Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteWalmart’s U.S. privacy notice lays out a more explicit menu of privacy rights and opt-outs, including Global Privacy Control (GPC) support for certain targeted-advertising and sale/sharing opt-outs. Amazon, meanwhile, describes more specific controls for recommendations and browsing history. Which is better depends on the control you want and where you live—not on a proven difference in how much data either company collects or how effectively its controls work.
What this comparison can—and cannot—tell you
Both companies describe collecting or using account, transaction, device, and online activity information. Walmart’s notice also covers online and in-store contexts and lists categories such as biometrics, geolocation, sensory data, and inferences. Amazon’s notice discusses automatic collection, cookies and identifiers, personalization, recommendations, and interest-based advertising. These descriptions show that both retailers’ practices involve many types of information; they do not establish a measurable ranking of data volume.
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This comparison concerns the companies’ published U.S. customer privacy materials, not an independent audit. The notices do not measure how much data either company collects in practice or test how well its controls work. Amazon describes Amazon Services and its web, account, device, and advertising controls; Walmart’s customer notice expressly applies online and in-store. Check the notice and settings for your location, device, account, and specific service.
How the controls compare
| Control | Amazon | Walmart |
|---|---|---|
| Account information | “Your Account” lets customers view or update details including name, address, payment options, profile information, Prime membership, household settings, and purchase history. | Account login supports updates to contact and payment details. Additional options may be available through “Your Privacy Choices,” depending on residence. |
| Advertising choices | “Your Ads Privacy Choices” lets customers adjust personalized advertising. Amazon says ad companies may receive advertising identifiers and ad-effectiveness information, but not a customer’s name or other directly identifying information through this process. | The notice describes opt-outs of targeted advertising or sale/sharing where available, along with GPC support for specified opt-outs. |
| Recommendations and browsing history | Customers can manage recommendations and browsing history. Amazon also describes a way to browse without linking browsing history to an account, with a functionality trade-off explained below. | The reviewed customer notice describes privacy choices but does not detail an equivalent browsing-history control in the same terms. That is not proof that no such control exists. |
| Cookies | Amazon says cookies and identifiers support service functions and warns that rejecting cookies may prevent essential features, including adding items to a cart, checkout, or services that require sign-in. | The U.S. notice describes browser-scoped opt-outs and GPC. Walmart’s notice also includes cookie settings in its Canada section; that section should not be treated as a description of U.S. cookie controls. |
| Access, correction, and deletion | Where required by law, customers may have rights to access or delete personal information and can submit requests through Data Privacy Queries. | Access, correction, and deletion rights depend on residence. The notice also describes account deletion. |
Which retailer is better for the control you want?
If you want explicit opt-outs and rights
Walmart’s notice makes its menu of rights and opt-outs especially clear: depending on where you live, it describes access, correction, deletion, and opt-outs of targeted advertising or sale/sharing. Walmart says it honors GPC for certain opt-outs. Its notice specifies that a GPC signal applies to the browser sending it; if you are logged in, the opt-out extends to your Walmart account. Walmart says processing an opt-out for other data already held in its systems may take up to 15 days after receiving the request. This is the company’s stated processing estimate, not an independently measured result.
#1 Best Overall
- Your favorite music and content – Play music, audiobooks, and podcasts from Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify and others or via Bluetooth throughout your home.
- Alexa is happy to help – Ask Alexa for weather updates and to set hands-free timers, get answers to your questions and even hear jokes. Need a few extra minutes in the morning? Just tap your Echo Dot to snooze your alarm.
- Keep your home comfortable – Control compatible smart home devices with your voice and routines triggered by built-in motion or indoor temperature sensors. Create routines to automatically turn on lights when you walk into a room, or start a fan if the inside temperature goes above your comfort zone.
- Do more with device pairing – Fill your home with music using compatible Echo devices in different rooms, or create a home theatre system with Fire TV.
- Say goodbye to drop-offs and buffering - With eero Built-in, Echo Dot doubles as a mesh wifi extender, adding up to 1,000 sq. ft. of wifi coverage to your existing eero network.
If you want to manage recommendations or browsing history
Amazon’s notice more specifically describes managing recommendations and browsing history. It states: “If you want to browse our websites without linking the browsing history to your account, you may do so by signing out of your account and blocking cookies on your browser.” Amazon warns that rejecting cookies can disable shopping features such as cart use, checkout, or sign-in. If you mainly want to change ad personalization, use the advertising preference rather than assuming that blocking every cookie is necessary.
Where to find the settings
Amazon
- Open Your Account to review or update account and purchase information.
- Open Your Ads Privacy Choices to adjust personalized advertising preferences.
- Review recommendation and browsing-history settings if personalization is your concern. For signed-out browsing that is not linked to your account, Amazon describes signing out and blocking cookies, with possible loss of essential site features.
- For an access or deletion request where applicable, use Data Privacy Queries.
Details and eligibility are in Amazon’s Privacy Notice.
Rank #2
- Your favorite music and content – Play music, audiobooks, and podcasts from Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify and others or via Bluetooth throughout your home.
- Alexa is happy to help – Ask Alexa for weather updates and to set hands-free timers, get answers to your questions and even hear jokes. Need a few extra minutes in the morning? Just tap your Echo Dot to snooze your alarm.
- Keep your home comfortable – Control compatible smart home devices with your voice and routines triggered by built-in motion or indoor temperature sensors. Create routines to automatically turn on lights when you walk into a room, or start a fan if the inside temperature goes above your comfort zone.
- Do more with device pairing – Fill your home with music using compatible Echo devices in different rooms, or create a home theatre system with Fire TV.
- Say goodbye to drop-offs and buffering - With eero Built-in, Echo Dot doubles as a mesh wifi extender, adding up to 1,000 sq. ft. of wifi coverage to your existing eero network.
Walmart
- Open Your Privacy Choices from the site footer or app settings.
- Choose the available access, correction, deletion, targeted-advertising, or sale/sharing option that applies to your residence.
- If you use GPC, check that your browser sends the signal. Walmart says it applies to that browser and, when you are logged in, extends to your account.
See Walmart’s customer privacy notice and its Privacy Center: Ad Choices for details and contact routes.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Location and service boundaries matter
Available rights can depend on residence, and the companies’ notices cover different services and contexts. Amazon points to additional state-specific disclosures and a separate consumer health data disclosure that applies to specified laws and data. Walmart has region-specific sections and separate VIZIO details; its notice says linked VIZIO OS data can be combined with a Walmart account if the user opts in. Consult the notice for the relevant region and service rather than assuming a setting covers every device or relationship with either company. Amazon’s Consumer Health Data Privacy Disclosure was updated June 30, 2026.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- MEET ECHO SPOT - A sleek smart alarm clock with Alexa and big vibrant sound. Ready to help you wake up, wind down, and so much more.
- CUSTOMIZABLE SMART CLOCK - See time, weather, and song titles at a glance, control smart home devices, and more. Personalize your display with your favorite clock face and fun colors.
- BIG VIBRANT SOUND - Enjoy rich sound with clear vocals and deep bass. Just ask Alexa to play music, podcasts, and audiobooks. See song titles and touch to control your music.
- EASE INTO THE DAY - Set up an Alexa routine that gently wakes you with music and gradual light. Glance at the time, check reminders, or ask Alexa for weather updates.
- KEEP YOUR HOME COMFORTABLE - Control compatible smart home devices. Just ask Alexa to turn on lights or touch the screen to dim. Create routines that use motion detection to turn down the thermostat as you head out or open the blinds when you walk into a room.
Rank #4
- Your favorite music and content – Play music, audiobooks, and podcasts from Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify and others or via Bluetooth throughout your home.
- Alexa is happy to help – Ask Alexa for weather updates and to set hands-free timers, get answers to your questions and even hear jokes. Need a few extra minutes in the morning? Just tap your Echo Dot to snooze your alarm.
- Keep your home comfortable – Control compatible smart home devices with your voice and routines triggered by built-in motion or indoor temperature sensors. Create routines to automatically turn on lights when you walk into a room, or start a fan if the inside temperature goes above your comfort zone.
- Do more with device pairing – Fill your home with music using compatible Echo devices in different rooms, or create a home theatre system with Fire TV.
- Say goodbye to drop-offs and buffering - With eero Built-in, Echo Dot doubles as a mesh wifi extender, adding up to 1,000 sq. ft. of wifi coverage to your existing eero network.
Rank #3
- Meet Echo Dot Max: Experience rich room-filling sound that automatically adapts to your space and fine-tunes playback. Features a built-in smart home hub and Omnisense technology for highly personalized experiences.
- Music to your ears: With nearly 3x the bass versus Echo Dot (2022 release), it fits beautifully in any space, delivering your personal sound stage with deep bass and enhanced clarity. Listen to streaming services, such as Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, and SiriusXM. Encore!
- Do more with device pairing: Connect compatible Echo smart speakers and smart displays in different rooms, or pair with a second Echo Dot Max to enjoy even richer sound
- Simple smart home control: Set routines, pair and control lights, locks, and thousands of smart home devices that work with Alexa without needing a separate smart home hub. With Omnisense technology, you can activate routines via temperature or presence detection.
- Say goodbye to drop-offs and buffering - With eero Built-in, Echo Dot Max doubles as a mesh wifi extender, adding up to 1,000 sq. ft. of wifi coverage to your existing eero network.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
