For most homes, the best whole-house intercom is built from smart speakers you already own: Apple's Intercom for HomePods, Alexa Announcements and Drop In for Echo devices, and Google's broadcast or a push-to-talk app for Nest and Chromecast speakers. A wired intercom only makes sense when the walls are already open. Pick based on which speakers fill most of your rooms, because no single system reaches all brands at once.
The quick comparison
| Option | Talk back? | How you send | Works on | Cost if you own the speakers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wired intercom | Yes | Button on a wall station | Its own stations only | Hardware plus installation |
| Apple Intercom | Yes, replies | Siri, or the Home app on iPhone or iPad | HomePod, plus iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch notifications | Free |
| Alexa Announcements | No, one-way | "Alexa, announce..." | Alexa devices on your account | Free |
| Alexa Drop In | Yes, live two-way | "Alexa, Drop In on..." | Supported Echo devices | Free |
| Google broadcast | No, one-way | Ask the Gemini app to broadcast, or check the Google Home app | Google speakers, displays and clocks | Free |
| Push-to-talk app | No, one-way | Hold a button, talk, let go | Depends on the app (Holler: Chromecast, Nest, Sonos) | Free to try, small one-time cost |
Wired intercoms
A wired system puts a station in each room, connected by cable to a central unit. You press a button and talk. It does not need Wi-Fi, a phone or an account, and it keeps working when the internet is down. Some older homes still have one in the walls.
The cost is the install. Running cable through finished walls is real work, and the stations only do one job. If you are building or gutting a house and you want fixed panels by the doors, a wired system is reasonable. In a finished home, every other option on this list is cheaper and faster. Get a quote from a local installer if you are curious; prices depend heavily on the house.
Apple Intercom (HomePod)
If your house runs on HomePods, start here. Apple's Intercom sends your voice to every HomePod in the home, or to one area ("Hey Siri, announce upstairs..."). You can send from Siri on a HomePod, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, AirPods or CarPlay, or tap the Intercom button in the Home app. People can reply by voice, which most intercoms on this list cannot do.
Limits: the receiving speakers are HomePods (plus iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch if notifications are on). Other brands' AirPlay speakers do not receive Intercom, and the Mac is not on Apple's list of devices that send. Apple also gives other apps no way to send Intercom messages, which we explain in why apps can't broadcast to HomePod and AirPlay.
Alexa: Announcements and Drop In
Amazon has two features, and they solve different problems.
- Announcements are one-way. Say "Alexa, announce, dinner is ready" or "Alexa, tell everyone it's time to go," and the message plays on the Alexa devices on your account. Amazon's help page notes that with Alexa+, announcements play in Alexa's voice by default, and you can switch back to your own voice in the Alexa app under Communication settings.
- Drop In is a live two-way connection, like a hands-free call. "Alexa, Drop In on living room" connects you to one room; "Alexa, Drop In everywhere" connects to all supported devices in your household. It is optional and set per device in the Alexa app.
If you want real back-and-forth talking between rooms and you are happy with Echo speakers, Alexa is the strongest pick on this list. Be thoughtful with Drop In in a house with teenagers or guests, since it opens a live microphone in the other room.
Google: broadcast, now through Gemini
Google speakers have long supported a "broadcast" command that plays a message on every speaker or on one room. Google is moving its speakers from Google Assistant to Gemini for Home, and broadcast has moved with it. Google's current help page describes asking the Gemini mobile app to broadcast a message to a device, a room or the whole home. Your prompt must start with "broadcast," and the app needs Google Home connected and Keep Activity turned on. Speakers in Do Not Disturb will not play it.
The transition has had bumps. In July 2026, Android Authority reported a bug where Gemini answered broadcast requests as normal questions, and Google said a fix was coming. Check the current Google Home and Gemini apps for how broadcast behaves on your phone today. Our guide to announcing to Google speakers without saying "Hey Google" covers the alternatives.
Push-to-talk apps
An app turns your phone or computer into the intercom button. You hold a button, talk, and let go; the app records the clip and plays it on the speakers you chose. Because the message is recorded first, there is a short delay and no talking back. In return you get no wake word, no assistant guessing what you meant, and your exact voice.
Holler is one of these. It works with Chromecast and Google Nest speakers (including TVs and soundbars with Chromecast built in) from iPhone, iPad and Mac, and with Sonos from the Mac app, with Sonos on iPhone coming soon. On iPhone you can map it to the Action Button, which we cover in turning the Action Button into a push-to-talk intercom. It does not support HomePod, AirPlay, Bluetooth or Echo speakers.
Which one fits your home?
- Mostly HomePods: use Apple Intercom. It is free and supports replies.
- Mostly Echo devices: use Alexa Announcements for quick messages and Drop In when you need a conversation.
- Mostly Google Nest or Chromecast: try Google's broadcast first. If you want a physical button, no wake word or your real voice, add a push-to-talk app.
- Sonos: Sonos has no built-in intercom, so use a Mac app or Home Assistant. See Sonos announcements from a Mac.
- A mix of brands: pick the brand in the rooms where people actually are (kitchen, kids' rooms, basement) and use that system. Running two systems side by side works, but it gets confusing fast.
- New build: consider wiring, but plan for smart speakers anyway.
Whatever you choose, all of the smart-speaker options depend on your phone and speakers being on the same home network. If speakers do not show up, see fixing guest networks, mesh Wi-Fi and VLANs.