Spotify
Free / Premium $12.99 per mo
Amazon Music Unlimited
$10.99 (Prime) / $11.99 per mo
Spotify has the best discovery, playlists, podcasts, and a strong free tier, at $12.99. Amazon Music Unlimited is a bit cheaper for Prime members, includes lossless audio, and is best for Alexa homes. Spotify wins on experience; Amazon wins on price for Prime members and sound quality.
Pick Spotify if you value discovery, playlists, podcasts, and the most polished apps, and want a strong free tier.
Pick Amazon Music Unlimited if your home runs on Alexa or you are a Prime member who wants lossless audio and a small discount.
Spotify and Amazon Music Unlimited both offer the full major-label catalog, but they differ in experience and ecosystem. Spotify is the most popular, with the best discovery, the deepest podcast library, the most refined apps, and a genuinely useful free tier. Amazon Music Unlimited matches the catalog, includes lossless and spatial audio at no extra cost, and is built around Alexa voice control, with a discount for Prime members.
On price, Spotify Premium is $12.99, while Amazon Music Unlimited is $11.99, or $10.99 for Prime members. So Amazon is a little cheaper and adds lossless, while Spotify leads on discovery and podcasts.
We compare price, discovery, sound quality, podcasts, and ecosystem fit.
| Quick facts | Spotify | Amazon Music Unlimited |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes (ad-supported) | Limited ad-supported |
| Individual price | $12.99/mo | $11.99/mo ($10.99 Prime) |
| Lossless audio | Rolling out | Included |
| Discovery & podcasts | Best-in-class | Good |
| Best for | Discovery + free use | Alexa / Prime homes |
Each row reflects the feature on each product's current public release.
| Feature | S Spotify | A Amazon Music Unlimited |
|---|---|---|
| Free ad-supported tier | Yes | Limited |
| Lossless audio | Rolling out | Yes |
| Discovery & algorithm | Best-in-class | Good |
| Podcasts built in | Best-in-class | Limited |
| Voice control | Basic | Alexa (best) |
| Prime-member discount | No | Yes |
| Cross-platform apps | Excellent | Good |
| Offline downloads | Yes | Yes |
Pricing and features change often. Always verify the current details on each product's official site. Last reviewed June 2026.
Things neither product's marketing page leads with.
Amazon Music is slightly cheaper for Prime members and includes lossless, but its discovery and podcasts trail Spotify.
Spotify's experience is the one most people prefer, but it is a dollar or two more and not bundled with anything.
If you are not in the Amazon ecosystem, Amazon Music's main advantages (Alexa, Prime discount) lose their pull.
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See how the price has moved