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The “Which music streaming service is better?” debate heats up as Amazon Music Unlimited adds more music and diehard Spotify fans cling to their little green app. Which music service has better sound quality? Which music streaming app is more cost-effective?
Perhaps it’s a matter of preference for some, but those who really want to know which service is better can hang out with us for a bit while we review every detail of Spotify and Amazon Music Unlimited.
How do Spotify and Amazon Unlimited compare? We’ll walk you through the most important aspects of the two streaming services so you’re fully aware of what’s out there and how they compare.
Is price the most important factor to you? How about streaming quality or selection? Amazon Music Unlimited and Spotify and worthy adversaries. Whether you’re new to the world of streaming music or you’re looking for a change, we’ll help you find out which is better for you; Spotify or Amazon Music Unlimited.
Spotify vs. Amazon Music: Side-by-Side Comparison
| Features | Amazon Prime Unlimited | Spotify |
|---|---|---|
| Free & Free Trial | X | X |
| Family Plans | X | X |
| HD Audio | X | |
| Music & Podcasts | X | X |
| Recommendations in Playlist | X | |
| New Releases | X | X |
| Personalization | X | X |
| Release Date | 2007 | 2008 |
Spotify Vs. Amazon Music: What’s the Difference?
So, what’s the difference between Spotify and Amazon Music Unlimited? The two streaming services seem so similar; how different can they be? Well, the answer to which music service is better depends on what you value most.
We’ve broken down the details of both services into easy-to-digest sections here. Read them all, or find the ones that stand out to you!
The Free Plans
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Perhaps you aren’t ready to commit to a new subscription yet. While there are free trials, let’s take a look at what you get with the free version of both plans.
Amazon Unlimited
Amazon Unlimited really limits us when it comes to the free version. While we can access music for free with ads, we can only do so on an Alexa-enabled speaker. You can’t choose your songs, and you get six skips per hour.
Spotify
Spotify users can create an account and get access to an entire library of songs. Of course, you will have ads, and you can’t choose the songs you want to hear. You can select a playlist, but you only get five skips per hour. However, you can listen to Spotify for free on most of your devices.
Overall Winner: Spotify
Compatibility
Another consideration to take into account when choosing your next streaming service is device compatibility. If you want to pay for a music service, you’ll want to listen to it whenever and wherever you want.
While most streaming services offer compatibility on most devices, some offer app integrations to make streaming music easier. Here are the compatible devices:
Amazon
- Echo Speakers
- Fire TV
- iOS & Android app
- PC/Mac
Spotify
- Discord
- PlayStation
- Xbox
- iOS & Android
- PC/Mac
- Echo Devices
Overall Winner: Spotify
Price
Next up, let’s compare prices. These days it’s important to find a good deal. But let’s keep in mind that there’s a difference in price and value.
Why spend your hard-earned money on a service you won’t enjoy when a couple more dollars could get you one you love? Before you pull out your credit card, we’ll walk you through the price plans and what you can get.
Amazon Music Unlimited
Amazon Music Unlimited is only $9.99/mo. (or $8.99/mo. if you pay for Amazon Prime). Students can get the service for $4.99/mo. and families can purchase the Family Plan (6 members) for $15.99/mo or $159.99/year.
Spotify
Spotify offers more price plans than Amazon Music Unlimited. The lowest tiered plan, for individual users, is $9.99/mo. There’s a mid-tier plan for couples called Spotify Duo for $12.99/mo. There’s also a Family plan for $15.99/mo. (6 devices), and a student plan for $4.99/mo.
Family Plans
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If you have a house full of people, there’s no reason to pay for multiple music streaming services. All the great services have started offering family plans, including Amazon Music Unlimited and Spotify. But how do they stack up against each other?
Amazon Music Unlimited
Amazon Music Unlimited offers the family plan for $15.99/mo. and it accommodates up to six family members. However, those family members must be at least 13 years old. If everyone in the family is over 13 years old, the Amazon Music Unlimited Family plan will work fine.
Spotify
The Spotify Family Plan is also $15.99/mo. for six accounts. But, there’s a really neat Spotify Kids app. For families with littles, Spotify’s Kids feature is curated for younger audiences and even offers storytime.
Winner: Spotify
Sound Quality
If you appreciate music, like really appreciate music, sound quality is important to you. While you won’t get the same acoustics as vinyl with digital media, the music’s quality still has its ups and downs.
Amazon Music Unlimited actually has higher audio quality than Spotify. Not only does Amazon Music offer 192 kbps to Spotify’s 96 kbps of standard quality, but Amazon Music Unlimited also offers HD quality (up to 850 kbps).
Winner: Amazon Music Unlimited
Selection
Both Amazon Music Unlimited and Spotify offer songs and podcasts. But how do they compare? Spotify offers 80 million songs and over 4 million podcasts.
Amazon Music Unlimited, on the other hand, offers 100 million songs and millions of podcasts too. With a selection like that, you’re bound to find nearly everything you want.
Winner: Amazon Music Unlimited
Spotify Vs. Amazon Music: 5 Must-Know Facts
- Spotify and Amazon Music Unlimited offer similar plans.
- Amazon Music Unlimited has more music.
- Amazon Music Unlimited has a higher audio quality than Spotify.
- Spotify offers more for families.
- Spotify has better app integration, including Discord.
Spotify Vs. Amazon Music: Which One Is Better? Which One Should You Use?
Now that we’ve reviewed Amazon Prime Unlimited and Spotify, it’s time to make a choice. Which one do you prefer?
Amazon Unlimited Music offers more songs and podcasts; you get a discount if you have Amazon Prime, and the audio quality is higher. Spotify, on the other hand, has great features for families (especially for younger kids), and it’s compatible with more devices and software.
Essentially, the best way to decide which is better for you is to consider whether you want more device compatibility or more songs with better quality. If you’re a gamer or have a family with younger kids for the kids’ app and the Discord integration, go with Spotify. If you’re anyone else, go with Amazon Music Unlimited.
