Short answer: both are discontinued, so this only matters if you are buying used. Used, the Google Home Max is the better pick: it ranks #15 of 29 powered desktop speakers by sound quality (rated 3.6/5), against #9 (rated 3.3/5) for the Google Nest Audio. If you want one new, the Google Home Speaker replaces the Google Nest Audio and is rated 3.0/5 at $99.99.
Why pick the Google Home Max: A large Google smart speaker with two woofers, automatic room tuning and stereo pairing, praised by owners for its bass. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Google Nest Audio lacks. Watch for: Discontinued by Google since 2020, so it can no longer be bought new; used and refurbished stock is what remains, and RTINGS calls its soundstage mediocre despite the driver count.
The case for the Google Nest Audio: An affordable Google Assistant speaker with Chromecast casting and respectable bass from one small box. Watch for: Each unit is mono; a genuine left-right stereo pair means buying two and pairing them over Wi-Fi.
Buy the Google Home Max only if you find one used in good condition; both are discontinued, and it is the better rated of the two. For a new speaker, buy the Google Home Speaker, which replaces the Google Nest Audio.
Still deciding? The full Powered Home rankings cover every ranked option.
A large Google smart speaker with two woofers, automatic room tuning and stereo pairing, praised by owners for its bass.
An affordable Google Assistant speaker with Chromecast casting and respectable bass from one small box.
Prices on this page were last checked November 5, 2026 at 10:30 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
Specifications Side By Side
| Google Home Max | Google Nest Audio | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $399 each Discontinued | $99.99 each Discontinued |
| Ranked | #15 of 29 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #9 of 15 in Small Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Party Mode | Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room, Chromecast built-in) | Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room, Chromecast built-in) |
| Power Input | AC power cord | External AC adapter (30W, 24V, DC jack) |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Weight | 11.7 lbs (5.3 kg) | 2.6 lbs (1.2 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (2.4GHz/5GHz) | Yes (802.11 b/g/n/ac, 2.4GHz/5GHz) |
| App | Yes (Google Home) | Yes (Google Home) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (6 far-field mics for Smart Sound room correction) | Yes (3 far-field mics, hardware mute switch) |
| EQ | Yes (Media EQ + Room EQ, automatic via Smart Sound) | Yes (Bass/Treble, via Google Home app) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| TWS | Yes (Wi-Fi stereo pairing via Google Home app) | Yes (Wi-Fi stereo pairing via Google Home app) |
| Drivers | 2x 4.5in high-excursion woofers, 2x 0.7in tweeters | 75mm woofer, 19mm tweeter |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Aux, USB-C | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Chromecast |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | No | No |
| TRS Input | Yes (3.5mm) | No |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | Yes | No |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Amplifier Power | 6x Class-D amplifiers | 30W (2x Class D) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 5.0 |
| Dimensions | 7.5” x 13.2” x 6.1” (190 x 336 x 154 mm) (H x W x D) | 6.9” x 4.9” x 3.1” (175 x 124 x 78 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Voice Assistants | Google Assistant | Google Assistant |
| Streaming Services | Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect, Pandora, TuneIn, iHeartRadio | Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | - | 60.4Hz (measured, Audio Science Review via spinorama.org) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 44.3Hz (derived, log-interpolated between ASR’s spinorama -9dB/-12dB points) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | - | 1.71 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | - | 4.06 |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More top alternatives to Google Home Max: