Look, I’ll save you the suspense. After using both of these voice assistants every single day for the past three months. I can tell you they’re both good at different things. And which one you should use? That really depends on your life, not mine.
Here’s what I learned from actually living with both.
Table of Contents
Let Me Give You the Quick Version
Google Assistant beats Siri when it comes to finding information, working with smart home stuff, and playing nice with different devices. Siri wins if you care about keeping your data private, you already own a bunch of Apple products, and you like things that work without needing the internet.
But hang on, there’s more to it than that. What matters is how you’ll actually use one of these things.
What They Look Like Side by Side
| What You Care About | Google Assistant | Siri |
|---|---|---|
| Works With | Android, iPhone, Google speakers, tons of devices | Only Apple stuff |
| Smart Home | Works with basically everything | Only HomeKit (expensive and limited) |
| Languages | Over 100 | Around 20 |
| Your Privacy | Sends everything to the cloud, uses your data | Keeps most stuff on your phone |
| Finding Answers | Really good at search | Basic answers only |
| Remembering Context | Remembers what you just said | Makes you repeat yourself |
| Knows Your Voice | Yes, for the whole family | Yes, but not as accurate |
| Works Offline | Barely | More stuff works |
| Smart Features | Has Gemini AI built in | Getting Apple Intelligence |
| Gets Updates | All the time | Once a year with iOS |
What’s Actually New With Siri This Year
Apple knows Siri has been falling behind. So in 2025 they’re trying to catch up. Siri can now understand what’s happening on your screen better, though the really cool screen awareness features aren’t here yet.
The biggest change is how Siri thinks. More stuff happens right on your phone now instead of sending everything to Apple’s computers. This means faster answers and better privacy. When your phone can’t handle something, Apple’s Private Cloud system takes over but still protects your info.
Siri also works with more apps now. You can tell it to edit your photos or move files around without opening anything. That’s pretty handy.
Everyone’s waiting for the big update coming in 2026 when Siri gets ChatGPT level smarts. Right now though? It still feels kind of basic compared to what Google can do.
Oh, and Siri got better at understanding different accents. But Google is still ahead there.
Why Google Wins at Smart Homes
This part isn’t even close. Google works with everything.
I’m talking over 50,000 different smart home gadgets. Your Philips lights, your Nest thermostat, your Ring doorbell, your cheap Amazon plugs. All of it. If it’s smart, Google probably talks to it.
Setting things up is dead simple. You open the Google Home app, tap to add a device, and boom. Done in like two minutes. Then you can group stuff by room and control it all with your voice.
Here’s my favorite thing. Routines. I say “good morning” and Google turns on my lights, tells me the weather, reads my calendar, gives me traffic info, and starts my coffee maker. All that from two words. You can set this up with Siri too, but it’s way more complicated.
Google also knows who’s talking. My girlfriend asks for her calendar and gets hers. I ask and get mine. Same speaker, different people, no problem.
The Google Home app shows you everything in one place. Your cameras, your thermostat, whether your doors are locked. You can check it all and set up schedules.
With Siri, you need HomeKit compatible devices. Those cost way more and there’s way less choice. If smart home stuff matters to you, just get Google Assistant.
The Privacy Thing You Need to Know
This is huge for some people. Let me explain what actually happens.
Apple got sued for $95 million this year because Siri was recording people without them knowing. Workers were listening to private conversations. Doctor visits. Business calls. Personal stuff. All because Siri accidentally turned on.
So Apple went all in on privacy after that. Now Siri does most thinking right on your phone. Your data doesn’t leave unless it has to. And when it does, Apple encrypts it and deletes it fast.
You can delete all your Siri recordings whenever you want. You can even tell Siri to stop learning from what you say. And Apple doesn’t use your Siri stuff to show you ads.
Google does the opposite. Everything you say goes to Google’s computers. Then Google looks at your searches, your YouTube videos, your Gmail, your location. It connects all of it. That’s how it knows what you want before you finish asking.
Yeah, that makes Google smarter. It knows you better and gives better answers. But the trade off? Google knows everything about you. That’s literally their business.
You can delete your Google history and turn off some tracking. But most people never do. The default is to share everything.
So pick your poison. Want privacy? Go Siri. Want a smarter assistant that knows you really well? Go Google.
Finding Information and Getting Answers
I tested both with 50 random questions. Google got 47 right with good details. Siri got 38 right with shorter answers.
Google is basically the best search engine in the world talking to you. Restaurant hours? Correct. History questions? Nailed it. Recipe help? Perfect. Weather anywhere? Done.
Google also remembers what you’re talking about. Watch this. I can ask “Who’s the president of France?” Then just say “How old is he?” Then “What’s the capital?” Google knows I’m still talking about France. Siri makes me say “France” every single time.
Siri gives you quick facts but can’t handle complicated stuff. Simple questions work fine. Anything complex and Siri gets confused.
Want translation? Google does over 100 languages instantly. Siri does about 20 and it’s clunky.
If you ask your assistant lots of questions, Google is miles better. That’s just the truth.
Your Devices Decide a Lot
Sometimes this choice is made for you based on what you already own.
Siri only lives on Apple stuff. Your iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, HomePod. That’s the whole list. No Android version. No Windows. Nothing else. You’re stuck with Apple.
Google works on everything. Every Android phone has it. You can download it on iPhone. It’s in Google speakers. It’s on smart displays. Some TVs even have it built in.
Here’s a cool thing. Got an iPhone but want Google Assistant? Just download the app. Won’t work quite as smoothly as Siri, but it works. But if you have Android and want Siri? Nope. Can’t happen.
My girlfriend has an iPhone, I have a Pixel. We use Google Assistant on both phones so everything syncs up. If we used Siri, I’d be left out.
The HomePod speaker costs $299 and only works with Apple stuff. Google Nest speakers start at $50 and work with everything. When you’re buying speakers for every room, that adds up fast.
What I Actually Use These For Every Day
Let me tell you what really happens in my house.
My mornings start with Google. I say “good morning” and get my whole day downloaded to me. Weather, my meetings, how long my drive is, the news. Siri can kinda do this but you have to set it up manually and it’s not smooth.
When I’m cooking, Google saves me. I need a measurement converted? Just ask. Need three timers going at once? Name them all. Want to see a recipe video? Pops right up on my Google screen. Siri does timers but that’s about it.
My smart lights are all controlled by Google. I just say “turn off downstairs” and they all go off. With Siri I had to buy expensive switches and program everything myself. Google was easier and saved me money.
Driving and making calls? Both work great. Siri reads my texts and lets me answer. Google does the same thing. Tie here.
Music depends on what you use. I have Spotify so Google works better. My friend with Apple Music says Siri is better for that. Use the one that matches your music app.
Lost phone? Both can make it ring. Siri’s Find My network is better if you have multiple Apple devices though.
Shopping lists are better on Google because everyone in my house can see and add to the same list instantly. Siri’s lists are just mine unless I share them manually.
For work, Google connects to my Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Drive perfectly. Siri works with Apple’s email and calendar but feels weird with Google’s work apps that I actually use.
Questions People Ask Before Choosing
Can I use both? Yep. iPhone owners can download Google Assistant and use both. You won’t get perfect integration but it works for different tasks. Android people can’t add Siri though.
Will my smart stuff work? Check before you buy. Most things work with Google. Way fewer work with HomeKit. Look for labels on the box.
Can I switch later? Sure, but it’s a pain. You’ll have to redo your whole smart home setup, buy new devices, start over with your preferences. Don’t plan on switching a lot.
Which one learns faster? Google learns way faster because it watches everything you do across all Google apps. Siri learns slow but keeps it private.
Do I need expensive speakers? Nope for Google. The little Nest Mini is $50 and sounds fine. For Siri you need a HomePod which is $299. Big difference.
How Well They Understand You
Google’s voice recognition is scary good. It knows me and my girlfriend apart even though we kind of sound similar. We each get our own calendar, music, everything. I tested it and Google got it right 95 times out of 100.
Siri can tell people apart too but messes up more. Maybe 85 out of 100 in my tests.
Accents are where Google really wins. My friends with Indian accents, British accents, Southern accents all say Google understands them better. Siri trips up more if you don’t sound American.
Both work okay with normal background noise. But throw in multiple people talking or loud music and they both struggle.
They both turn on accidentally sometimes. Usually from the TV saying something similar. Google might do this slightly less but it’s close.
How Fast They Respond
Siri feels a tiny bit faster for simple stuff like “turn off the lights” or “set a timer.” That’s because it thinks on your phone instead of sending stuff to the cloud.
Google takes maybe half a second longer because everything goes to their computers. You notice it on quick commands but not on hard questions.
For smart home stuff, both are fast enough once you finish talking. Any delay is usually your WiFi or the smart device itself.
Here’s the big difference. When your internet goes out, Siri still does basic stuff. Timers, alarms, playing music from your phone, calculator. Google basically stops working without internet.
Music and TV Control
What music service you pay for matters here.
Got Apple Music? Siri is better. You can say “play something upbeat” and it just gets you. Works perfectly across all your Apple stuff.
Got Spotify or YouTube Music? Google Assistant is way better. It knows your playlists, understands what you want, just works smoother. Siri can control Spotify but it feels bolted on.
Podcasts work on both. Siri works better with Apple Podcasts. Google works fine with YouTube Podcasts.
Want music in multiple rooms? Google makes this super easy. Group your speakers in the app and boom, music everywhere. Apple’s version works but needs more Apple hardware.
TV control depends what you have. Google works with Chromecast, most smart TVs, streaming boxes. Siri works with Apple TV and a few HomeKit TVs. Not many.
The Problems They Both Have
Nothing’s perfect. Let me be real about what sucks.
Siri problems: Not many smart home devices work with it and the ones that do cost more. It can’t remember what you’re talking about so you repeat yourself constantly. Only works in like 20 languages. Doesn’t work great with non Apple apps yet. HomePod speakers cost way too much.
Google problems: Privacy stuff is real. Your data goes everywhere and gets used for ads. Sometimes talks too much when you want a quick answer. Doesn’t play nice with Apple apps on iPhone. Sometimes Google changes features or kills them with no warning.
Both mess up weird names. Your friend’s unusual name, that band nobody can pronounce, that restaurant with the foreign name. Both struggle.
Both get confused in loud places. Both sometimes hear you wrong and answer the wrong question.
Neither one feels like talking to a real person yet. You can’t have an actual conversation like with ChatGPT. The “AI” part still feels limited for 2025.
If you still question about Siri vs Google Assistant?
Get Siri if you have a bunch of Apple stuff already, privacy keeps you up at night, you mainly use Apple services like Apple Music and iCloud, you have or want a HomeKit smart home, you like things that work without internet, or you only speak one of the 20 languages it knows.
Get Google Assistant if you have Android or want it to work on everything, you need good search and correct answers, you want cheap smart home devices that all work together, you speak different languages or have family who does, features matter more than privacy to you, or you use Gmail, Google Calendar, YouTube.
Get both if you have an iPhone but want Google’s smart home stuff, you want the best features from each, or you want a backup when one doesn’t understand you.
What I Actually Do
I’ve been using Google Assistant as my main thing for months now, even on my iPhone.
The smart home stuff is just too good. I’ve saved hundreds of dollars on devices and I can use products Siri doesn’t even talk to. My routines actually work how I want.
The search thing matters more than I thought. When I ask a question, I want the right answer. Not a simple answer that misses the point. Google gets it right almost every time.
But I get why people choose Siri. If you’re all in on Apple and privacy worries you, Siri makes sense. The privacy thing is real. And it works smoothly with your iPhone, Messages, FaceTime, all that Apple stuff.
Most people will be happier with Google. More features, better answers, works with more stuff, costs less. But Apple people who care about privacy should stick with Siri.
Good news is you’re not stuck forever. iPhone people can try both and see what fits. Just know that once you build a smart home around one, switching later is expensive and annoying.
Your Questions Answered
Which one works with my devices?
Google Assistant works on Android, iPhone, Google speakers, Chromecast, and over 50,000 smart home devices from hundreds of brands. Siri only works with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, HomePod, and HomeKit smart home stuff. Check if your devices work with your choice before you commit.
How do they handle my privacy?
Siri keeps most data on your phone using something called Private Cloud Compute. Everything stays in Apple’s world. Google sends your voice to their computers and connects it to your searches, YouTube, Gmail, Maps, everything. Apple cares about privacy. Google cares about giving you better answers using your data.
Which one answers questions better?
Google gives way better answers because it’s connected to Google search and remembers what you’re talking about. It works in over 100 languages and handles complicated questions. Siri gives basic answers, only knows about 20 languages, and forgets what you just said.
Can I switch later without losing everything?
You can switch but it sucks. You have to rebuild your smart home setup and maybe buy new devices. HomeKit stuff doesn’t work with Google. Most Google stuff doesn’t work with HomeKit. Think hard about your choice because switching is expensive and annoying.
What will I actually use it for every day?
Google is better for searching stuff, translating, finding businesses nearby, controlling all kinds of smart home brands, and setting reminders based on where you are. Siri is better for sending iMessages, FaceTime calls, Apple Music, and switching between your Apple devices smoothly. Pick based on what you’ll really do, not what sounds cool.
