Smart Displays / Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) vs Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023)
Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) vs Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023)
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
The Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) takes this by a clear 1.5 points. Old hardware, no ads, no camera — and the cheapest Thread border router with a screen. The Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) only makes sense if it wins on a category you care about more than the total.
The Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) and Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) are both closely matched smart Display models, and the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) is $10 cheaper than the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) ($89.99 vs $99.99). On Ad Freedom, the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) leads (9.0 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 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 Ecosystem Freedom, the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) leads (5.5 vs 4.0/10) — 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 (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 | Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) | Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99.99 | $89.99 |
| Release Year | 2021 | 2023 |
| Voice Assistant | Gemini for Home (has replaced Google Assistant on this device); basic voice control needs no subscription | 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) | 7✓ | 5.5 |
| Resolution | 1024 x 600 | 960 x 480 |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Camera | No camera — Soli radar handles presence and gestures instead | 2 MP fixed front camera |
| Physical Camera Shutter | No camera fitted; a hardware microphone switch on the back physically cuts the mics | Yes — physical sliding shutter, plus a combined mic/camera off button |
| Speakers | 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' | One 1.75-inch full-range driver (mono) |
| Smart Home Hub Radios | 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 | Matter over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth LE Mesh only — no Zigbee radio and NOT a Thread border router |
| Subscriptions Required | 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 | Alexa+ requires Prime or $19.99/mo; Amazon Music Unlimited / Spotify etc. billed separately |
| Home-Screen Ads | No sponsored cards on the ambient screen — Google sells you a subscription instead of an ad slot | Sponsored cards appear on the home screen; Amazon's own help page says these ads cannot be turned off, only swiped away |
| Video Calling | None — no camera. Audio calls and Broadcast only | Alexa-to-Alexa calling and Drop In only; Skype support died with Skype itself in May 2025 |
| Wall Mountable | Yes | No |
| Warranty | 12 months | 12 months |
| Colors | Charcoal, Sand | Charcoal, Glacier White, Cloud Blue |
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 (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 (3rd Gen, 2023) does not close the gap elsewhere.
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 Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) does not close the gap elsewhere.
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 (3rd Gen, 2023) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Ecosystem Freedom
The Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) leads clearly here, 5.5 against 4.0 — a 1.5-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 (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 (3rd Gen, 2023) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Ad Freedom
The Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) leads clearly here, 9.0 against 4.0 — a 5.0-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 7.0 — 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 Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Best For
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).
- • 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).
- • 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).
Choose the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) if…
- • You want to spend less — it's $10 cheaper.
Pros & Cons
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
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 Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) or Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023) 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 Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) or the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023)?+
The Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) scores higher on Ad Freedom (9.0/10 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 Smart Home Hub, the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) or the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023)?+
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 Ecosystem Freedom, the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) or the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023)?+
The Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) scores higher on Ecosystem Freedom (5.5/10 vs 4.0/10) — how much of a rival ecosystem's gear, apps and calling networks it will still talk to.
Which is better for Privacy Hardware, the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) or the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023)?+
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 Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) 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.
What's the warranty on the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) vs the Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023)?+
The Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) ships with a 12-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.