Echo Dot vs Echo Pop: Which Amazon Device is Best for You?

Amazon has cornered the market on inexpensive, easy-to-use smart home devices with its Echo line. Two of its smaller (but still feature-rich) offerings are the Echo Dot (now on its 5th generation) and the Echo Pop, which debuted in 2023. Both are priced under $50 and are regularly on sale for between $20 and $30 – especially during Prime Day.

And while the two devices are remarkably similar, there are some key differences you should know about before purchasing. Here’s how the Echo Dot (5th Gen) and Echo Pop compare, based on my first-hand information as someone who has used both.

Echo Dot vs. Echo Pop: Specs

Design: We love the color options

The Echo Dot and Echo Pop are almost the same size, but while the Echo Dot is round, the Echo Pop has a flat face. This basically looks like a cross section of the Dot.

The Echo Dot (left) and Echo Pop (right) — as you can see, the Echo Dot has been embellished with toddler spaghetti fingers.
Credit: SaVanna Shoemaker / Mashable

The Echo Dot also comes in three fairly understated colors (gray, white, and blue), but the Echo Pop comes in some, well, popularpier colors (lavender and teal in addition to gray and white).

Overall, I like the look of the Echo Pop a little better. Brighter colors can add a nice pop of color to a corner shelf, or the Pop can serve as a more discreet Alexa assistant than the Echo Dot (which is pretty universally recognized as a smart home device).

Both have a modern, sleek appearance that can easily complement or blend into any style of decor.

Winner: Echo Pop

Configuration and ease of use

Amazon has made setting up these devices extremely simple. You’ll need the Alexa app on your phone and it will guide you through the setup step by step. The app is also where you’ll connect other apps like Spotify or Audible to stream to your Echo devices using Alexa voice commands.

The devices themselves are also very simple. Physical buttons on them allow you to mute and unmute the microphone and adjust the volume. Everything else is done via voice commands or through the Alexa app. I had no problem setting up either device and both were very responsive to my “Hey, Alexa.”

Winner: tie

The sound quality is almost identical

Amazon describes the sound of the Echo Pop as a “full sound” that’s perfect for bedrooms and small spaces and the sound of the Echo Dot as a “bigger, vibrant sound” for any room.

In my side-by-side comparisons of the Echo Dot and Echo Pop, I was unable to detect any difference in sound quality between the two devices. Both devices were excellent for playing background music in my office or listening to podcasts while cleaning, delivering fuller, clearer sound and increased volume compared to my smartphone.

The Echo Pop has a slightly larger speaker. However, the round shape of the Dot can help it fill a space with sound no matter where it is placed.

Winner: Echo Dot

Alexa integration and smart home connectivity

The Echo Dot and Echo Pop integrate with Alexa through the Amazon Alexa app. You can use Alexa to ask questions, check the weather, set timers and alarms, and open connected apps (like music or streaming apps including Spotify, Pandora, Audible, and Amazon Music).

Personally, I have always found Alexa devices the most convenient in the office and in the kitchen. They offer a hands-free, screen-free way to set timers (for productivity or pizza) or stream audio. A centrally located Echo device is also a great way to free up space in your brain. I used Alexa to remind me to water my plants, send birthday cards in the mail, and check the pool’s water level at regular intervals when refilling for the season.

However, the Echo Dot edges out the Echo Pop here in two key ways: temperature sensing and motion sensing. So your Echo Dot can run Alexa routines involving temperature or motion, while the Echo Pop can’t. Some examples:

Winner: Echo Dot

Consider additional features

Both the Echo Dot and Echo Pop can act as a WiFi extender if you have an existing Amazon Eero network, adding up to 1,000 square feet of additional WiFi coverage.

However, once again, the Echo Dot edges out the Echo Pop in terms of additional features. As mentioned above, the Dot is equipped with motion and temperature sensing capabilities.

Additionally, the Echo Dot with Clock ($59.99) comes with all the features of the 5th generation Echo Dot and a simple LED screen that can display time, temperature, and countdowns. The Echo Dot With Clock served me well for a while as an alarm clock, but it wouldn’t have earned that spot on my nightstand without the LED display so I could glance at the clock. hour.

Winner: Echo Dot

Our Winner: Echo Dot vs. Echo Pop

The Echo Dot and Echo Pop are much more similar than they are different. The Echo Pop costs about $10 less and is a little cuter (and comes in funnier colors). However, it lacks the motion detection and temperature detection that would allow it to perform some of the most useful and convenient Alexa commands and routines.

If you’re just looking for an easy-to-use speaker to play music or set alarms in one room of your home, the Echo Pop is a good choice. However, for a more functional smart home assistant, you’re better off shelling out the extra $10 and buying the Echo Dot.