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Gaming · head to head

Amazon Luna vs Steam

Amazon Luna logo

Amazon Luna

Gaming

Cloud gaming service that streams both a subscription catalogue and games you own elsewhere

From
$9.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Steam logo

Steam

Gaming

The ultimate destination for playing, discussing, and creating games

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Amazon Luna input latency makes competitive shooters, fighting games and anything requiring precise timing noticeably worse than local play, and no amount of bandwidth fixes it.; Steam not a subscription-based platform; operates as a digital game store with per-title pricing
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Amazon Luna and Steam actually diverge.

Attributes where Amazon Luna and Steam differ
AttributeAmazon LunaSteam
Starting price$9.99/monthOn request
Pricing modelPer user per monthsubscription
PlatformsWeb, Fire TV, iOS, Android, Windows, macOSWeb

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Gaming).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Amazon Luna

  • No install streaming
  • Play your own library
  • Prime included titles
  • Publisher channels
  • Luna controller support
  • Twitch integration

Only in Steam

Nothing recorded that Amazon Luna does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Amazon Luna

  • Playing on a television through a Fire TV stick without buying a consolenot Steam
  • Playing on a work laptop or a low powered machine that could not run the title locallynot Steam
  • Trying a game on a phone or tablet with a controller while away from the main machinenot Steam
  • Playing selected titles you already own on Epic, GOG or Ubisoft Connect without a gaming PC to install them onnot Steam

Steam

  • PC game distribution and purchasenot Amazon Luna
  • Digital game library managementnot Amazon Luna
  • Multiplayer gaming platformnot Amazon Luna

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Amazon Luna

  • Input latency makes competitive shooters, fighting games and anything requiring precise timing noticeably worse than local play, and no amount of bandwidth fixes it.
  • A sustained connection of around ten megabits or more is needed and Wi-Fi congestion in a shared household produces compression artefacts and dropped sessions at exactly the times people want to play.
  • Service is available only in a list of countries, so travelling outside them ends access to a subscription you are still paying for.
  • The play your own library feature covers a selected set of titles rather than your whole Epic, GOG or Ubisoft account, so it cannot be assumed to work for any particular game you own.
  • The subscription catalogue rotates and titles are withdrawn by publishers, so a game you are part way through can disappear and you own nothing once you cancel.

Steam

  • Not a subscription-based platform; operates as a digital game store with per-title pricing
  • No service tiers or platform access fees; users access the platform free

Pricing, plan by plan

Amazon Luna

$9.99/month
  • Luna Premium$9.99/month
    • Access to the Luna catalogue
    • Streaming to browser, Fire TV, mobile and supported televisions
    • Higher resolution and frame rate on supported titles
  • Included with Prime$undefined/month
    • A rotating set of titles playable at no extra charge for Prime members
    • Requires an active Amazon Prime membership, which is billed separately
  • Ubisoft+ channel$17.99/month
    • Ubisoft catalogue streamed through Luna
    • Bought as an add on channel rather than included in the base subscription

Steam

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Steam review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Amazon Luna if

  • You need no install streaming.
  • You work on Web, Fire TV, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS.
  • You also want play your own library.
Amazon Luna review

Choose Steam if

Nothing in the data separates Steam from Amazon Luna on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Steam review

Questions people ask

Is Amazon Luna or Steam better?
Neither clearly leads. Amazon Luna starts at $9.99/month and Steam at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Amazon Luna or Steam?
Amazon Luna starts at $9.99/month and Steam at On request.
Does Amazon Luna or Steam run on more platforms?
Amazon Luna runs on Web, Fire TV, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS. Steam runs on Web.
What is Amazon Luna best used for?
Amazon Luna is most often used for playing on a television through a fire tv stick without buying a console, playing on a work laptop or a low powered machine that could not run the title locally, trying a game on a phone or tablet with a controller while away from the main machine, playing selected titles you already own on epic, gog or ubisoft connect without a gaming pc to install them on. Of those, playing on a television through a fire tv stick without buying a console and playing on a work laptop or a low powered machine that could not run the title locally are not what Steam is typically brought in for.
What can Amazon Luna do that Steam cannot?
Amazon Luna covers No install streaming, Play your own library, Prime included titles, Publisher channels.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Amazon Luna: Can I play games I already bought?

Selected titles from the Epic Games Store, GOG and Ubisoft Connect, once the accounts are linked. It is a curated list, not your full library.

Steam: Is there a cost to create a Steam account and download games?

No, creating a Steam account and accessing the platform is completely free. Individual games are sold at varying prices, and many titles are free-to-play. There is no platform subscription or membership fee required to use Steam.

Source
Amazon Luna: What internet speed does it need?

Around ten megabits per second sustained for standard streaming and more for higher resolutions. A wired connection or a five gigahertz Wi-Fi band makes a visible difference.

Steam: Are free-to-play games truly available on Steam at no cost?

Yes, Steam hosts numerous free-to-play titles including Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, Apex Legends, and PUBG: Battlegrounds. Players can download and play these games without any payment, though in-game cosmetics and passes may be available for purchase.

Source
Amazon Luna: Is Luna included with Amazon Prime?

A rotating selection of titles is included for Prime members. The full catalogue requires the paid Luna subscription on top.

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