Apple Music offers superior sound quality with lossless and spatial audio at $10.99/month, while Amazon Music undercuts it at $10.99/month for standard quality but includes access via Prime membership for $14.99/month. Apple Music has 100M+ songs versus Amazon Music's 100M+ songs, making them feature-comparable on catalog size but diverging on audio fidelity and ecosystem integration.
Apple Music vs Amazon Music — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Premium music streaming with lossless and spatial audio, integrated with Apple ecosystem.
Amazon's music streaming service offering lossless audio, integrated Prime benefits, and smart home optimization.
Lossless Audio Support. Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos. Standalone Monthly Price. Family Plan Cost. Free Tier with Ads. Integration with Smart Home. Song Catalog Size
Choose Apple Music if you prioritize premium audio quality (lossless, spatial audio) and own Apple devices that integrate seamlessly with the service. Choose Amazon Music if you value affordability, already subscribe to Prime, own Alexa devices, or prefer a free ad-supported tier—though you'll sacrifice high-fidelity audio features.
Apple Music: 24-bit Lossless | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: Apple Music | Amazon Music: N/A
Monthly Subscription Price (Standard Tier)
Apple Music: 24-bit/192 kHz | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: Data unavailable | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: Native with natural language prompts | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: Full (Siri, Watch, HomePod, CarPlay) | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: iOS, macOS, Android, Web, Windows | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: Complete track counts and listings | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: 192kHz lossless ALAC | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: $0.008 (blended average) | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: No - subscription required | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, HomePod, Apple TV | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: Shazam data + editorial curation + listening habits | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: $0.006-$0.010 | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: Not applicable | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: No free tier | Amazon Music: Echo device owners only
Apple Music: All subscription tiers | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: Minimal | Amazon Music: Music videos only
Apple Music: Apple-optimized only | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: 100 million songs | Amazon Music: 100+
Apple Music: 256 kbps AAC | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: Yes — included (+ Hi-Res 24-bit/192 kHz) | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: Yes — broadest, included | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: Limited (select tracks) | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: No (separate Apple Podcasts) | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: Via Apple Books (separate) | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: No (3-month trial only) | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: Yes (with SharePlay) | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: Limited | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: Yes (personalized radio) | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: Deep (voice, HomePod) | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: Yes (default on iPhone) | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: $10.99/mo | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: $16.99/mo | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: $5.99/mo | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: 100+ million | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: 120 million | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: Primarily Apple (limited Android support) | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: No free tier (Voice Plan $4.99/mo is limited) | Amazon Music: N/A
User Satisfaction with Discovery (2024 survey)
Apple Music: 58% satisfied with personalization | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: $10.99 | Amazon Music: $10.99 (free with Prime)
Apple Music: 100 million | Amazon Music: 100+ million
Apple Music: Unlimited | Amazon Music: 100,000 songs
Apple Music: HomePod, limited ecosystem | Amazon Music: 100+ Alexa devices
Apple Music: Dolby Atmos available | Amazon Music: Not available
Apple Music: None available | Amazon Music: Yes (ad-supported with Prime)
Apple Music: iOS, macOS, Windows, web, CarPlay | Amazon Music: iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, web, 500+ devices
Apple Music: 246 million | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: 24-bit/192kHz lossless | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: $0.01 | Amazon Music: $0.00402
Apple Music: 100,000 songs | Amazon Music: Unlimited (with limits per device)
Apple Music: 50+ (primarily Apple ecosystem) | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: 6 users at $19.99/month | Amazon Music: N/A
Apple Music: $10.99 | Amazon Music: $10.99
Apple Music: $16.99 | Amazon Music: $15.49
Apple Music: 192 kHz (Lossless) | Amazon Music: 256 kbps (standard tier)
Apple Music: Yes, at base tier | Amazon Music: Ultra tier only ($14.99/month extra)
Apple Music: Included in base tier | Amazon Music: Ultra tier only
Apple Music: 15 years (since 2015) | Amazon Music: 10 years (since 2016)
Monthly Subscription Cost (Premium Tier)
Apple Music: N/A | Amazon Music: 850 kbps spatial audio
Apple Music: N/A | Amazon Music: $0.00402
Apple Music: N/A | Amazon Music: 100+ million
Apple Music: N/A | Amazon Music: 128 kbps AAC
Apple Music: N/A | Amazon Music: All Alexa devices (100+ million)
Apple Music: N/A | Amazon Music: $139-179 (6 accounts with Prime)
Apple Music: N/A | Amazon Music: 30 days (rotational for Prime members)
Apple Music: N/A | Amazon Music: 55 million
Apple Music: N/A | Amazon Music: Yes (Ultra HD tier)
Apple Music: N/A | Amazon Music: Alexa (200M+ Echo devices)
Annual Prime/YouTube Premium Bundle Cost
Apple Music: N/A | Amazon Music: $119 (Prime includes music + shipping + Prime Video)
Apple Music: N/A | Amazon Music: $5.99/month (with Prime) or $10.99 (standalone)
Apple Music: N/A | Amazon Music: 100+ million songs
Apple Music: N/A | Amazon Music: 10+ million tracks
Apple Music: N/A | Amazon Music: Unlimited
Apple Music: N/A | Amazon Music: 8,000+ Alexa-compatible devices
Apple Music: N/A | Amazon Music: $14.99/month (6 accounts via Prime)
Apple Music: N/A | Amazon Music: 320 kbps (MP3) with Unlimited tier
Monthly Subscription Cost (Standard Tier)
Apple Music: N/A | Amazon Music: $14.99 (or $9.99 with Prime)
Apple Music: N/A | Amazon Music: 100+ million (including Prime)
Apple Music: N/A | Amazon Music: Extensive (4K videos, concerts, Wondery docs)
Apple Music: N/A | Amazon Music: Not available
Apple Music: N/A | Amazon Music: Free with Prime
Apple Music: N/A | Amazon Music: 3,730 (Ultra HD)
Apple Music: N/A | Amazon Music: Limited selection
Apple Music: N/A | Amazon Music: 100 songs per device
Apple Music: N/A | Amazon Music: 6 profiles
Apple Music: N/A | Amazon Music: $11.99 (or $2.99 with Prime)
Apple Music: N/A | Amazon Music: Included with Prime ($14.99/mo)
Apple Music: N/A | Amazon Music: Lossless 16-bit/44.1kHz (1,411 kbps equivalent)
Apple Music: N/A | Amazon Music: 200+ million
How to choose between Apple Music and Amazon Music
Apple Music vs Amazon Music — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Apple Music vs Amazon Music. Contains 125 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Apple Music vs Amazon Music — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Apple Music vs Amazon Music.
Yes. Apple Music includes lossless and Hi-Res Lossless audio (up to 192kHz) at no extra cost with any paid subscription tier. However, you need compatible hardware like AirPods Max, HomePod, or a Mac to actually hear it—most standard AirPods cannot play lossless audio due to Bluetooth limitations.
Yes. Amazon Music Free is available as an ad-supported tier with access to 50+ million songs. If you have an Amazon Prime membership ($14.99/month), you get Amazon Music Prime (Unlimited catalog ad-free). For full Unlimited access without ads, you need Amazon Music Unlimited at $10.99/month or Ultra at $14.99/month.
Which service works better with smart speakers?
Amazon Music integrates natively with Alexa and Echo devices, making it the clear choice for Amazon smart home users. Apple Music integrates with Siri and HomePod but has more limited Alexa compatibility. If you own both ecosystems, either can work, but Alexa users will find Amazon Music more convenient.
Is Apple Music's lossless audio actually noticeable?
Lossless audio is technically superior to compressed formats, but audibility depends on equipment and hearing ability. Professional audiophiles and critical listeners with high-end headphones (AirPods Max, certain wired options) may notice differences. Casual listeners with standard AirPods likely won't perceive meaningful improvement over standard 256kbps streams.
Amazon Music Unlimited's family plan is $15.49/month for up to 6 users, versus Apple Music's $16.99/month. However, if you already pay for Amazon Prime ($14.99/month), adding Amazon Music Unlimited only costs $9/month more, making it potentially cheaper overall than a separate Apple Music subscription.
How to Choose Between Apple Music and Amazon Music
Lossless Audio Support: Apple Music has Yes (Hi-Res Lossless up to 192kHz), while Amazon Music has No (standard compressed audio only).
Consider: Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos
Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos: Apple Music has Yes, included at no extra cost, while Amazon Music has Amazon Music Ultra only ($14.99/month, separate tier).
Standalone Monthly Price: Apple Music has $10.99/month (individual), while Amazon Music has $10.99/month (standard) or $14.99 with Prime.
Family Plan Cost: Apple Music has $16.99/month (up to 6 users), while Amazon Music has $15.49/month Amazon Music Unlimited (up to 6 users).
Free Tier with Ads: Apple Music has No free tier available, while Amazon Music has Yes, Amazon Music Free (ad-supported).
Integration with Smart Home: Apple Music has Siri and HomePod ecosystem, while Amazon Music has Alexa and Echo ecosystem (native integration).
Song Catalog Size: Apple Music has 100+ million tracks, while Amazon Music has 100+ million tracks.