Google’s affordable HomePod-style smart speaker finally arrives, promising 2.5x stronger bass

Summary

• After eight months, the Google Home Speaker is finally here.
• It features a compact, HomePod-like design in 4 colors and uses 37% recycled fabric.
• The Google Home Speaker offers 360° audio and can be paired with a second unit for surround sound.

Remember the Google Home Speaker that Google detailed way back in October 2025? Well, it's finally available for pre-order, and it actually looks pretty great.

Google Home Speaker design

This looks a little familiar...

If the Google Home Speaker looks familiar to you, you're not alone — it looks a lot like a HomePod. That's not necessarily a bad thing, though (personally, I like the look). It's made from 37% recycled materials, and the yarn material uses a "unique 3D knitting process" that reduces fabric waste. There are four colors available: Porcelain, Hazel, Jade, and Berry (these last two are Google Store exclusives and only available in the US). The Berry is a little bright for me, but the others are all really nice.

The unit is about 3.5 inches tall, with a 4-inch diameter, so it's quite small. Around the base, there's a light ring with a "dynamic glow" that lets you know when it's thinking, listening, or responding. There's also a toggle switch to mute the microphone manually.

Google Home Speaker audio features

Big promises from a little speaker

Obviously, as a speaker, sound quality is important, and Google says the Google Home Speaker "delivers a massive audio upgrade over the Nest Mini, boasting a 2x larger driver and 2.5x stronger bass." The speaker offers 360° sound, so the audio should be uniform in all directions. It uses a 58mm driver and features 3 far-field microphones, as well as capacitive touch controls.

In another nod to the HomePod, you can pair two Google Home Speakers together to provide "spatial surround-sound audio." You can also create speaker groups. Google says the Home Speaker "works with your Nest speakers, Nest displays, and Google Cast-enabled devices, so you can enjoy music throughout your home." You can pair two of the same speakers for stereo sound, or use Gemini to move music from one room to another.

Powered by Gemini for Home

But some features require a subscription

The speaker is powered by Gemini for Home, a "radically smarter and more capable" voice assistant. In our testing, we've found Gemini to be a big improvement for Google's smart home devices. And if you have a Google Home Premium subscription, you can use Gemini Live to converse with the speaker in a more natural, conversational way.

Google Home Premium is a paid subscription, but the Google Home Speaker comes with six months of the service included (Google says this is a $60 value). To get this perk, you need to buy the speaker on or before September 30, 2026. You can also try Gemini routines to make your speaker feel more like an assistant — no subscription required for that.

The Google Home Speaker costs $99.99 and is available for pre-order now in 18 countries, including the US, UK, Canada, France, Australia, and Japan. It will hit store shelves on June 25.