Software · head to head
Spotify vs Amazon Prime Video
The short version
- Only Spotify has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Spotify ad-free listening, offline downloads, lossless audio and unlimited skipping all require Premium at $12.99 a month; 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.
- They diverge on capability: Spotify covers Music streaming, Amazon Prime Video covers Video streaming.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Spotify and Amazon Prime Video actually diverge.
| Attribute | Spotify | Amazon Prime Video |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $8.99/month |
| Pricing model | freemium | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Smart-speakers | Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles, Fire-tv |
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 Spotify
- Music streaming
- Podcast streaming
- Playlist creation
- Music discovery
- Social sharing
- Cross-device sync
- Audio quality options
- Spotify Connect
Only in Amazon Prime Video
- Video streaming
- Original content
- Multiple profiles
- X-Ray features
- 4K Ultra HD
- HDR content
- Dolby Atmos
- Amazon Echo
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.
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
Amazon Prime Video
- Entertainment streamingnot Spotify
- Original series viewingnot Spotify
- Movie streamingnot Spotify
- Family entertainmentnot Spotify
- Offline viewingnot Spotify
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
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.
Pricing, plan by plan
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
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
Which should you pick?
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.
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.
Questions people ask
- Is Spotify or Amazon Prime Video better?
- Neither clearly leads. Spotify starts at Free and Amazon Prime Video at $8.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Spotify or Amazon Prime Video?
- Spotify has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Spotify and $8.99/month for Amazon Prime Video.
- Does Spotify or Amazon Prime Video run on more platforms?
- Spotify runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Smart-speakers. Amazon Prime Video runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles, Fire-tv.
- 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 Spotify best used for?
- Spotify is most often used for music listening, podcast consumption, playlist sharing, music discovery. Of those, music listening and podcast consumption are not what Amazon Prime Video is typically brought in for.
- What can Spotify do that Amazon Prime Video cannot?
- Spotify covers Music streaming, Podcast streaming, Playlist creation, Music discovery. Amazon Prime Video covers Video streaming, Original content, Multiple profiles, X-Ray features. Both handle Offline downloads, Gaming consoles, Cloud deployment, Web support.