Echo Show vs Google Nest Hub: Which One Actually Makes Your Life Easier?
If you use Amazon Prime, have other Echo devices, or want video calls: get the Echo Show 8. It has a better camera, bigger screen, and wider smart home compatibility. If you use Gmail, Google Photos, or YouTube daily: get the Nest Hub. It costs less and everything Google-related works without any setup fuss. If you genuinely use neither — the Echo Show 8 is more capable and worth the extra £50.
What These Devices Actually Do
Both sit on a counter or shelf and respond to your voice. You ask a question, it answers. You say "remind me to take my medication at 8am every day" and it does. You say "play jazz" and it plays jazz. Both can show you the weather, display recipes while you cook, control smart lights, and act as a digital photo frame when you are not using them.
The meaningful differences come down to three things: which apps they connect to, whether they have a camera for video calls, and how big the screen is. Getting those three things right for your situation is the entire decision.
Specs at a Glance
| Feature | Echo Show 8 (2025) | Nest Hub 2nd Gen |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 8.7 inches HD | 7 inches HD |
| Camera | 13 MP with privacy shutter | None (no video calls) |
| Voice assistant | Alexa (Alexa+ with Prime) | Google Assistant |
| Video streaming | Prime Video, Netflix, Hulu, YouTube (via browser) | YouTube (native), Netflix not available |
| Photo display | Amazon Photos | Google Photos (instant, no setup) |
| Video calls | Alexa, Zoom, Drop In | Audio calls only (no camera) |
| Sleep tracking | No | Yes — radar-based, no wearable needed |
| Smart home hub | Zigbee built in | Thread + Matter (no Zigbee) |
| Retail price | ~$149 (sales from ~$100) | ~$99 (sales from ~$50) |
| Paid subscription needed? | No (Alexa+ free with Prime) | No |
Head-to-Head: What Matters Most
Video Calls with Family
The 13-megapixel camera with auto-framing keeps you centred on screen even if you move around. You can call anyone who has an Alexa device, or video call via Zoom — which means it works with Android and iPhone users too. The "Drop In" feature lets family members check in on you with one tap, which many people find reassuring. Just say "Alexa, video call Sarah" and the call connects.
The standard Nest Hub has no camera at all — a deliberate privacy choice by Google. You can make audio calls via Google Duo, but you cannot make or receive video calls. If video calling with family is a reason you want this device, the Nest Hub 2nd Gen is not the right choice. The Nest Hub Max (10-inch, ~$229) does have a camera, but at that price the Echo Show 8 is the better value.
Echo Show 8 — it is not close. If video calls with grandchildren or family members matter to you, only the Echo Show has that capability in the mid-range price bracket.
Photo Slideshow Display
The Echo Show displays photos from Amazon Photos — Amazon's cloud photo service. It works well, but requires setting up an Amazon Photos account and uploading your pictures to it first. Many people already have photos on their phones or in Google Photos, which means an extra step to get them onto the Echo Show.
The Nest Hub's idle photo display is one of its best features. If your photos are already in Google Photos — which they are if you use an Android phone or have ever used Google's backup feature — the Nest Hub starts showing them immediately with no setup. The display adapts its brightness to match the room lighting, which makes it look genuinely like a framed photo rather than a screen.
Nest Hub for anyone with photos already in Google Photos. Zero setup, beautiful display. The Echo Show requires uploading photos to a separate service first.
Daily Reminders and Routines
Alexa is excellent at reminders. Just say "Alexa, remind me to take my blood pressure medication every morning at 8" and it will call out the reminder by voice every day. With Alexa+, you can create complex routines: "Good morning" can trigger the news, weather, and a reminder about a doctor's appointment all at once. It also reads back your calendar from a connected Google or Outlook account.
Google Assistant handles reminders naturally and is deeply connected to Google Calendar — if your appointments are already there, the Nest Hub shows them on screen without any setup. Google Assistant's strength is its search intelligence: it gives more accurate, nuanced answers to questions than Alexa, particularly for health, local information, and current events. Saying "Hey Google, remind me to take my medication every day at 8" works identically to Alexa.
Tie. Both handle daily reminders perfectly. The Nest Hub has an edge if your schedule is in Google Calendar. The Echo Show has an edge for Amazon Music, radio stations, and Alexa skills like guided exercises or medication tracking apps.
Smart Home Control
The Echo Show 8 has a built-in Zigbee hub, which means it can directly control a wider range of smart bulbs, plugs, and sensors without needing a separate bridge device. It is compatible with Ring doorbells and cameras, showing who is at the door on screen when someone rings. The Alexa ecosystem is the largest in the world — virtually every smart home device works with it.
The Nest Hub uses the Google Home app and supports Matter and Thread — the newer smart home standards that are more future-proof. It works excellently with Nest devices (thermostats, cameras, doorbells) and most mainstream smart home brands. If you have Ring devices, note they work better with Alexa. If you have Nest devices, they work better with Google.
Echo Show 8 — slightly broader device compatibility today, plus the built-in Zigbee hub avoids needing extra bridges. The Nest Hub's Thread support is more future-proof, but most people are not buying devices that require it yet.
Privacy
The Echo Show 8 has a physical camera shutter you can slide to cover the lens when not in use — you can see at a glance whether the camera is covered. The microphone also has a physical mute button. Both devices only listen after hearing their wake word ("Alexa"), not constantly. You can review and delete voice recordings in the Alexa app.
The Nest Hub 2nd Gen has no camera at all — which is either a limitation or a privacy feature depending on how you look at it. There is no lens to worry about. It has a physical microphone mute switch on the back and responds only to "Hey Google." Google also offers a Guest Mode that temporarily disconnects the display from your account if you want privacy during a visit.
Nest Hub 2nd Gen — no camera means no camera concerns. Both devices handle microphone privacy similarly, but having no camera removes an entire category of worry.
Price and Value
Retails at around $149 but frequently goes on sale — often below $100 during Prime Day and Black Friday. Alexa is free to use. Alexa+ (the enhanced AI version) is included free with Amazon Prime, or costs $19.99/month separately. No ongoing fee is required for basic functionality including reminders, calls, and smart home control.
Retails at $99 but frequently drops to $50–$70 during sales — it is the better value at sale price by a significant margin. All core features are free with a Google account. The sleep tracking feature, uniquely, requires no subscription and no wearable — just placing the device near your bed.
Nest Hub — $50 less at retail and often $30–$50 less on sale. For someone who does not need video calls and uses Google services, that is a meaningful saving with no real compromise.
Our Verdict — Who Should Buy Which
Prime Video, Amazon Music, and Alexa integration are all built in. The investment is worth it.
Only one with a camera in the mid-range. Make calls to Alexa devices or via Zoom.
Photos display instantly, Google Calendar shows your day, YouTube plays natively. No extra setup.
No camera at all. Nothing to cover, nothing to worry about. The cleanest privacy option at this price.
Bigger screen, better for recipes. The camera also makes it useful for video calls while cooking.
Wait for a sale and pay $50–$70. For basic daily use, it does everything that matters at half the price.
Already have one? Here's how to add the other
These devices are not mutually exclusive. Many households have an Echo Show in the kitchen for video calls and recipes, and a Nest Hub on the nightstand for sleep tracking and a Google Photos slideshow. Both cost under $150 together on sale — and because they use different ecosystems, they do not conflict with each other.
Where to Buy
Common Questions
-
Can you make video calls on Google Nest Hub?
The standard Nest Hub 2nd Gen (7-inch) has no camera and cannot make video calls — only audio calls via Google Duo. The Google Nest Hub Max (10-inch, ~$229) does include a camera. If video calling is a priority and you want to stay within the Google ecosystem, the Nest Hub Max is the better option — though at that price the Echo Show 8 offers better value.
-
Which is better for someone who already uses Gmail and Google?
The Nest Hub. It connects directly to Google Photos, Google Calendar, YouTube, and Google Assistant with no extra configuration. If your appointments are in Google Calendar and your photos are in Google Photos, the Nest Hub displays everything immediately without any setup.
-
Which is better for someone with Amazon Prime?
The Echo Show. Prime Video plays natively on screen, Amazon Music works seamlessly, and Alexa integrates with any other Echo devices in your home. Alexa+ — the enhanced AI assistant — is also included free for Prime members.
-
Do either of these work without Wi-Fi?
Neither device works without a Wi-Fi connection. Both the Echo Show and the Nest Hub must stay connected to Wi-Fi to answer questions, play music, make calls, or control smart home devices. They are not portable offline devices.
-
Which is easier to set up for a first-time smart display user?
Both are straightforward. The Echo Show uses the Alexa app (available on iPhone and Android). The Nest Hub uses the Google Home app. If you already have one of these apps on your phone, setting up the corresponding device is noticeably faster. For someone with no prior smart home experience and no strong preference, the Echo Show's on-screen setup instructions tend to be slightly clearer during first use.