HomePod vs. HomePod Mini: Which Apple Smart Speaker Should You Buy?
HomePod delivers premium sound for serious listeners, while HomePod Mini offers smart features in a compact, budget-friendly package.
Apple’s smart speakers share the same DNA, but don’t be fooled — there’s more than just size separating the HomePod and the HomePod Mini. Both are powered by Siri, both blend into Apple’s ecosystem, and both aim to bring smart audio into your living space. But they’re clearly built with different users in mind.
Whether you’re hunting for a speaker that commands the room or something subtle and space-saving, it’s worth looking closely at how these two devices compare. We’ll break down the key differences across Design, Audio Quality, Features, and Price to help you figure out which one is the smarter buy for your setup.
Design & Size
When it comes to looks, both speakers carry Apple’s signature minimalist design, but the size and form factor are quite different. The HomePod Mini is compact, standing just 3.3 inches tall and 3.9 inches wide, weighing less than a pound. Its spherical design and woven mesh fabric give it a modern, cozy vibe that blends into most spaces. And it comes in five colour options—white, space grey, blue, orange, and yellow—offering more flexibility to match your decor. You can easily place it on a desk, bookshelf, or kitchen counter without worrying about space or clutter.
In contrast, the HomePod stands at 6.6 inches tall and weighs a little over five pounds. It has a cylindrical shape with a flat top and is covered in the same acoustic mesh. However, it’s only available in two colours: white and midnight. The larger size gives it a commanding presence—it’s not something you tuck away on a narrow shelf. It’s clearly designed to be seen and heard.
Winner: HomePod Mini. Its smaller size and wider range of colour options make it a better design choice.
Audio Quality
This is where the two products truly separate. The full-sized HomePod is all about high-fidelity sound. It packs a high-excursion woofer and five beamforming tweeters arranged to deliver 360-degree audio.
The speaker also uses real-time spatial awareness to adjust how it projects sound based on its surroundings. That means whether it's on a shelf, in the middle of a room, or next to a wall, the HomePod fine-tunes itself for optimal performance. Add to that Spatial Audio, Apple Music, AirPlay, and Dolby Atmos support, and you’ve got a smart speaker that can double as a serious music system or even a TV companion.
Meanwhile, the HomePod Mini performs impressively for its size. It uses a single full-range driver paired with dual passive radiators and Apple's computational audio to deliver clear, balanced sound. It’s perfect for background music, podcasts, or voice responses from Siri, and supports Apple Music and AirPlay. But it can’t match the depth, bass, and room-filling capability of the full-size HomePod. It’s great for casual listening but not built to be the main speaker in a large room.
Winner: HomePod. This is a no-brainer as the full-sized HomePod is in a different league.
Smart Features
Both the HomePod and HomePod Mini integrate smoothly into the Apple ecosystem and serve as smart home hubs using Siri and Apple’s HomeKit. You can use either speaker to control lights, thermostats, security cameras, and more. Both support Matter and Thread technology for faster and more reliable smart home connections, alongside built-in temperature and humidity sensors for added functionality.
Where the HomePod pulls ahead is in its support for advanced audio formats. It supports Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos when paired with Apple Music or used as part of a home theatre setup with Apple TV 4K. It also features more built-in microphones and audio tuning capabilities to accurately detect room acoustics, enabling it to provide improved voice pickup and more intelligent sound adjustments.
The HomePod Mini still supports many of the same smart features—Intercom functionality, stereo pairing, multi-room audio, and Siri commands. But it’s less suited for high-end entertainment setups. It can’t play Dolby Atmos, and its processing power is a step behind the HomePod, meaning fewer bells and whistles when it comes to adapting to complex audio environments.
Winner: HomePod. It simply offers more advanced features and enhanced functionality.
Price
The HomePod Mini comes in at just $99. That’s a very approachable price for a high-quality smart speaker that does almost everything a casual user could want.
The HomePod, on the other hand, costs $299. That’s three times the price of the Mini. But for that price, you’re getting significantly upgraded audio hardware, support for Spatial Audio, Dolby Atmos, and a much more powerful speaker overall. If you’re using it as your main speaker in a living room or entertainment space, the cost may be justified, but it’s definitely not aimed at the budget crowd.
Winner: HomePod Mini. Dollar for dollar, the HomePod Mini delivers exceptional value.
My Final Verdict
Ultimately, the right choice comes down to how—and where—you plan to use your speaker. If you're an audiophile, want a home theatre upgrade, or just love music that fills a room with clarity and depth, the HomePod is the clear winner. It’s not just a speaker; it’s a centrepiece for your audio environment.
But if you're looking for a speaker that fits anywhere, offers solid sound for its size, and gives you access to all of Apple’s smart home features at a fraction of the cost, the HomePod Mini is the better buy. It’s especially great for adding voice control and music to bedrooms, kitchens, offices, or even your kid’s room.
Both devices are thoughtfully designed and deeply integrated into Apple’s ecosystem. Your decision comes down to whether you're shopping for sound or for scale. Either way, you can’t go wrong.
Fishon Amos
