I want to get a smart home system and I'm completely new to this. I live in a regular rental apartment, so nothing fancy. I'm wondering if I should go for something like Apple HomeKit, Google Home or Alexa, or are there other options that are simpler?
For beginners, I'd recommend Google Home or Alexa over Apple HomeKit. The reason: they're just cheaper to get started with and you'll find way more compatible devices for them. With Apple you often pay more and then you still need a HomePod mini as a hub, which means extra costs. Google Home and Alexa, on the other hand, have lots of cheap entry-level devices and work with most of the stuff you find in stores.
If you have to choose between Google and Alexa: Alexa (so Amazon) is probably a bit more beginner-friendly because the devices are cheaper and you can quickly get going with Echo Dots or whatever. Google Home is solid too, but Alexa just has the bigger selection of cheap smart plugs and lights. What they both have in common is that you can use them without a separate hub device - a smart speaker is plenty to start with.
For a small rental apartment you don't need anything fancy anyway. Just start with an Echo Dot or Google Home Mini, maybe add a smart bulb and a smart plug, and see if the system works for you. You can always expand later. I'd only go with HomeKit if you're planning to stick with the Apple ecosystem long-term - otherwise you're just asking for headaches.
Do you already have any smart home devices at home or are you starting completely from scratch? If you're really just starting out, I'd recommend going with Alexa or Google Home instead - not because of the hub itself, but because compatibility with cheap third-party devices is way better. HomeKit looks nice and all, but compatible devices often cost more money and there's less selection. With Alexa or Google you can find some working solution for practically any budget, and that makes experimenting less painful.
If you're really just starting out, I'd go with Apple HomeKit instead - yeah, I know that sounds counterintuitive, but it's actually the safest and simplest system. You just need an iPhone or iPad as a hub, and then everything works super intuitively right through the Home app. The compatibility is smaller than with Alexa or Google, but that's exactly the advantage: less choice overload, and the devices that do exist are usually well implemented. Google and Alexa are cheaper, sure, but you lose time messing around with dodgy no-name products that don't work properly. For a small rental apartment, HomeKit is totally sufficient.
I respectfully disagree - if you already have an iPhone or iPad anyway, HomeKit is definitely worth it despite the higher initial costs. The interface is really intuitive, and you don't need cloud dependency like you do with Google or Alexa. For a rental apartment, that's perfect because you can simply take everything with you later. If you're not already in the Apple ecosystem though, then I agree: Google Home or Alexa offer more affordable device options and get up and running faster.
The problem with this whole discussion is that all three systems are actually beginner-friendly - the real question is which one fits your existing ecosystem. Important: check out what specific devices you want to use beforehand, and then verify that they're compatible everywhere - that's the most common stumbling block, buying a hub only to find out that some smart lamp or thermostat only works with a different system. If you don't have anything yet and you're flexible, honestly I'd lean toward Google Home or Alexa because they're cheaper to get started with and you lose less money if you realize smart home isn't really your thing.
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