Echo Pop vs. Echo Dot: What's the Difference?

There are many choices if you're in the market for an Amazon Echo device. This article compares the Echo Pop and Echo Dot along their most important features to help you understand the models' differences.

Overall Findings

In many ways, Echo Pop and the 5th gen Echo Dot are the same: they offer Alexa support, play music, and can serve as a Wi-Fi extender in an eero mesh network. The Dot layers on smart home feature like motion detection and a thermometer and include a clock embedded in the speaker area—and does all this for only $10 more.

When comparing Echo Dot vs. Pop head-to-head, it's easy to see that the Dot is more full-featured and capable.

Sound: Dot Offers Better Quality

While the Echo Pop does have a slightly larger speaker, the speaker in the Echo Dot is generally considered to be better. Both devices can produce pleasing audio, though most reviewers hear the Pop losing some sound definition at higher volumes. The shape of the Dot—round vs. the Pop's flat panel—helps it fill a room with music.

Smart Features: Dot Can Power Your Smart Home

One of the biggest promises of a connected device like an Amazon Echo is that it can serve as a central hub and controller for all your smart home devices. From this angle, the Echo Dot outpaces the Pop.

Both devices share features: support for the Amazon Alexa voice assistant (and its many, many skills), Wi-Fi range extension and stabilization through integrated eero support, and the ability to control Matter-compatible smart home devices. After that, the Echo Dot adds a motion detector and a thermometer. That means the Dot can control devices—like lights and cameras—that should turn on when they detect motion and temperature-driven smart home tech like thermostats.

Features and and Price: Dot has a Clock, Pop Wins on Cost

Regarding the miscellaneous details—size, weight, colors—the Pop and Dot certainly differ, but not significantly. Both are compact and relatively light. Each shares at least one color (more if you opt for the Dot without the clock) but has unique options.

The most significant differences here are the price and the inclusion of a clock. The Echo Dot has an LED clock embedded beneath the speaker mesh, while the Pop doesn't.

Final Verdict

If you want a solid, entry-level Amazon Alexa device, the Echo Pop and Echo Dot are good options. However, the Echo Pop has many more features—from better sound to basic options like a clock to high-tech options like smart home support—and only costs a bit more. So, unless you're highly budget-conscious, the Echo Dot is probably your best bet.

The Echo Pop retails for $40.

The Echo Dot (2022) retails for $50.