Softwr

Gaming · head to head

Amazon Luna vs Battle.net

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
Battle.net logo

Battle.net

Gaming

Blizzard game launcher and store, now owned by Microsoft, for a small first party catalogue

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Battle.net has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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.; Battle.net purchases are licences tied to one account in one region, so there is no resale, no transfer and no offline installer if the service or the account goes away.
  • They diverge on capability: Amazon Luna covers No install streaming, Battle.net covers Game installation and patching.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Amazon Luna and Battle.net actually diverge.

Attributes where Amazon Luna and Battle.net differ
AttributeAmazon LunaBattle.net
Starting price$9.99/monthFree
Pricing modelPer user per monthOne-time purchase
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Fire TV, iOS, Android, Windows, macOSWindows, macOS

Identical on both: 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 Battle.net

  • Game installation and patching
  • Account services
  • Social layer
  • In game shops
  • Subscription management
  • Parental controls

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

Battle.net

  • Playing any current Blizzard title, since the launcher is mandatory whether or not you bought through Steamnot Amazon Luna
  • Running a World of Warcraft subscription and paying for it with in game gold through tokens instead of cashnot Amazon Luna
  • Keeping Call of Duty installs and updates managed on PC without going through the Xbox appnot Amazon Luna
  • Households that need play time and purchase limits applied to a child account by a parentnot 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.

Battle.net

  • Purchases are licences tied to one account in one region, so there is no resale, no transfer and no offline installer if the service or the account goes away.
  • Battle.net Balance and account region are locked, which blocks the common tactic of buying in a cheaper territory and removes any pricing flexibility for players who move country.
  • The store carries only Microsoft owned publishers, so it is an additional launcher and background updater running for a handful of games.
  • There is no family or library sharing comparable to Steam Families, so a household with two players buys two copies of every title.
  • A ban or a lost authenticator removes access to everything on the account at once, and Blizzard support decisions on account actions are slow and rarely reversed.

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

Battle.net

Free
  • Battle.net clientFree
    • Free client and account
    • Free to play titles including Hearthstone and Overwatch 2
    • Games and expansions bought individually
  • World of Warcraft subscription$14.99/month
    • Monthly recurring subscription with cheaper three and six month terms
    • Includes access to the current retail and classic realms
    • Can be paid with in game tokens bought from other players

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 Battle.net if

  • You need game installation and patching.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS.
  • You also want account services.
Battle.net review

Questions people ask

Is Amazon Luna or Battle.net better?
Neither clearly leads. Amazon Luna starts at $9.99/month and Battle.net at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Amazon Luna or Battle.net?
Battle.net has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $9.99/month for Amazon Luna and Free for Battle.net.
Does Amazon Luna or Battle.net run on more platforms?
Amazon Luna runs on Web, Fire TV, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS. Battle.net runs on Windows, macOS.
Can I use Battle.net for free?
Yes. Battle.net has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Amazon Luna starts at $9.99/month.
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 Battle.net is typically brought in for.
What can Amazon Luna do that Battle.net cannot?
Amazon Luna covers No install streaming, Play your own library, Prime included titles, Publisher channels. Battle.net covers Game installation and patching, Account services, Social layer, In game shops.

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.

Battle.net: Do I still need Battle.net if I buy a Blizzard game on Steam?

Yes. Steam versions launch through Battle.net and require a linked Blizzard account, so you run both clients.

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.

Battle.net: Can I get a refund?

Blizzard offers refunds within a narrow window and playtime limit, decided case by case. It is significantly less generous than the Steam two hour policy.

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.

Battle.net: What happened to Battle.net after Microsoft bought Activision Blizzard?

It continues to operate as the launcher for Blizzard titles, but Microsoft has also returned those games to Steam, so it is no longer the only purchase route.

Share

Related pages

More on Amazon Luna

More on Battle.net

Keep looking

Other head to heads