Amazon Prime Video (or simply Prime Video) needs no introduction, but just in case: the streaming service has a large catalog of classic and original titles alike. The most notable thing about Prime Video, though, is that it lets you purchase add-on channels like Max or even Starz to supplement your viewing. Starz, on the other hand, is a standalone streaming subscription that costs a bit more than Prime Video, but boasts its own catalog of originals and classics, partnering with major studios to feature some of the newest blockbusters available. The deciding factor here is going to be viewing preference: will you enjoy Prime’s more generic but accessible fare, or do you prefer Starz’s elevated and mature content? You can read more about the two service’s similarities and differences in our breakdown below.
| Feature | Starz | Amazon Prime |
|---|---|---|
| Base price | $10.99/mo | $8.99/mo |
| Free trial | None | 30 days |
| Subscribers | 28,900,000 | 200,000,000 |
| Our rating | 9/10 | 8/10 |
| Try Starz | Try Amazon Prime — 30 days free |
| Starz 1 plan | Amazon Prime 5 plans | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheapest Starz | Cheapest Prime Access | Prime for Young Adults | Standalone Prime Video | Amazon Prime Video Ad-free | Amazon Prime membership | |
| Price / month | $10.99 | $6.99 | $7.49 | $8.99 | $11.98 | $14.99 |
| Annual Price | $69.99 | — | $69 | — | — | $139 |
| New User Deal | 73% off 1st month | 100% off 1st month | 100% off 1st month | 100% off 1st month | 100% off 1st month | 100% off 1st month |
| Streams at Home | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Streams Outside Home | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Profiles | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Multiview Screens | — | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Max Quality | 1080p | 1080p | 1080p | 1080p | 1080p | 1080p |
| 4K Support | — | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Audio | 5.1 surround sound | 5.1 sound | 5.1 sound | 5.1 sound | 5.1 sound | 5.1 sound |
| Dolby Digital | — | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Dolby Atmos | — | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Min. Speed | 6 Mbps | 5 Mbps | 5 Mbps | 5 Mbps | 5 Mbps | 5 Mbps |
| Get plan → | Get plan → | Get plan → | Get plan → | Get plan → | Get plan → | |
Also available as an add-on on Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and Roku
Qualifying programs include SNAP (EBT), Medicaid, SSI, and others
Both services support most major devices. Here’s a full breakdown of where you can watch each one.
| Device / Platform | Starz | Amazon Prime |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon Fire TV | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | — | ✓ |
| Android TV | ✓ | — |
| Apple TV | ✓ | ✓ |
| Changhong | — | ✓ |
| Chromecast | — | ✓ |
| Google TV Streamer | — | ✓ |
| Haier | — | ✓ |
| Hisense | — | ✓ |
| LG | — | ✓ |
| LG TV | ✓ | — |
| Nvidia SHIELD | — | ✓ |
| Panasonic | — | ✓ |
| Philips | — | ✓ |
| PlayStation | — | ✓ |
| Roku | ✓ | ✓ |
| Samsung | — | ✓ |
| Samsung TV | ✓ | — |
| Sharp | — | ✓ |
| Skyworth | — | ✓ |
| Sony | — | ✓ |
| TiVo | — | ✓ |
| Vestel | — | ✓ |
| Vizio | — | ✓ |
| Wii | — | ✓ |
| Xbox | ✓ | ✓ |
| iOS | ✓ | ✓ |
Amazon Prime has 200,000,000M subscribers compared to 28,900,000M for Starz. That makes Amazon Prime 592% more popular by subscriber count.
Amazon Prime starts at $8.99/month, while Starz starts at $10.99/month. That’s $2.00 more per month for Starz, or $24.00 more per year.
Is Amazon Prime cheaper than Starz?
Yes. Amazon Prime starts at $8.99/month, while Starz starts at $10.99/month. That's a difference of $2.00/month, or $24.00 per year.
Do Starz or Amazon Prime offer a free trial?
Starz does not currently offer a free trial. Amazon Prime offers a 30-day free trial.
Can I cancel Starz or Amazon Prime anytime?
Yes. Both Starz and Amazon Prime are month-to-month subscriptions with no long-term contracts. You can cancel either service at any time.
<p>Original programming: While Starz doesn't have as many original shows and movies as Netflix or HBO, it does produce some acclaimed entertainment, including movies like Ash Evil Dead and shows such as American Gods, Power, to name but a few. </p> <p>Sharing devices: Starz lets you have four simultaneous streams per account, for about $7 less than Netflix's most expensive Premium plan which allows the same.</p>
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