The primary benefit of Chromecast is that it allows one to stream via the use of one’s phone or computer, whereas Amazon Fire allows one to download apps directly onto the device. Hence, it can be said that Chromecast uses the phone to connect to the services and stream the videos, whereas Amazon Fire TV connects to the service and streams the videos directly. The results in the Amazon Fire being just slightly faster in connecting to the services, as it does not have to route through another device. It also results in less buffering. However, the difference is minor and only noticeable on slower internet connections.

Some other stray observations, Amazon Fire TV Stick tend to support more games, especially as compared to Chromecast. Amazon Fire TV Stick has the option of using a voice controlled Bluetooth remote that allows one to search for titles, as well as play or pause the video.  A mobile app is also available that does the same thing. Chromecast, on the other hand, relies primarily on a phone, tablet or PC for use and control.

In terms or performance, both Chromecast and Amazon Fire TV Stick support 1080p resolution. However, loading and streaming 1080p over an internet connection is no small feat, hence it frequently leads to buffering. The benefit of Amazon Fire TV Stick here is its inbuilt memory, using which it can pre-fetch video files to further wait times. It also supports  also has support for H.265 (HEVC) files, due to its quad-core chip which results in the Prime Video titles loading faster and consuming less bandwidth.

However, it should be noted that phone apps always tend to get updated first and tend to be more optimized. As Chromecast tends to connect and rely on phone apps, it will get the updates faster and they will generally be better, until they eventually get around to modifying them for Amazon use. However, these apps need to be loaded onto the phone, tablet, or computer in order to use with Chromecast, whereas Amazon Fire TV Stick downloads them directly on the device itself.

Additionally, one of the best points for Chromecast is that it is created and supported by Google which has a much wider support base. Google claims that it supports around 20,000 apps, whereas by comparison, Amazon has said that it supports 3,000 apps, games, and services for the Fire TV Stick. This of course varies from region to region. However, as they are direct competitors they do not support each other’s services, i.e. Amazon Video is missing on Chromecast, whereas Amazon Fire TV Stick does not support Play Music and Movies. Still, there is a workout to this in Chromecast’s case. One can simply use a browser on the phone, tablet or PC to access Amazon Video and mirror it to the TV using Chromecast.

Comparison between Chromecast and Amazon Fire TV Stick:

Reference: Wikipedia (Chromecast and Amazon Fire TV Stick), Chromecast,
Amazon, Indian Express, NDTV Gadgets, Trusted Reviews
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