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Amazon Music vs Cubase

Amazon Music logo

Amazon Music

Music

Unlimited music for every moment

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Cubase logo

Cubase

Music

Steinberg workstation with the strongest score editor of any DAW, now licensed without a USB dongle

From
$99.99/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Amazon Music has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Amazon Music amazon Music Unlimited is required for on-demand access to the 100 million song catalogue, ad-free podcasts and Audible audiobooks; Cubase steinberg Licensing ties activations to an account across up to three machines, so an isolated or air-gapped studio computer needs the offline activation procedure rather than a carried dongle, and that procedure must be repeated whenever the hardware is rebuilt.
  • They diverge on capability: Amazon Music covers Music streaming, Cubase covers Score editor.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Amazon Music and Cubase actually diverge.

Attributes where Amazon Music and Cubase differ
AttributeAmazon MusicCubase
Starting priceFree$99.99/one-time
Pricing modelfreemiumOne-time purchase
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, Fire-tv, EchoWindows, macOS
Founded2007Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Music).

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 Music

  • Music streaming
  • HD audio
  • Podcasts
  • Alexa integration
  • Echo devices
  • Fire TV
  • Alexa
  • Amazon account security

Only in Cubase

  • Score editor
  • Expression maps
  • VariAudio
  • Chord Track and Chord Pads
  • Logical Editor
  • Video track
  • Steinberg Licensing
  • MixConsole

What people use each for

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

Amazon Music

  • On-demand music streaming across phone, watch and speakersnot Cubase
  • Listening to podcasts and Audible audiobooks in one appnot Cubase
  • Offline playback for subscribersnot Cubase

Cubase

  • Writing to picture where the deliverable includes printed parts as well as a mix, because the score comes from the same project rather than a MIDI exportnot Amazon Music
  • Driving large orchestral sample libraries, where expression maps turn articulation switching into notation instead of hidden keyswitch lanesnot Amazon Music
  • Studios standardised on Steinberg or Yamaha hardware, where control surface integration is already builtnot Amazon Music
  • Replacing a dongle based Cubase installation, where the reason to upgrade is removing the USB key as a single point of failurenot Amazon Music

Where each one falls short

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

Amazon Music

  • Amazon Music Unlimited is required for on-demand access to the 100 million song catalogue, ad-free podcasts and Audible audiobooks
  • Unlimited skips require the Amazon Music Unlimited subscription
  • Subscriptions bought through iTunes renew automatically each month unless auto-renewal is turned off at least 24 hours before the period ends
  • The account is charged for renewal within 24 hours before the end of each membership period
  • The iOS app requires iOS 16.0 or later

Cubase

  • Steinberg Licensing ties activations to an account across up to three machines, so an isolated or air-gapped studio computer needs the offline activation procedure rather than a carried dongle, and that procedure must be repeated whenever the hardware is rebuilt.
  • Elements and Artist withhold features most buyers eventually need, including the top VariAudio tier and full surround work, so the realistic price is the Pro edition rather than the entry figure.
  • Projects saved in a newer version cannot be opened in an older one, so studios collaborating with clients on mixed versions have to standardise, and paid upgrades arrive roughly once a year.
  • There is no Linux build and no stated plan for one, so the platform choice is Windows or macOS only and a Linux studio is excluded outright.
  • The interface carries three decades of accumulated windows and dialogs spread across the Project window, MixConsole, Key Editor and Score Editor, so the learning curve is considerably longer than Live or Logic for a new user.

Pricing, plan by plan

Amazon Music

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Limited selection
    • Ads
  • Unlimited$9.99/month
    • Full catalog
    • HD audio

Cubase

$99.99/one-time
  • Cubase Elements$99.99/one-time
    • Perpetual licence
    • Capped audio, MIDI and instrument track counts
    • Reduced editing and mixing tool set
  • Cubase Artist$329.99/one-time
    • Perpetual licence
    • Higher track limits than Elements
    • Score editor included
  • Cubase Pro$579.99/one-time
    • Perpetual licence
    • Unlimited tracks
    • Full score editor, expression maps and surround

Which should you pick?

Choose Amazon Music if

  • You need music streaming.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Fire-tv, Echo.
  • You also want hd audio.
Amazon Music review

Choose Cubase if

  • You need score editor.
  • You work on Windows, macOS.
  • You also want expression maps.
Cubase review

Questions people ask

Is Amazon Music or Cubase better?
Neither clearly leads. Amazon Music starts at Free and Cubase at $99.99/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Amazon Music or Cubase?
Amazon Music has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Amazon Music and $99.99/one-time for Cubase.
Does Amazon Music or Cubase run on more platforms?
Amazon Music runs on Web, Ios, Android, Fire-tv, Echo. Cubase runs on Windows, macOS.
Can I use Amazon Music for free?
Yes. Amazon Music has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Cubase starts at $99.99/one-time.
What is Amazon Music best used for?
Amazon Music is most often used for on-demand music streaming across phone, watch and speakers, listening to podcasts and audible audiobooks in one app, offline playback for subscribers. Of those, on-demand music streaming across phone, watch and speakers and listening to podcasts and audible audiobooks in one app are not what Cubase is typically brought in for.
What can Amazon Music do that Cubase cannot?
Amazon Music covers Music streaming, HD audio, Podcasts, Alexa integration. Cubase covers Score editor, Expression maps, VariAudio, Chord Track and Chord Pads.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Amazon Music: What are the pricing options for Amazon Music?

The main Amazon Music page does not display pricing information. Users must visit additional pages on Amazon's website or the app store to see subscription costs.

Source
Cubase: Does Cubase still need a USB dongle?

No. From Cubase 12 onwards Steinberg Licensing replaced the eLicenser. Activation runs through the Steinberg Activation Manager on up to three computers.

Amazon Music: Is there a free tier or trial period?

The page does not disclose whether a free trial, free tier, or evaluation period is available for Amazon Music. Pricing and trial details would need to be found on related pages.

Source
Cubase: Can I run Cubase on a computer with no internet access?

Yes, but through the offline activation path in the Activation Manager rather than a normal sign in, and you repeat it if the machine is rebuilt. Test it before committing an isolated scoring rig.

Amazon Music: Can I cancel my Amazon Music subscription anytime?

The page does not specify cancellation policies or contract terms for Amazon Music subscriptions.

Source
Cubase: Is Cubase a subscription?

No. Editions are bought outright and keep working. Steinberg charges separately for version upgrades, which appear roughly once a year.

Cubase: Which edition do I need for scoring work?

Pro. Artist includes a score editor, but Pro is the edition with the full engraving, expression map and surround feature set that media work assumes.

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