If you’re thinking of cutting the cable cord, an estimated 28.6% of Americans are right there with you. And so are we! The benefits that come with cord-cutting include saving hundreds of dollars per month, being able to control your content and have on-demand movies and shows and being able to cancel and restart whenever you want.
If you’re still on the edge of whether or not you should cut the cord, we can help you make that decision. Let’s compare two of the most popular streaming services. We get into the details to see how they compare in price, content, user experience, discounts, device availability, and even personalization. There is no right decision for everyone, but this guide will help you figure out which decision is right for you.
To decide whether Amazon Prime or Netflix is better for you, here are some important factors to consider.
Probably the first and most important factor to look at when choosing a streaming service is price. How much is it going to cost you? Take a look at your personal household budget and think about how important streaming is to you.
Netflix
Netflix offers three plans for streaming. The basic plan is $8.99 a month and only allows for a single user to stream at a time. The standard package is $13.99 a month and allows for two users to stream simultaneously, and in HD quality. The premium package is $17.99 and lets four users stream shows or movies at the same time.
Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime Video is often a packaged deal with your Amazon Prime subscription service. When you sign up for Amazon Prime, you receive free two-day shipping, a music subscription service, and Amazon Prime Video. This is $99 a year or $10.99 a month, unless you’re using your student discount (which we’ll get to later!).
There is an option to purchase Amazon Prime Video alone if you’re just looking for a streaming service. The cost is $8.99 and includes everything on Amazon Prime Video without the additional perks.
Another important factor to weigh when choosing between Netflix and Amazon Prime is content selection. Depending on your preferences and what you like to watch, you may choose one over the other.
Netflix
Netflix offers over 15,000 titles, many of which are original and have won awards due to the famous actors, directors, and producers Netflix has access to. Here’s a sneak peek of the most popular shows and movies Netflix offers.
TV shows:
Movies:
This is only a partial list of what Netflix offers. Unfortunately, they did remove The Office from their list of content, but their list of content is solid, and they offer a wide range of films from older classics to new Hollywood releases.
Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime also offers a solid list of TV shows and movies. Here’s a list of what content is available on Amazon Prime.
Amazon Prime’s original content includes:
While Netflix has more award-winning and an overall better selection of original content, Amazon Prime’s original shows and movies are moving up in the ranks.
Discounts and deals are often a deciding factor when it comes to choosing streaming services.
Netflix
Unfortunately, Netflix does not currently offer any discounts or deals for signing up for their streaming service. They have in the past, and might offer more in the future, but none are available right now.
Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime takes the cake when it comes to discounts. To begin with, they offer a student discount that knocks half the price off of the normal Amazon Prime membership. This is all inclusive, so students can access Prime Video, music, and Prime shipping for 50% off the original price! This adds up to $49 a year, or only $6.49 a month.
This isn’t even the best part. The first six months of this membership are completely free. No cost for half a year of Amazon Prime. Where normal people pay $99 a year, you’ll get six months free!
If you’re not a student, don’t worry. You can try Amazon Prime for 30 days completely free. If you aren’t sure whether to go with Amazon Prime or Netflix, giving Amazon Prime a shot will cost you nothing for the first month!
It’s also important to make sure you can stream your service on your devices. Both Netflix and Amazon are available online and on mobile apps, but they don’t match up in what viewing devices you can use.
If you have an older device, you may want to go with Netflix. Amazon Prime is available on some newer devices and smart TVs, but if you haven’t upgraded your technology yet, you may not have access to Amazon Prime on your TV.
The good news is, if you have a Roku or a smart TV, you can use either streaming service, so this won’t factor into your decision. However, if you have an older device, you may not have access to Amazon Prime quite yet.
If personalization and additional purchases matter to you, Amazon Prime may be your best bet. Both streaming services offer personalization, but in different capacities.
Netflix
Netflix has a My List feature that lets you add movies or shows to your watch list. If you are browsing and want to keep track of what looks good, simply add them to this list and keep moving. You can go back later to watch what you saved.
In addition to this, Netflix allows customizability on up to five different accounts! So, instead of sharing your profile with everyone in your household, you can let each person customize their own account. Netflix uses what you watch to suggest shows you might like.
Amazon Prime
You can’t have different profiles on Amazon Prime, but you can link your profile with a spouse or family member to share your library and digital wallet. While Amazon doesn’t let you customize multiple accounts, it takes additional purchases to a whole new level.
Amazon Prime offers add-on features such as purchasing additional channels like Showtime and Starz. They also offer movies that wouldn’t normally be available to stream that you can rent for just a few bucks. If you want to see the newest movie but don’t want to leave the comfort of your couch, just check Amazon Prime.
Now that you know about some of the main differences between Netflix and Amazon Prime, here are some tips to save you money on whichever service you choose.
The first step to saving cash is cutting the cord. The average U.S household pays $217 a month in cable TV bills while the average streaming service is under $20 a month. If this isn’t reason enough to cut the cord, we don’t know what is.
When you begin streaming, it’s important to know your internet needs for both data and speed. It’s recommended to have at least 3-10 Mbps for standard streaming without much buffer time, but to stream in HD you may want at least 25 Mbps.
Not sure how much internet you need? Check this out.
The best streaming platform is not the same for everybody. Your decision will vary depending on your budget, your situation, what discounts are available to you, and what content you prefer.
Netflix and Amazon Prime come to a close tie. Netflix has the upper hand in areas such as price, personalization, and original content, but Amazon Prime takes the cake when it comes to available add-ons and discounts. So, which one is right for you?
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