Software · head to head
Amazon Prime Video vs Spotify
The short version
- Only Spotify has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Amazon Prime Video the Internet Archive's capture of Prime Video's signup page on 1 January 2024 (EU locale) priced a standalone Prime Video membership at 5.99 euro per month, capped at 3 devices watching at once; figure is region-specific and may differ in other markets.; Spotify ad-free listening, offline downloads, lossless audio and unlimited skipping all require Premium at $12.99 a month
- They diverge on capability: Amazon Prime Video covers Video streaming, Spotify covers Music streaming.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Amazon Prime Video and Spotify actually diverge.
| Attribute | Amazon Prime Video | Spotify |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $8.99/month | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | freemium |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles, Fire-tv | Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Smart-speakers |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown), founded (2006).
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 Prime Video
- Video streaming
- Original content
- Multiple profiles
- X-Ray features
- 4K Ultra HD
- HDR content
- Dolby Atmos
- Amazon Echo
Only in Spotify
- Music streaming
- Podcast streaming
- Playlist creation
- Music discovery
- Social sharing
- Cross-device sync
- Audio quality options
- Spotify Connect
Both cover
- Offline downloads
- Gaming consoles
- Cloud deployment
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Amazon Prime Video
- Entertainment streamingnot Spotify
- Original series viewingnot Spotify
- Movie streamingnot Spotify
- Family entertainmentnot Spotify
- Offline viewingnot Spotify
Spotify
- Music listeningnot Amazon Prime Video
- Podcast consumptionnot Amazon Prime Video
- Playlist sharingnot Amazon Prime Video
- Music discoverynot Amazon Prime Video
- Background musicnot Amazon Prime Video
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Amazon Prime Video
- The Internet Archive's capture of Prime Video's signup page on 1 January 2024 (EU locale) priced a standalone Prime Video membership at 5.99 euro per month, capped at 3 devices watching at once; figure is region-specific and may differ in other markets.
Spotify
- Ad-free listening, offline downloads, lossless audio and unlimited skipping all require Premium at $12.99 a month
- Lossless streaming tops out at 24-bit/44.1 kHz
- The Duo plan at $18.99 a month covers two people and the Family plan at $21.99 covers a household, with no per-seat option between them
Pricing, plan by plan
Amazon Prime Video
$8.99/month- Prime Video$8.99/month
- Thousands of movies and TV shows
- Amazon Original series
- Ad-free viewing
- Amazon Prime$14.98/month
- All Prime Video content
- Free shipping on Amazon
- Amazon Music Prime
Spotify
Free- FreeFree
- Ad-supported music
- Shuffle play
- Limited skips
- Premium$9.99/month
- Ad-free music
- Play any song
- Unlimited skips
- Family$15.99/month
- 6 Premium accounts
- Individual profiles
- Parental controls
Which should you pick?
Choose Amazon Prime Video if
- You need video streaming.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles, Fire-tv.
- You also want original content.
Choose Spotify if
- You need music streaming.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Smart-speakers.
- You also want podcast streaming.
Questions people ask
- Is Amazon Prime Video or Spotify better?
- Neither clearly leads. Amazon Prime Video starts at $8.99/month and Spotify at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Amazon Prime Video or Spotify?
- Spotify has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $8.99/month for Amazon Prime Video and Free for Spotify.
- Does Amazon Prime Video or Spotify run on more platforms?
- Amazon Prime Video runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles, Fire-tv. Spotify runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Smart-speakers.
- Can I use Spotify for free?
- Yes. Spotify has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Amazon Prime Video starts at $8.99/month.
- What is Amazon Prime Video best used for?
- Amazon Prime Video is most often used for entertainment streaming, original series viewing, movie streaming, family entertainment. Of those, entertainment streaming and original series viewing are not what Spotify is typically brought in for.
- What can Amazon Prime Video do that Spotify cannot?
- Amazon Prime Video covers Video streaming, Original content, Multiple profiles, X-Ray features. Spotify covers Music streaming, Podcast streaming, Playlist creation, Music discovery. Both handle Offline downloads, Gaming consoles, Cloud deployment, Web support.