Amazon Music Unlimited vs Prime Music: What's the difference? (2023)

Amazon Music Unlimited vs Prime Music: What’s the difference between Amazon’s two music streaming options? We take a look.

Not only are CDs dying, so too is downloading; and while vinyl continues to make a comeback, most people are getting their music fix via streaming.

There’s no shortage of options in that department, either. Spotify and Apple Music are two of the big names in this field, but there are also options such as Jay Z’s Tidal and Amazon’s own offering.

To make things a bit more complicated, Amazon’s music streaming service comes in two flavours: Amazon Music Unlimited and Amazon Prime Music. What’s the difference? Well if you’re in a rush the short answer is: you get more songs with the Unlimited option. But we know you want this thing dissected in details, so here’s what you need to know.

Amazon Music Unlimited vs Prime Music – Price

First up, the all-important price. You can get access to Prime Music by signing up for Amazon Prime. That’ll cost you £79 a year or £7.99 a month (if you’re planning on sticking with Prime for 12 months it’s worth going for the annual subscription as you’ll save around £20 – just remember to cancel it before it auto-renews).

The benefit here is that you’ll get access to all the other Prime perks, such as one-day delivery on thousands of items from Amazon’s store, access to the Prime Video streaming service, and a whole load more. Best of all, you can try it for free for 30-days to see if it’s right for you.

So, how much more will Amazon Music Unlimited cost you? Well, the monthly price remains the same at £7.99 for the standard tier – you’ll have to already be a Prime member to get this price, though.

(Video) Amazon Music Unlimited vs Prime Music What’s the Difference

If you aren’t signed up to Prime alreay, you can still set up a Music Unlimited account but you’ll have to pay £9.99 a month. If you go for this option, remember, you won’t be getting all the added extras that come with Prime membership.

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Amazon Music Unlimited vs Prime Music: What's the difference? (1)

We’d recommend signing up for Prime and then adding Music Unlimited as an extra option if you’re looking to take Amazon up on its full music streaming offer. That works out to £15.98 per month for Prime membership and access to the full music streaming catalogue – not a bad deal.

But that’s not all. There are a few more subscription options to choose from when it comes to Amazon Music Unlimited. First, if you own an Amazon Echo smart speaker, the company will let you sign up for just £3.99 a month. That means you’ll be able to listen to the full Unlimited catalogue, but only through ONE of your smart speakers – whether that’s an Echo, Echo Dot, or Echo Tap.

Even with that limitation, it’s a decent offer, so if you fancy giving it a go just say “Alexa, try Amazon Music Unlimited” in range of your speaker and it will start the sign up process.

Next up, there’s the option of the family plan, which costs £14.99 a month or £149 for the annual subscription, though, if you’re not signed up to a Prime membership, you’ll only have the option of paying monthly. Going for the family plan means you and five others can make use of all the Music Unlimited benefits, including individual accounts and recommendations.

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Amazon Music Unlimited vs Prime Music – Catalogue

So, you know how much it all costs, but what are you actually getting for your money? Obviously, the Unlimited service provides more songs and features, but with Prime Music, you still get access to two million songs. As Amazon puts it, the service “features two million songs and more than a thousand playlists and stations programmed by Amazon’s music experts.”

That basically means you’re getting a rotating selection of 2 million songs, that will change depending on agreements Amazon has with various record labels. How often it changes and when will depend on those contracts with music providers.

Amazon Music Unlimited vs Prime Music: What's the difference? (2)

Amazon Music Unlimited is the company’s attempt to take on the likes of Spotify and Apple music, and provides all the features and functionality of Prime Music. But with Unlimited, you’ll get 40 million songs and thousands of “expert-programmed” playlists and stations. You’ll also get new releases from artists as they become available (unless a particular artist strikes a deal with other streaming services for exclusivity).

Amazon Music Unlimited vs Prime Music – Apps and accessibility

Accessing your music, whether you’re a Prime Music or Unlimited subscriber is easy. If you’re a Prime member, you can stream tracks and albums directly through the Amazon site just by clicking the “Listen Now” button when you see it on any music product, whether that’s an album or single etc.

What’s more, you’ll also be able to add Prime Music to your Amazon Music Library, which lets you stream it through the Amazon Music App. You’ll also be able to access Amazon Music Unlimited through both the web player and the app.

So, what is the Amazon Music App actually like? The company has refined the interface in recent years, so it’s a lot better than it used to be. What’s more, you can get the app for pretty much any platform you can image, from your phone to your tablet to your car – not to mention the Amazon Echo functionality. Here’s the links for the mobile version.

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Amazon Music: Android | iOS

Amazon Music Unlimited vs Prime Music: What's the difference? (3)Amazon Music works with the Echo smart speaker

Amazon Music Unlimited vs Prime Music – Features

Firstly, it’s worth noting that both Amazon Prime Music and Music Unlimited allow you to stream music ad-free. But there’s a host of other features that are worth checking out. Here’s a rundown:

Offline

Offline playback is a big consideration when it comes to the whole streaming thing. After all, if you lose connection, you lose music. Fortunately, both Amazon Prime Music and Music Unlimited allow you to download your favourite tracks for listening offline. Handy!

Radio

Looking for personalised suggestions based on your favourite artists? Luckily, Amazon has provided a ‘Radio’ feature that offers personalised radio stations which serve up music that the company thinks you’ll like, based on your listening history. and will be able to filter by artists, genres, and popular titles. You can even search for radio stations based on a ‘mood’.

You’ll find the Radio feature in both services, but while Prime Music offers more than a thousand playlists and stations, Music Unlimited comes with thousands.

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Alexa and Amazon Echo Support

Alexa is Amazon’s virtual assistant and the heart of the company’s Echo smart speaker and its smaller counterparts, the Echo Dot and Tap. That means, whether you’re a Prime Music user or an Unlimited subscriber, you’ll be able to ask Alexa to play songs based on an artist, genre or even a mood if you’re listening through one of those devices.

Voice commands are numerous, and include instructions such as “Alexa, play the new song by Bruno Mars,” “play music for a dinner party,” or “play Led Zeppelin’s greatest hits”.

Playlists

You’ll be able to create your own custom playlists regardless of whether you’re using Amazon Prime Music or Music Unlimited. There’s also the option to save curated ones to your collection on both services.

Let us know what you think of Amazon’s music streaming services in the comments.

FAQs

Is Amazon Music Unlimited free for Prime members? ›

In fact, it's better than ever, with all the music plus the largest catalog of top podcasts ad-free. And of course it's still included with your Prime membership at no additional cost. Learn more about Amazon Music Prime.

Is Amazon Prime and Amazon music the same subscription? ›

Amazon Music provides Prime members with access to 100 million songs ad-free, the largest catalog of ad-free top podcasts, and thousands of playlists and Stations, included with Prime at no additional cost.

Is Amazon Music Unlimited cheaper with Prime? ›

Prime Music is included with a Prime membership at no additional cost. It features two million songs and more than a thousand playlists and stations programmed by Amazon's music experts.

Why am I getting charged for Amazon Music when I have Prime? ›

The user has multiple accounts on this music streaming service. The fee will be charged for each of the accounts. It is possible that the user simply forgot about the other accounts on this platform.

What has happened to Amazon Prime Music? ›

Amazon just announced that they are upgrading the music service that Prime members get as part of their subscription. Starting today, one of the benefits for Amazon Prime members is that you now get access to the entire Amazon Music catalog, about 100 million songs, to play in shuffle mode.

Is Amazon unlimited Music worth it? ›

Amazon Music Unlimited is a worthwhile streaming music and podcast service, and that recommendation rides almost entirely on the back of the service's Music HD catalog and Alexa, Echo, and Fire TV features. Plus, removing the Music HD fee only increases the value proposition.

Why am I paying $14.99 for Amazon Music? ›

You may have accidentally signed up for Amazon Music Unlimited on additional devices. Go to Your Amazon Music Settings to select a different plan or renewal option.

What does Music Unlimited mean on Amazon Prime? ›

Amazon Music Unlimited is a premium music subscription service, featuring 100 million songs in HD and millions of songs in Ultra HD. Amazon Music Unlimited also has a growing catalog of music mastered in Dolby Atmos and 360 Reality Audio, and thousands of expertly crafted playlists and Stations.

What happens to my Music if I cancel Amazon Prime? ›

Note: You can continue to access Amazon Music Unlimited until the end date. After this date, any Amazon Music Unlimited titles you've added to Library will be grayed out, with playback options removed.

Can I cancel Amazon Music if I have Prime? ›

If you have an Android phone, you are also able to cancel your Amazon Music Unlimited subscription via the app. Tap the gear icon and then your plan information.

What is the 4.99 charge from Amazon Music? ›

A: No the 4.99 is a one time fee to purchase the button. After that you are only charged the price of the product you purchase.

Why do songs disappear from Amazon Music Unlimited? ›

Here are some reasons Amazon Music Prime or Amazon Music Unlimited titles no longer show as available: The titles were removed from the Amazon Music Prime or Amazon Music Unlimited catalog. Your Amazon Prime membership or your Amazon Music Unlimited subscription expired or was canceled.

Did Amazon Music change 2022? ›

New updates are being added at the bottom of this story……. Original story (published on November 03, 2022) follows: Amazon is dramatically expanding the number of songs accessible on its Prime Music streaming service. Previously, just 2 million songs were available to its users; now, 100 million tracks are available.

How can I listen to Prime music for free? ›

How to Download and log in to Amazon Music for iOS and Android
  1. Open Amazon Music on your phone.
  2. Select Sign In With Amazon.
  3. Enter your Amazon Prime account credentials.
  4. The app asks you to import audio content from the Android Music folder to manage your audio files in a single app. 2 Images. Close.
9 Jul 2022

Which Music subscription is best? ›

Best Music Streaming Service of 2023
  • Spotify. Best music streaming service overall. See at Spotify.
  • Apple Music. Best alternative to Spotify. See at Apple.
  • Qobuz. Best for audiophiles. See at Qobuz.
  • Tidal. Best for compensating artists. See at Tidal.
  • Amazon Music Unlimited. Best for Prime members. See at Amazon.
8 Dec 2022

What songs are only on Amazon Music Unlimited? ›

Amazon Original Songs
  • Someday at Christmas (Amazon Original) ...
  • Blue Christmas (Amazon Original) ...
  • Last Christmas. ...
  • Christmas Tree Farm (Old Timey Version) (Amazon Original) ...
  • Happy Xmas (War Is Over) (Amazon Original) ...
  • Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree (Amazon Original) ...
  • Favorite Time Of Year (Amazon Original)

What is the best way to use Amazon Music Unlimited? ›

Here is how to use Amazon Music Unlimited.
  1. Download Songs for Offline Playback. ...
  2. Change Bitrate to Reduce Data Usage. ...
  3. Discover New Music. ...
  4. Control Playback With Echo Voice Commands. ...
  5. Save Money With a Special Plan. ...
  6. Migrate Your Music Between Countries. ...
  7. Share Links to Songs, Albums, Playlists, and Stations. ...
  8. Listen to Song Lyrics.
18 Jan 2021

What is the cost of Amazon Prime for seniors? ›

How much is Amazon Prime for seniors? If you enroll in one of the qualified government assistance programs, you can become an Amazon Prime member for just $6.99 monthly. That's significantly cheaper than the regular price of $14.99. Seniors with an EBT card also benefit from the Amazon Prime discount.

Can I share Amazon Music Unlimited? ›

This plan allows up to six members of your family to receive all the benefits of Amazon Music Unlimited with a monthly subscription. Enjoy up to six individual streams at the same time. You can invite or remove family members from your plan, and manage the payment method for the subscription.

What exactly do you get with Amazon Prime? ›

Amazon Prime
  • FREE Two-Day Shipping on eligible items to addresses in the contiguous US and other shipping benefits. ...
  • FREE Same-Day Delivery in eligible zip codes. ...
  • FREE Release-Date Delivery on eligible preorder items delivered on their release date to ZIP codes within the continental US. ...
  • FREE No-Rush Shipping.

How much is Amazon Prime and Amazon Music Unlimited together? ›

If you're already an Amazon Prime customer, Amazon Music Unlimited is available for just $7.99 per month or $79 per year, undercutting the norm of $9.99 per month charged by most other services.

How do I get Amazon Music free with Prime? ›

If you're a Prime member, you now have access to all 100 million songs on Amazon Music, free.
  1. Log in to your Amazon Prime account.
  2. Go to the Amazon Music Prime page.
  3. Click the Listen Now button.
7 Nov 2022

Do I still need Amazon Music Unlimited? ›

It also includes ad-free access to podcasts. But, you will still need an Amazon Music Unlimited subscription if you want unrestricted playback options on the entire library in HD quality, or UHD quality and spatial audio tracks.

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