Smart Displays / Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) vs Google Nest Hub (2nd gen)
Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) 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 1.5 points
Quick Verdict
A 1.5-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 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) and Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) are both closely matched smart Display models, and they're priced almost identically ($99.99 vs $99.99). On Smart Home Hub, the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) leads (7.5 vs 3.0/10) — zigbee, Matter and Thread border-router support — often the real reason to buy the bigger model. On Ad Freedom, the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) leads (9.0 vs 6.5/10) — how much of the screen you paid for the vendor sells back to you, and whether you can turn it off. On Ecosystem Freedom, the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) leads (5.5 vs 3.5/10) — how much of a rival ecosystem's gear, apps and calling networks it will still talk to. Overall, the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) scores 6.9/10 across our 8 scoring categories versus 5.4/10 for the Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023). 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) | Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99.99 | $99.99 |
| Release Year | 2023 | 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) | 5.5 | 7✓ |
| Resolution | 960 x 480 | 1024 x 600 |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Camera | 2 MP fixed front camera | No camera — Soli radar handles presence and gestures instead |
| Physical Camera Shutter | Yes — physical sliding shutter, plus a mic/camera off button | No camera fitted; a hardware microphone switch on the back physically cuts the mics |
| Speakers | One 1.75-inch full-range driver (mono) | 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 | Matter over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth LE Mesh only — no Zigbee radio and NOT a Thread border router | 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 | 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 | 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 | Ads are suppressed inside the Amazon Kids profile, but the adult profile behaves like any other Echo Show | No sponsored cards on the ambient screen — Google sells you a subscription instead of an ad slot |
| Video Calling | Alexa calling and Drop In, restricted to parent-approved contacts | None — no camera. Audio calls and Broadcast only |
| Wall Mountable | No | Yes |
| Warranty | 24 months | 12 months |
| Colors | Galaxy | Charcoal, Sand |
Category Scores
Display Quality
The Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) leads clearly here, 5.0 against 4.5 — a 0.5-point margin on size, resolution and pixel density for the money. If that is what you are buying for, the Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Sound
The Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) leads clearly here, 5.5 against 5.0 — a 0.5-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 Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Assistant
The Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) and Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) are level here, at 6.5/10 each. how capable and responsive the built-in assistant actually is on this hardware is not what separates these two — look to the categories where the scores diverge.
Smart Home Hub
The Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) leads clearly here, 7.5 against 3.0 — a 4.5-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 Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Ecosystem Freedom
The Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) leads clearly here, 5.5 against 3.5 — a 2.0-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 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Privacy Hardware
The Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) leads clearly here, 9.0 against 8.0 — a 1.0-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 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Ad Freedom
The Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) leads clearly here, 9.0 against 6.5 — 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 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Value
The Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) leads clearly here, 7.0 against 6.5 — a 0.5-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 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Best For
Choose the Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) if…
- • Your main use case is family-organizer.
Choose the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) if…
- • Smart Home Hub matters most to you — the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) scores 7.5/10 here (zigbee, Matter and Thread border-router support — often the real reason to buy the bigger model).
- • 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).
- • Ecosystem Freedom matters most to you — the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) scores 5.5/10 here (how much of a rival ecosystem's gear, apps and calling networks it will still talk to).
- • 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).
- • Display Quality matters most to you — the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) scores 5.0/10 here (size, resolution and pixel density for the money).
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
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 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) 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 Smart Home Hub, the Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) or the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen)?+
The Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) scores higher on Smart Home Hub (7.5/10 vs 3.0/10) — zigbee, Matter and Thread border-router support — often the real reason to buy the bigger model.
Which is better for Ad Freedom, the Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) or the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen)?+
The Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) scores higher on Ad Freedom (9.0/10 vs 6.5/10) — 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 Ecosystem Freedom, the Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) or the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen)?+
The Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) scores higher on Ecosystem Freedom (5.5/10 vs 3.5/10) — how much of a rival ecosystem's gear, apps and calling networks it will still talk to.
Which is better for Privacy Hardware, the Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) or the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen)?+
The Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) scores higher on Privacy Hardware (9.0/10 vs 8.0/10) — physical camera shutters, hardware mic cut-offs and how much sensing runs by default.
Is the Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) worth the price difference over the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen)?+
They're priced the same ($99.99), so the decision comes down to which specific features and scores matter more to you rather than budget.
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 Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) 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 Google Nest Hub (2nd gen)?+
The Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd Gen, 2023) ships with a 24-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 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) — $89.99
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.