The entertainment industry has evolved dramatically over the last couple of years, especially with an ever-growing abundance of choices for accessing digital content on-the-go. Internet media has gone through a staggering evolution over the last few decades. New platforms and streaming services have emerged that allow you to watch video content over the Internet from literally anywhere and anytime you want via smartphones or tablets.
Online streaming is probably one of the biggest growth areas in internet usage which has clearly changed the face of multimedia and entertainment ecosystem. And the very first thing that comes to mind when talking about online streaming is “Netflix”. It’s one of the widely used video streaming services and probably the people’s choice when it comes to streaming. However, Amazon has been competing against the VOD king in the movie space lately with its own Prime Instant Video Service. Let’s see how the two leading streaming services compare.
What is Amazon Prime Video?
Amazon Prime Video is a subscription-based video-on-demand streaming service owned and operated by Amazon that offers a myriad selection of digital media including movies, TV shows, documentaries, comedy specials, and more. It offers a 30-day free trial period for its Prime members before it starts charging for its services. After which it costs $99 a year which allows users to enjoy unlimited video streaming and ad-free music on the top of Amazon-exclusive deals plus free two-day shipping.
What is Netflix?
Netflix is a streaming video-on-demand subscription service which provides its viewers access to a massive library of movies and TV shows from around the world for a nominal monthly fee. Founded by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph, the entertainment company has grown from a DVD mail-order service to a global Internet TV sensation. Netflix has undergone several changes since it started in 1997, but evolved dramatically over years to become the global leader of mainstream media. It’s most common household name today.
Difference between Amazon Prime and Netflix
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Basics of Amazon Prime and Netflix
Both Amazon Prime and Netflix are the leading video-on-demand online streaming services that allow their viewers access to a myriad range of digital content including movies, award-winning TV shows, original series, documentaries, comedy specials, an more on hundreds of internet-connected devices. Amazon Prime Video is a subscription-based streaming service offered by E-Commerce giant Amazon, whereas Netflix is a California-based entertainment company founded by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph as a video-on-demand service for home television audiences.
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Pricing for Amazon Prime and Netflix
Both Amazon Prime Video and Netflix offer free trials which allow viewers to binge watch a show or a movie for a certain period of time and then bail out. Amazon offers a free 30-day trial period of its Prime membership while Netflix gives you a free month before they start charging for the subscription. Amazon Prime membership costs $99 per year which gives the users unlimited access to a wide selection of TV shows and movies. Netflix, on the other hand, offers three different plans: Basic, Standard, and Premium. The basic plan costs $7.99 per month and increases incrementally, bringing the standard and premium subscription to $10.99 and $13.99 respectively.
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Content in Amazon Prime and Netflix
The most important aspect to consider while choosing between the two streaming services is the content they offer. Netflix has been around for quite some time so it has the most extensive selection of digital content with thousands of titles to choose from including its in-house shows such as Stranger Things, House of Cards, Fuller House, Narcos, Greenhouse Academy, and more. Amazon Prime Video offers a myriad of good content too including some of the same titles as Hulu and Netflix. As it’s a fairly new service compared to Netflix, the library isn’t as extensive yet.
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Devices used for Amazon Prime and Netflix
Most Smart TV platforms support both the streaming services. Netflix offers its dedicated Netflix app which can be accessed from almost any internet-connected device including Chromecast, Apple TV, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nook, Roku, Blu-ray player, set-top box, home theater, personal computer, smartphones, and tablets. Amazon Prime Video doesn’t have that extensive device support of the Netflix, but is slowly growing its network of compatible devices. It is available through web browsers as well as hundreds of other media streaming devices such as Smart TVs, Roku, Blu-ray players, Google TV, Nvidia Shield, TiVo, Kindle Fire tablet, etc.
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Video Quality in Amazon Prime and Netflix
Netflix has been the pioneer of entertainment industry which offers its viewers the best possible viewing experience in mainstream streaming on top of the best display resolution possible in line with your plan and internet speed. Netflix has been broadcasting 4k and HDR content for some time now and Netflix excels in video and sound quality. Even the best of streaming services lags behind physical media, and this is where Netflix stands out. However, this is not the case with Amazon Prime Video which fails to play high-resolution HD content on low-speed connections. However, Amazon stays a little ahead of Netflix when it comes to HDR content.
Amazon Prime Video vs. Netflix: Comparison Chart
Summary of Amazon Prime verses Netflix
Netflix is probably the first thing that comes to mind when we talk about online streaming. The California-based Netflix has been the pioneer of the entertainment industry for decades with an extensive library of thousands of titles including TV shows, movies, documentaries, comedy specials, original series, plus its own in-house shows such as House of Cards, Stranger Things, Narcos, and more. Amazon is not far behind when it comes to mainstream streaming and physical media providing more affordable plans than Netflix does, but still lags behind Netflix in terms of video and sound quality. Netflix supports a wide range of devices more than what Amazon does, thus making it the people’s choice. However, if you’re on a shoe-string budget, Amazon is probably the best choice.