The smart speaker market is heating up, with Amazon’s Alexa, Google’s Assistant, and Apple’s Siri all vying for a spot on your kitchen counter. But which one is the smartest of them all? We put these three virtual assistants to the test to see how they measure up in terms of intelligence, functionality, and overall user experience.

Alexa, Amazon’s veteran virtual assistant, has been around the longest and, as such, has had the most time to mature and develop. With a vast array of skills and integrations, Alexa can cater to a wide range of user needs and preferences. From playing music and controlling smart home devices to providing information and ordering groceries, Alexa has a lot to offer. One of its standout features is the drop-in feature, which allows users to connect with other Alexa devices and use it as an intercom system. However, while Alexa is feature-rich, some users have expressed concerns about privacy and the potential for always-on devices to record and store private conversations.

Google Assistant, developed by the search engine giant, leverages the company’s expertise in search to provide intelligent and contextually aware responses to queries. Google Assistant is particularly strong in language processing and understanding user intent. For example, if you ask about a celebrity and then follow up with “how old is he/she?” Google Assistant understands the context and provides the age of the previously mentioned person. It also seamlessly integrates with other Google services, making it a powerful tool for anyone already invested in the Google ecosystem.

Siri, Apple’s offering, is known for its personality and witty responses. While it may not have the same level of integration as Alexa or Google Assistant, Siri is deeply integrated into Apple’s ecosystem, making it a natural choice for anyone already using an iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Siri also has a strong focus on user privacy, with processing done on-device whenever possible to keep user data secure. However, Siri has sometimes been criticized for its lack of advanced features and occasional misinterpretation of requests.