What is the difference between Miracast and Chromecast?
Miracast makes a direct phone-to-TV link, like a wireless HDMI cable. Google Cast routes through your Wi-Fi router and lets the TV fetch the content itself. The practical difference is not quality - it is that most phones and most TVs support only one of the two, and they have to match.
| Miracast | Google Cast | |
|---|---|---|
| How it connects | Direct device to device | Through your Wi-Fi router |
| Router required | No | Yes |
| Mirrors the whole screen | Yes | Yes |
| Phone can be used for other things | No, it is mirroring | Yes, when casting rather than mirroring |
| Affected by walls and distance | Noticeably | Less so |
| Android phones that support it | Samsung, Xiaomi, OPPO, realme, vivo, Huawei | Every phone with Google services |
| TVs that accept it | Samsung, LG, Roku, Fire TV, Hisense VIDAA | Google TV, Android TV, Vizio, Chromecast |
| Works without internet | Yes | No |
Choose Miracast if
- Your TV is a Samsung, LG, Roku or Fire TV - none of them accept Google Cast
- There is no Wi-Fi network available at all
- You need to show an app that has no cast button of its own
Choose Google Cast if
- You have a Pixel, or a current OnePlus or Motorola - they have no Miracast sender
- Your TV runs Google TV or Android TV, or is a Vizio
- You want to keep using your phone while something plays on the TV
The verdict
Related
- Wireless mirroring vs USB-C to HDMI
- Built-in feature vs A mirroring app
- Check which protocol your own devices use
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