Smart Home · Head-to-head
Amazon Echo Show 8 (2025 release) vs Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen)
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Smart Displays: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The Echo Show 8 (2025) is the display most people should buy: it pairs Alexa+ with a real smart-home hub and a screen that suits any room. The Nest Hub is the runner-up and the natural choice if you live in Google's world or want no camera at all.
Amazon Echo Show 8 (2025 release)
Buy itA well-rounded smart display: Alexa+, a built-in smart-home hub, and a screen that fits anywhere.
- Runs Alexa+, Amazon's newer conversational assistant, which Amazon says is free for Prime members
- Built-in Matter, Thread and Zigbee hub controls many devices with no extra bridge
- Redesigned 8.7-inch HD screen with spatial audio
- Alexa+ is free with Prime but needs a paid monthly plan without it, and availability varies by country
- The 13MP camera adds capability but also a privacy surface some buyers would rather not have
Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen)
It dependsA camera-free pick for Google households, but an older platform.
- No camera by design; its Quick Gestures use Motion Sense rather than a camera
- Touchscreen with a Google Home dashboard for controlling compatible smart-home devices
- Ties into Google services, with Netflix, YouTube and several music services listed on Google's page
- The hardware is an older generation
- Google may have a newer display by the time you buy, so check its current lineup first
Side by side
The 6 criteria below are the ones our full comparison judged every product on, narrowed to these two.
| Amazon Echo Show 8 (2025 release) Our pick | Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | It depends |
| Best for | Most people, especially anyone already invested in Alexa and smart-home gear. | Google Home households who want a camera-free display and can live with an older platform. |
| Price tier | $$ · mid-range | $ · budget |
| Assistant ecosystem | Alexa+, Amazon's newer assistant | Gemini for Home voice assistant |
| Screen | 8.7" HD touchscreen | Touchscreen display |
| Smart-home control | Matter, Thread and Zigbee hub built in | Matter hub for Google Home, Thread border router built in |
| Camera and video calls | 13MP auto-framing camera | No camera, audio calls only |
| Privacy controls | Mic/camera off switch plus physical shutter | No camera by design, mic switch |
| Media and entertainment | Prime Video and select streaming, no full app store | Netflix, YouTube and music services per Google |
Which one is right for you?
Pick the Amazon Echo Show 8 (2025 release) if
most people, especially anyone already invested in Alexa and smart-home gear.
Know before buying: alexa+ is free with Prime but needs a paid monthly plan without it, and availability varies by country.
Pick the Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) if
google Home households who want a camera-free display and can live with an older platform.
Know before buying: the hardware is an older generation.
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Amazon Echo Show 8 (2025 release) - A well-rounded smart display: Alexa+, a built-in smart-home hub, and a screen that fits anywhere. Choose the Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) instead if google Home households who want a camera-free display and can live with an older platform.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Smart Displays: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).