Apple HomePod vs Sonos One: Which Smart Speaker Actually Sounds Better?

Based on expert audio testing from What Hi-Fi?, RTINGS, and real user experiences from Apple and Sonos community forums

The short answer: The Apple HomePod wins on pure sound quality with its fuller bass, 360-degree room-filling audio, and automatic room calibration. But it only makes sense if you're deep in the Apple ecosystem. For everyone else—especially Android users, Spotify listeners, or those wanting assistant choice—the Sonos One delivers excellent sound at $100 less with far more flexibility. Get the Apple HomePod on Amazon for $299 →

The Fighters

	Apple HomePod (2nd Gen)	Sonos One
Price	$299 on Amazon	$199 on Amazon
Best For	Apple ecosystem users who prioritize sound	Platform-agnostic users wanting flexibility
Voice Assistants	Siri only	Alexa, Google Assistant, or Sonos Voice
Room Calibration	Automatic (always analyzing)	Trueplay (manual setup required)
Streaming Services (Voice)	Apple Music only	100+ services including Spotify
Smart Home	HomeKit, Matter, Thread	Works with everything

Apple HomePod 2nd generation smart speaker in midnight black finish with fabric mesh design

The Death Match: 6 Rounds, 1 Winner

We're scoring each round from 1-10. Higher score wins the round. Let's fight!

Round 1: Sound Quality

This is where the HomePod earns its extra $100. According to What Hi-Fi?, "there's no contest when you listen to them side-by-side: the HomePod 2 is comfortably the better performer. The HomePod 2 sounds fuller-bodied, more spacious, more rhythmically fluid and more dynamically subtle."

The HomePod's A8 chip constantly analyzes your music and the room acoustics via six microphones. It auto-calibrates in real-time—no manual setup needed. RTINGS confirms the HomePod "has a better-balanced sound profile capable of reproducing more low-bass, and it can get louder with fewer compression artifacts."

That said, some listeners prefer the Sonos One's more neutral signature. Digital Trends notes "the Sonos One is more neutral, with less processing and ultimately sounds more like a standard audio system" without the HomePod's bass-forward processing. If you prefer accurate reproduction over enhanced sound, Sonos might actually be your preference.

Apple HomePod	Sonos One
9/10	7/10

Round 1 Winner: Apple HomePod — Superior bass, 360-degree soundstage, and automatic room calibration give it the edge.

Score after Round 1: HomePod 9 | Sonos One 7

Round 2: Smart Assistant & Voice Control

This round isn't even close—but not in Apple's favor. The Sonos One offers three voice assistant options: Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, or Sonos Voice Control. You pick what works for your household. The HomePod? Siri only.

According to The Ambient, "there's also an argument that Siri just isn't as smart as Alexa or Google Assistant." Multiple reviews echo this sentiment. One frustrated user summarized on Threads: "It's a crying shame, because the HomePod sounds and looks fantastic. It's just not smart. At all."

Worse, the HomePod's voice control essentially only works with Apple Music. Want to play Spotify by voice? Sorry. With Sonos One, you can voice-control 100+ streaming services—Spotify, Amazon Music, Pandora, and yes, Apple Music too.

Apple HomePod	Sonos One
5/10	9/10

Round 2 Winner: Sonos One — Three assistant options and voice control for every major streaming service.

Score after Round 2: HomePod 14 | Sonos One 16

Round 3: Ecosystem & Compatibility

If you're all-in on Apple—iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Apple Music subscription, HomeKit smart home—the HomePod makes sense. CNN Underscored notes the seamless integration: automatic device handoff, Intercom between rooms, serving as a HomeKit hub, and the new Matter protocol support.

But here's the thing: most people aren't all-in on Apple. If anyone in your household uses Android, the HomePod becomes problematic. As Digital Trends puts it, "the HomePod isn't really worth considering unless you're already deep in the Apple ecosystem or prepared to get deep in there."

The Sonos One works with everything. iOS, Android, Windows, Mac—it doesn't care. AirPlay 2 and Matter support mean it plays nice with Apple's ecosystem too, just without the lock-in.

Apple HomePod	Sonos One
7/10	9/10

Round 3 Winner: Sonos One — Works with any smartphone, any ecosystem, any household.

Sonos One smart speaker in white finish with compact rounded-edge design

Round 4: Multi-Room Audio

What Hi-Fi? declares "Sonos remains the undisputed king of the multi-room game. It's been making multi-room speakers since 2005."

Sonos offers a complete ecosystem: the Sonos One as a bookshelf speaker, the Arc soundbar, Sub for bass, Era 100 and Era 300 for different room sizes, Move and Roam for portability. They all work together seamlessly. Want surround sound with your Arc? Add two Sonos Ones as rear speakers. Done.

Apple's multi-room is limited to HomePod and HomePod mini. That's it. No soundbar. No subwoofer. No portable option. The stereo pairing works great, but you can't build out a full home audio system the way you can with Sonos.

Apple HomePod	Sonos One
6/10	9/10

Round 4 Winner: Sonos One — 20 years of multi-room expertise with a complete product lineup.

Score after Round 4: HomePod 27 | Sonos One 34

Round 5: Value for Money

At $299, the HomePod is 50% more expensive than the Sonos One at $199. And Sonos frequently goes on sale—What Hi-Fi? notes it's "been available for as little as $170" from third-party retailers.

For the HomePod's $100 premium, you get better sound quality and automatic room calibration. That's genuinely worth something if audio quality is your priority. But you also get locked into Apple's ecosystem with a less capable voice assistant.

For non-Apple-ecosystem users, the math doesn't work. You're paying more for features you can't fully use (Siri, HomeKit integration, Apple Music voice control) while losing flexibility you need.

Apple HomePod	Sonos One
6/10	8/10

Round 5 Winner: Sonos One — $100 cheaper with better flexibility; the HomePod's premium only makes sense for committed Apple users.

Score after Round 5: HomePod 33 | Sonos One 42

Round 6: Reliability & Software Quality

Both speakers have serious software baggage. The HomePod has struggled with iOS 26 updates. According to AppleMagazine, users report "AirPlay devices changing without user input," "volume controls disappearing or stopping responding," and touch controls malfunctioning with "Siri being summoned or music playing randomly." Users complain about having to "unplug the device and restart their phones nearly every day."

Sonos isn't much better. The SoundGuys documented the "Sonos app debacle" with users reporting the app "intermittently fails to detect speakers—they appear and disappear at random." ConsumerAffairs reviews cite "cloud dependency" issues where speakers disconnect during AWS outages.

Both companies need to do better. The hardware is excellent; the software lets it down.

Apple HomePod	Sonos One
6/10	6/10

Round 6 Winner: Tie — Both have frustrating software reliability issues that undermine excellent hardware.

Modern living room with entertainment setup featuring TV and speakers in minimalist decor

Final Score

Product	Total Score	Verdict
Sonos One	48/60	WINNER
Apple HomePod	39/60

The Winner: Sonos One

The Sonos One wins this Death Match on points—and for most buyers, it's the right choice. It costs $100 less, works with any smartphone or ecosystem, offers your choice of voice assistant, and supports voice control for every major streaming service. Sonos's 20-year multi-room expertise means you can build out a whole-home audio system over time.

That said, this wasn't a knockout. The HomePod genuinely sounds better—fuller bass, more immersive 360-degree audio, and automatic room calibration that just works. What Hi-Fi? gave both five stars at their respective prices because the Sonos One is excellent value while the HomePod is a premium audio experience.

The key question is: are you committed to Apple's ecosystem? If you have an iPhone, Apple Music subscription, HomeKit smart home, and Apple TV, the HomePod's integration is seamless and the extra $100 for better sound is reasonable. For everyone else—especially mixed households, Android users, or Spotify subscribers—the Sonos One is the smarter buy.

Ready to buy the winner? Get the Sonos One on Amazon for $199 →

When the Loser Actually Wins

The Apple HomePod isn't right for everyone, but it's the better choice if:

You're all-in on Apple — iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Apple Music, HomeKit. The integration is genuinely seamless.
Sound quality is your #1 priority — The HomePod's audio performance is objectively superior in testing. If you care more about how music sounds than voice assistant smarts, it delivers.
You want zero-effort room calibration — The HomePod's automatic, always-on room sensing beats Sonos's manual Trueplay setup.
You use HomeKit extensively — The HomePod works as a Thread border router and Matter hub, making it a better smart home controller for Apple's ecosystem.

The Apple HomePod might be right for you: Check price on Amazon →

Frequently Asked Questions

Cozy home interior with vinyl records and audio equipment for music listening

Can I use Spotify with the HomePod?

Yes, but only via AirPlay—not voice control. You'll need to start Spotify on your iPhone first, then AirPlay to the HomePod. You cannot say "Hey Siri, play my Discover Weekly on Spotify." The Sonos One supports full Spotify voice control through Alexa or Google Assistant.

Does the HomePod work with Android phones?

Barely. You can AirPlay audio if you have specific apps, but the core HomePod experience requires an iPhone for setup and most features. The Sonos One works fully with Android via the Sonos app and Google Assistant.

Can I pair two speakers for stereo?

Yes, both support stereo pairing with identical speakers. Two HomePods create a stereo pair, as do two Sonos Ones. The HomePod stereo pair uses automatic room calibration; Sonos requires running Trueplay again after pairing.

Which has better bass?

The HomePod has significantly deeper bass extension thanks to its larger woofer and 360-degree design. RTINGS confirms the HomePod "can reproduce more low-bass." However, some audiophiles prefer the Sonos One's more neutral signature without the bass-heavy processing.

Do either support Bluetooth?

Neither has Bluetooth. Both require WiFi and use proprietary protocols (AirPlay 2 for HomePod, Sonos's protocol for Sonos One). This means no Bluetooth pairing with random devices, but it also means better audio quality than Bluetooth compression allows.