Different classes, so treat this as a step-up-or-not question rather than a head-to-head. The Google Nest Audio ranks #9 of 15 powered desktop speakers by sound quality at $99.99; the Sonos Play ranks #56 of 178 medium speakers by sound quality at $299.
What the Google Nest Audio does well: An affordable Google Assistant speaker with Chromecast casting and respectable bass from one small box. It supports AAC Bluetooth, which the Sonos Play lacks. It links with other speakers (Wi-Fi multi-room, Chromecast built-in), which the Sonos Play cannot. It has an adjustable EQ, which the Sonos Play lacks. The catch: Each unit is mono; a genuine left-right stereo pair means buying two and pairing them over Wi-Fi.
The Sonos Play is the battery-powered, tougher choice. A Wi-Fi and Bluetooth portable with wide stereo sound, a long lasting swappable battery, waterproofing and full Sonos multiroom support. Its battery is rated for 24 hours, while the Google Nest Audio needs an outlet. It is rated IP67, while the Google Nest Audio has no water resistance. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Google Nest Audio lacks. Watch for: Bass distorts noticeably on bass-heavy tracks at default settings, and the distortion persists even after enabling Trueplay tuning and manually pulling bass back in the app.
One note: the Google Nest Audio is no longer in production and isn’t widely stocked new anymore. The Google Nest Audio’s replacement, the Google Home Speaker, is rated 3.0/5 at $99.99.
Buy the Google Nest Audio ($99.99) for a powered desktop speaker; the Sonos Play ($299) suits a medium speaker instead.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings and Portable Bluetooth rankings.
An affordable Google Assistant speaker with Chromecast casting and respectable bass from one small box.
A Wi-Fi and Bluetooth portable with wide stereo sound, a long lasting swappable battery, waterproofing and full Sonos multiroom support.
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.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Google Nest Audio | Sonos Play | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99.99 each Discontinued | $299.00 |
| Ranked | #9 of 15 in Small Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #56 of 178 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | None | IP67 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room, Chromecast built-in) | No |
| Power Input | External AC adapter (30W, 24V, DC jack) | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Weight | 2.6 lbs (1.2 kg) | 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (802.11 b/g/n/ac, 2.4GHz/5GHz) | Yes |
| App | Yes (Google Home) | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (3 far-field mics, hardware mute switch) | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble, via Google Home app) | No |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| TWS | Yes (Wi-Fi stereo pairing via Google Home app) | Yes |
| Drivers | 75mm woofer, 19mm tweeter | mid-woofer, 2x angled tweeters |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Chromecast | - |
| XLR Input | No | - |
| RCA Input | No | - |
| TRS Input | No | - |
| Optical Input | No | - |
| Coaxial Input | No | - |
| USB Input | No | - |
| HDMI Input | No | - |
| AES Input | No | - |
| Amplifier Power | 30W (2x Class D) | - |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 6.9” x 4.9” x 3.1” (175 x 124 x 78 mm) (H x W x D) | 7.6” x 4.4” x 3” (192.3 x 112.5 x 76.7 mm) |
| 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 | - |
| Voice Assistants | Google Assistant | Amazon Alexa (Sonos Voice Control also built in) |
| Streaming Services | Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect | - |
| Omnidirectional | - | No |
| Digital Aux Input | - | No |
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