The best services for your Google Nest speaker

Publish date: 2023-01-13

Adam Molina / Android Authority

Google Nest speakers are built to serve as a nerve center for your digital existence. So whether you’re looking to listen to music, get directions, turn the lights on, or play the latest season of The Witcher on your TV, Google has you covered. A speaker is only as good as your connected services, however, and that’s where where we come in.

Read more: The best Google Assistant smart speakers

Because support for the Google Assistant platform has grown to massive proportions, we can’t list every service that’s worthwhile. Instead, here’s a slice of the best services to use with Google Nest speakers.

The best services for Google Nest speakers:

Editor’s note: If you really want a full list of services that work with Google Nest devices, you can find it here.

1. Audio

Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

Google supports several popular music services, including Spotify, Pandora, and of course, YouTube Music. You can only have one account per streaming service, per user, but Google Nest speakers do support multiple users.

Of the services below, Spotify and Apple Music are the most popular. Ultimately you should choose what you already use elsewhere, because that will sync your playlists and listening habits, and there’s no reason to sign up for a speaker-only subscription in most cases.

Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

If you own any smart home accessories compatible with Google Assistant, you can use Google Nest speakers to control them with your voice, or — on a smart display like a Nest Hub or Nest Hub Max — a touchscreen. These services represent some of the most ubiquitous smart home brands, but by no means the only ones you can use with Google devices.

Popular services:

IFTTT, if you’re not familiar, enables hooks between services that the services themselves don’t support directly. One “applet” lets you use Google Assistant to post on Twitter, for example. For a complete list of services compatible with IFTTT and Google Assistant, head here.

More: The best smart home products you can buy

3. Streaming devices

David Imel / Android Authority

Do you own a Chromecast, smart TV, or connected audio device with Google Cast built-in? If so, you can use your Google Nest speaker to control those products. Just say something like, “Hey Google, play the latest video from Android Authority on my Chromecast,” or “Hey Google, play They Shall Not Grow Old on my TV.” Exact functionality will vary, but if you choose the right hardware, you can avoid touching a remote or even pulling out your phone to control playback.

Select brands and devices:

4. Videos and photos

Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

A streaming device requires services to stream from, and only some of them support voice commands through Google Nest speakers. Generally what you’re doing is pushing videos and photos to a Chromecast or other Google Cast device, though with a Google-based smart display like the Nest Hub, you can sometimes watch directly. Those displays have a smaller range of native services, although they do include majors like Netflix, YouTube, and Disney Plus.

Support for Google Nest speaker control varies from region to region, so we’re focusing on the US here in the name of simplicity and familiarity.

Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

Are you a frequent user of Google Calendar and the company’s other productivity tools? Good news — you can use your Google Nest speaker to schedule events, add things to a shopping list, and more. There’s also a bunch of non-Google apps that can be controlled via Google Assistant.

Supported services:

This is a scenario where IFTTT once again comes in handy. The automation service supports plenty of other productivity apps that Google doesn’t support out of the box. If you have a favorite app that isn’t listed here, there’s a reasonable chance you can use IFTTT to sync your Google content with it.

See also: The best productivity apps

6. Games and fun

Adam Molina / Android Authority

It’s all fun and games until… well, it can be fun and games all the time if you really want it to be. Don’t blame us if you get in trouble.

Supported fun:

You can also ask Google Nest speakers silly questions! Just experiment, you’ll be surprised at what Assistant answers (or tries to, anyway).

Any other Google Nest services?

Lily Katz / Android Authority

Yes! There are tons of other third-party services that have added support for Google Assistant, and usually, Google Nest speakers by extension. These are some popular options:

To find the full list of services with support on Google Nest speakers, open your Google Home app, then tap on your profile icon to access Google Assistant settings.

Some services require you to link their accounts to your Google account before using it with Assistant. When browsing options for Music, Videos, and so on in the Home app, you should see a chain icon next to services that require linking. You can always unlink services later on.

Read more: Our guide to Google Assistant

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