Amazon Prime Music vs Amazon Music Unlimited: Which music service offers the best, all-round quality?
We pit Amazon’s two music streaming services against each other
Amazon currently offers two different music streaming services, Amazon Prime Music and Amazon Music Unlimited. Prime Music is included as part of the Amazon Prime package, whereas Music Unlimited is an add-on you have to pay for.
While Prime Music might seem like the obvious choice for anyone already paying for an Amazon Prime subscription, there are pretty big differences between the two once you start digging through the details.
Here, we’ll take you through everything you need to know about Amazon Prime Music and Amazon Music Unlimited, so you can make the right decision for your listening needs.
Amazon Prime Music vs Amazon Music Unlimited: Number of songs and catalogue quality
Quite possibly the biggest difference between the two services is the volume of content, which means perusing the number of songs on Amazon Prime Music and Amazon Music Unlimited and deciding if they’re any good.
Unsurprisingly, the number of songs you get with Prime Music is significantly less than that of Music Unlimited. With Prime Music, you can choose from two million songs, which is good for casual listeners but for more frequent users, that library will only last so long.
With Prime Music, you’ll get a curated set of songs, including new releases from artists like Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish, as well as a number of classic albums from the likes of The Cranberries and Paul Weller.
Amazon Music Unlimited on the other hand has an expansive library of around 50 million songs. That’s a hefty 48 million more than Prime Music and approximately 15 million more than main rival Spotify.
READ NEXT: What do you get with an Amazon Prime subscription?
Alongside plenty of classic albums and new releases, Amazon Music Unlimited caters to a wider audience with a plethora of niche artists that can’t be found on Prime Music.
Both services offer ad-free streaming, curated playlists and the option to download while offline. That’s a great bonus for Amazon Prime subscribers, as these features are typically reserved for premium services.
Verdict: Amazon Music Unlimited has to take the win here, as the amount of music you get is outstanding in comparison to Prime Music and caters for a wider variety of ears.
Amazon Prime Music vs Amazon Music Unlimited: Price plans
Massive libraries are all well and good but when it comes down to price, who really comes out on top?
Prime Music price plans
Amazon Prime costs £7.99/month or £79/year for a standard membership and £3.99/month or £39/year if you’re on a student plan.
With that, you’ll have access to Prime Music on a single account, alongside everything else that comes with Prime.
While Amazon allows you to share certain Prime benefits with other adults in your household, Prime Music is not one of them.
Amazon Music Unlimited monthly price plans
Single device plan: £3.99 – Stream up to 50 million songs on a single Echo or Fire TV device ad-free. No offline playback included.
Individual plan: £7.99 (Prime members) or £9.99 (non-Prime members) – Stream up to 50 million songs on any device, ad-free, with unlimited skips and offline downloads.
Family plan: £14.99 – Stream 50 million songs on up to six different accounts at one time. Listen on any device ad-free, with unlimited skips and offline downloads.
Student plan: £4.99 – Stream 50 million songs ad-free on any device, with unlimited skips and offline downloads.
Offer alert – Get an Amazon Echo dot for just 99p when you sign up to a family account right now.
Verdict: It’s hard to pick a clear winner, both plans have their benefits. Amazon Prime lets you listen for free on any device, which is great, but you still have to pay for a full Prime membership.
Price plans for Amazon Music Unlimited cater to a wide variety of musical needs and start at a lower price than a traditional Amazon Prime subscription. But you’ll still have to pay an additional monthly fee for Unlimited, even if you’re already a Prime member.
Amazon Prime Music vs Amazon Music Unlimited: Supported devices and features
Both Amazon Prime Music and Music Unlimited are supported on all the devices you’d expect. This includes smartphones, tablets, laptops, Alexa-enabled devices, Fire TV, Apple AirPlay and Google Chromecast.
There’s also a dedicated desktop and mobile app for both services, enabling you to listen to and download songs on the go.
Verdict: They’re both impressive in terms of supported devices and features, unless you limit yourself to the single-device plan.
Amazon Prime Music vs Amazon Music Unlimited: Free trials and offers
As Prime Music comes bundled with a standard Amazon Prime package, you can get a 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime in its entirety.
This means access to over two million songs ad-free, free ebooks with Prime Reading, free next day delivery (on eligible items), and a number of other Prime-exclusive perks (LINK). You also have a get out clause as it Prime isn’t for you, simply go to your account and cancel your subscription so you’re not billed for another month.
In true Amazon style, you’ll also be able to get a 30-day free trial of Amazon Music Unlimited with access to all 50 million songs ad-free. So if you want to try one, cancel it, and then try the other, you can.
If you’re already sold on Amazon Music Unlimited, you can get an Amazon Echo Dot for just 99p when you sign up for a family plan at a monthly cost of £14.99.
Amazon Prime Music vs Amazon Music Unlimited: Overall verdict
Unsurprisingly, both Prime Music and Music Unlimited have their benefits because they serve different audiences.
This is likely the reason why Amazon decided to keep both services, instead of getting rid of Prime Music altogether when Unlimited was introduced.
If you’re a casual music listener who enjoys a selection of the latest tunes from popular artists, then Prime Music will probably suffice.
READ NEXT: When is Amazon Prime day 2019?
Those looking for a dedicated music streaming service, however, will find Prime Music a little limitting. If you listen to music every day, for several hours a day, then you’ll crave the diversity that Amazon Music Unlimited brings.
While Amazon Prime Music is a nice additional perk for the casual listener, it simply can’t compete with the mammoth library of Amazon Music Unlimited.