Glock G19 Gen5 9mm vs Smith & Wesson M&P 9 M2.0 Compact 9mm

These two compact 9mms are nearly identical on paper — both carry 15+1, both run striker-fired polymer frames, and dimensions sit within 0.04" on length, height, and width. The meaningful gaps live off the spec sheet: the M&P 2.0 Compact ships with a thumb safety (the G19 Gen5 has no thumb-safety option from the factory), a roughly 5 lb factory trigger that's close to the Glock's 5.5 lb pull, four user-changeable backstraps versus Glock's three Gen5 inserts, and an aggressive grip texture that owners consistently report shreds undershirts within weeks of appendix carry. The G19 Gen5 ships with three magazines to the M&P's two, and it sits inside the largest pistol aftermarket on the market.

Pick the Glock G19 Gen5 if:

• You want the deepest aftermarket of any pistol — more holsters, sights, triggers, and replacement parts than any competitor, including the M&P line
• You want Glock's familiar trigger feel and reset, since many M&P owners eventually install an Apex Tactical kit to tune theirs
• You want three magazines in the box instead of two

Pick the Smith & Wesson M&P 9 M2.0 Compact if:

• You want a factory thumb safety — Glock does not offer one on the G19 Gen5, and it is the standard ask for shooters transitioning from a 1911 or revolver
• You want four user-changeable backstraps for grip-circumference fit, one more size option than the Glock Gen5's three inserts
• You want the more aggressive grip texture for wet-hand retention and rapid fire, accepting that it can chew through thin undershirts during appendix carry

Both are compact polymer striker-fired 9mms with the same 15+1 capacity, the same 4" barrel class, the same optic-cut-required status on these base models (S&W and Glock both sell separate optic-ready variants), and neither has a meaningful weight or footprint advantage. The decision turns on the thumb safety, the grip texture, the magazine count, and how much aftermarket depth matters.