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Voice Assistants · Head to head

Amazon Echo Hub vs Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)

Full Voice Assistants comparison in 2026

Updated September 2026
Data from Amazon.
2026 verdict
Panel or smart display? The Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) is the better all-rounder over the Amazon Echo Hub, adding a camera and glass-break and smoke alarm alerts.
Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)
Winner
Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)
$149.99
Buy on Amazon USACheck price
It is also the better reviewed and more affordable of the two, with owners praising its spatial audio. The Amazon Echo Hub is a slim wall panel built only to control the smart home, with Ethernet, an ambient light sensor and wall mounting the Show 8 lacks. Both have an 8-inch 1280 x 800 touchscreen, a motion sensor and a one year warranty, and both are Zigbee coordinators, Thread border routers and Matter bridges. Pick the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) for a kitchen or bedside display, and the Amazon Echo Hub for a dedicated panel on the wall.
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FeatureAmazon Echo HubAmazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)Winner
Price$179.99$149.99Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)
Rating3.94.4Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)
Connectivity2.4 GHz WiFi, 5 GHz WiFi, Bluetooth, Ethernet2.4 GHz WiFi, 5 GHz WiFi, BluetoothAmazon Echo Hub
AlertsNoneGlass breaking, Smoke/CO alarmAmazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)
Warranty1 year1 yearTie
IntegrationsAlexa, Home AssistantAlexa, Home AssistantTie
HubZigbee Coordinator, Thread Border Router, Matter BridgeZigbee Coordinator, Thread Border Router, Matter BridgeTie
ScreenYESYESTie
Screen Size8"8"Tie
SensorsMotion, Ambient LightMotion, Ambient LightTie
Voice MatchYESYESTie

What the differences mean

Purpose

The Amazon Echo Hub is a smart home control panel; the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) is a general smart display for music, video calls and recipes that also runs the smart home.

Camera

The Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) has a camera with a hardware off switch; the Amazon Echo Hub has no camera.

Mounting

The Amazon Echo Hub is 15 mm thin and made for the wall; the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) sits on a counter or nightstand and has no wall mount.

Wired network

The Amazon Echo Hub has an Ethernet port for a stable connection; the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) is Wi-Fi only.

Sound alerts

The Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) can listen for glass breaking and smoke or CO alarms with a subscription; the Amazon Echo Hub has no such alerts.

Which one to buy if

  • you want a wall panel to run the house
    Amazon Echo Hub

    Slim, wall-mountable and wired by Ethernet.

  • you want music and video calls in the kitchen
    Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)

    It has a camera and speakers its owners rate highly.

  • you want alerts for glass breaking or smoke alarms
    Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)

    Only the Show 8 offers them, with a subscription.

  • you only care about smart home control
    Amazon Echo Hub

    The Echo Hub is built around that single job.

What owners say

Owners of both praise easy setup and the built-in Zigbee, Thread and Matter hub. Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) owners single out a crisp screen with spatial audio that makes it a real music speaker, and viewing Ring or Blink feeds; they dislike a home screen that cycles suggestions and ads and occasional software quirks. Amazon Echo Hub owners who use it strictly as an automation panel like its clean interface and having cameras, locks and lights in one place; others find the software slow or unfinished and say it is no Echo Show substitute, with no camera and no media focus.

Price history compared

Every price change of both, in the same store, so the gap between the two lines is what one costs more than the other.

  • Amazon Echo Hub
  • Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better: Amazon Echo Hub or Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)?

The Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) for most people: the same screen size and smart home hub, plus a camera, sound alerts and speakers owners praise. The Amazon Echo Hub is better only as a dedicated wall panel.

What is the difference between the Echo Show and the Echo Hub?

The Amazon Echo Hub is a slim, wall-mounted smart home control panel with Ethernet and no camera. The Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) is a countertop smart display with a camera and sound alerts. Both have an 8-inch screen and a Zigbee, Thread and Matter hub.

Can the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) be mounted on a wall like the Amazon Echo Hub?

Not according to its spec sheet. The Amazon Echo Hub supports wall mounting; the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) does not.

Do the Amazon Echo Hub and the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) have the same smart home hub?

Yes. Both the Amazon Echo Hub and the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) are Zigbee coordinators, Thread border routers and Matter bridges.

Who should buy the Amazon Echo Hub?

Alexa households with many devices that want one wall panel to control cameras, locks, lights and sensors.

Who should buy the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)?

Alexa users who want a kitchen or bedside display for music, video calls and camera feeds.

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