There are a ton of music streaming services out there, and knowing the key differences between them is crucial for the best listening experience possible. That’s especially true of Amazon Music, which offers different experiences depending on whether you’re using its Prime or Unlimited tier.

So, what are the exact differences between Amazon Music Prime and Amazon Music Unlimited? We’ll offer a detailed breakdown of each offering below, explaining the differences to allow readers to determine which service fits their music listening habits best.

What is Amazon Music Prime?

Amazon Music Prime is an included perk of the larger Amazon Prime subscription bundle. It includes ad-free music and podcasts, with millions of available tracks. Listeners can shuffle-play any artist, album, or playlist, but there’s one key aspect of Amazon Music Prime to keep in mind — the plan doesn’t allow for much on-demand playback. Listeners can enjoy All-Access Playlists curated by Amazon that allow them to pick and play specific songs, but otherwise, listeners are forced to listen to shuffles of artist catalogs when they search for specific titles on Music Prime. If you’re a Music Prime listener and you ask for a specific artist or title with the Alexa voice assistant, your subscription will instead play songs and artists similar to the requested track.

Amazon Music Prime also has more basic features, including limited downloads for offline listening, standard 16-bit / 44.1 kHz high-definition audio quality, and fewer skips. It’s a good choice for casual music listeners who don’t need another bill added to their entertainment budget each month.

What is Amazon Music Unlimited?

Amazon Music Unlimited has everything included with Music Prime, and much more. It offers full on-demand listening, unlimited skips and downloads, Ultra HD audio quality with spatial audio included on select tracks, and one free audiobook download from Audible per month.

With all of those extras, however, comes an extra monthly charge for Amazon Music Unlimited. It costs Prime members $12 per month or $119 per year for an individual Unlimited subscription, and non-Prime members have to pay $13 per month. Family and Student plans are also available.

What benefits does Amazon Music Unlimited have that Amazon Music Prime doesn’t?

Amazon Music Unlimited offers a great selection of benefits that aren’t available to Amazon Music Prime members.

• Full on-demand playback of tracks, albums, and artists.
• Ultra-high-definition audio.
• Unlimited skips.
• Unlimited downloads.
• One free audiobook download per month.

Does Amazon Music Prime have any advantages over Music Unlimited?

The main advantage Amazon Music Prime carries over Amazon Music Unlimited is that it’s included in the larger Prime subscription, which also includes free two-day shipping on a huge selection of items, access to the Prime Video streaming service, and other benefits for $15 per month.

Podcast listeners are well-served with a Music Prime subscription, since it also includes ad-free podcast listening. Fans who like a more lean-back music experience that allows them to take their hands off the controls and listen will be thrilled with a Music Prime subscription, but those who want control over which tracks and albums play next will want to upgrade to Amazon Music Unlimited.

Compare Amazon Music Prime and Music Unlimited at a glance

Can you try Amazon Music Prime or Music Unlimited for free?

Yes, you can try either Amazon Music Prime or Amazon Music Unlimited free for 30 days. Amazon Music Unlimited offers a free trial to new customers, and audiences can enjoy Music Prime with the 30-day free trial that’s included for all new Prime subscribers.

Which Amazon Music subscription is right for you?

Those who prefer to listen to music in the background, or are otherwise more casual listeners, will likely be just fine with an Amazon Music Prime subscription. It’s a great choice for anyone who doesn’t need on-demand music control and doesn’t want to add an extra subscription fee to their entertainment budget each month.

If you’re looking for a true alternative to services like Spotify or Apple Music, however, you’ll need to upgrade to Amazon Music Unlimited. It’s the only plan in the Amazon Music lineup that includes premium features like unlimited skips and downloads, extra-high-quality audio, and more.