The Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) ships with a 24-month warranty; the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) 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 Spot (2024 release) — $79.99
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.