I have a complicated relationship with Amazon Prime Video.
On one hand, I hate the interface. It is cluttered. It mixes free content with rentals. It tries to sell me things every time I open the app.
On the other hand, I get it for free because I already pay for Amazon Prime shipping. And for free, it is excellent. Thursday Night Football. The entire MGM library. The Boys. Reacher. Fallout.
Netflix has none of those things. But Netflix has Stranger Things, Wednesday, Squid Game, and the best interface in streaming.
This guide compares Netflix and Amazon Prime Video directly. Price. Content. Sports. 4K. Interface. Everything you need to decide which service deserves your money.
Part of our guide to best streaming services in 2026
Also see: Netflix vs Hulu | Netflix vs Disney+
The Short Answer
Choose Netflix if you do not have Amazon Prime. Netflix has better originals, a better interface, and better 4K quality. It is worth the monthly price.
Choose Amazon Prime Video if you already pay for Amazon Prime shipping. Prime Video is free for you. And for free, it is excellent. The MGM library alone makes it worth keeping.
Keep both if you have Amazon Prime and also love Netflix originals. That is what most people do. Prime for shipping and Thursday Night Football. Netflix for everything else.
The real question is not Netflix vs Prime Video. The real question is whether you should pay for Prime Video if you do not have Amazon Prime. The answer is no. Just get Netflix.
Price Comparison
This is the most important difference between the two services.
| Plan | Netflix Price | Amazon Prime Video Price |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly subscription | $6.99 to $22.99 | $14.99 |
| Annual subscription | $83.88 to $275.88 | $149 (or $139 with Amazon Prime) |
| Free with Amazon Prime shipping | No | Yes |
| Cheapest ad free 4K plan | $22.99 | $14.99 (but limited 4K) |
Here is the catch that nobody talks about.
Amazon Prime Video costs fifteen dollars per month. But Amazon Prime shipping costs one hundred and thirty nine dollars per year, which is about twelve dollars per month. That includes Prime Video for free.
If you already pay for Amazon Prime shipping, Prime Video costs you zero extra dollars. You are leaving value on the table if you do not use it.
If you do not have Amazon Prime, do not subscribe to Prime Video by itself. Fifteen dollars is too expensive for what you get. Get Netflix instead.
Read our full Netflix review →
Read our full Amazon Prime Video review →
Content Comparison
These two services have very different content strategies.
Netflix content strengths:
- Original series (Stranger Things, Wednesday, Squid Game, The Crown)
- Original films (The Gray Man, Rebel Moon, Leave the World Behind)
- International content (Korean dramas, Spanish thrillers)
- Documentaries (Our Planet, Making a Murderer)
- Stand up comedy specials
- Licensed content from Sony, Universal, and Paramount
Amazon Prime Video content strengths:
- Thursday Night Football (NFL) – exclusive, included at no extra cost
- MGM library (every James Bond movie, every Rocky movie, Creed, RoboCop, Silence of the Lambs)
- Prime Originals (The Boys, Reacher, Fallout, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power)
- Rent or buy store (200,000+ titles you can rent if not included)
- Older licensed movies from Warner Bros, Paramount, and Universal
Netflix has more original content. Amazon has Thursday Night Football and the MGM library. Those two things are unique to Amazon. You cannot get them anywhere else.
Thursday Night Football – Amazon Secret Weapon
Amazon paid billions of dollars for exclusive rights to Thursday Night Football. That means every Thursday night during the NFL season, the only place to watch the game is Amazon Prime Video.
Netflix has no live sports. Zero. If you care about the NFL, Amazon Prime Video has a massive advantage.
You also get NFL pregame shows, postgame analysis, and alternate broadcasts. The production quality is good. The stream is stable. And it is included in your Prime subscription at no extra cost.
For football fans, this alone justifies keeping Prime Video.
See more sports streaming options →
The MGM Library – Another Amazon Advantage
Amazon bought MGM for eight and a half billion dollars. That purchase gave them one of the best movie libraries in Hollywood.
Every James Bond movie. Every Rocky movie. Every Creed movie. RoboCop. The Silence of the Lambs. The Magnificent Seven. Twelve Angry Men. Moonstruck. Raging Bull. The list goes on.
Netflix has nothing like this. Netflix original movies come and go. The MGM library is permanent. These are classic films that people watch over and over.
If you love older movies, Amazon Prime Video is better than Netflix. Period.
See best streaming services for movies →
Original Content Quality
Netflix makes more originals. Amazon makes fewer but with higher budgets per show.
Netflix top originals: Stranger Things, Wednesday, Squid Game, The Crown, Bridgerton, The Witcher, Ozark, Money Heist.
Amazon top originals: The Boys, Reacher, Fallout, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Jack Ryan.
The Boys is the best superhero show on any service. Reacher is pure action entertainment. Fallout was a massive hit in 2025. Amazon makes quality over quantity.
Netflix makes more content, but the hit rate is lower. For every Stranger Things, there are ten forgettable shows. For every Wednesday, there are twenty movies nobody watched.
If you want variety, Netflix wins. If you want high budget spectacle, Amazon competes.
4K and Streaming Quality
This is complicated.
Netflix Premium: 4K HDR on all originals. Consistent bitrate. Dolby Atmos on supported content. The best streaming quality in the industry.
Amazon Prime Video: 4K available on some originals and some MGM movies. But it is inconsistent. The Boys looks great in 4K. Thursday Night Football looks good but not great. Older MGM movies are 1080p only.
Netflix wins on 4K consistency. If you have a nice 4K television, Netflix Premium will show it off. Amazon will leave you guessing whether a title is actually in 4K.
User Interface – Netflix Wins Easily
I have to be honest here. The Amazon Prime Video interface is terrible.
When you open Prime Video, the first thing you see is rentals. Amazon wants you to pay extra for movies that are not included. You have to scroll past the paid content to find the free stuff. It is frustrating.
The search function is slow. The recommendations are bad. The app crashes more often than Netflix. And Amazon keeps moving buttons around, so you never know where to find your watchlist.
Netflix has the best interface in streaming. It is clean. It is fast. The recommendations are accurate. You never feel like the app is trying to sell you something.
If user experience matters to you, Netflix is the clear winner.
Offline Downloads
Both services offer offline downloads.
Netflix: Downloads available on Standard and Premium plans. You can download to multiple devices. Downloads expire after thirty days.
Amazon Prime Video: Downloads available on all plans. You can download to multiple devices. Downloads expire after thirty days. Some titles expire faster.
Amazon gives you downloads on the basic plan. Netflix requires the Standard plan or higher. That is an advantage for Amazon if you are on a budget.
Which One Should You Keep?
Here is my honest advice after years of using both.
Keep Netflix if you do not have Amazon Prime. Netflix is the better standalone service. Better originals. Better interface. Better 4K.
Keep Amazon Prime Video if you already have Amazon Prime shipping. Prime Video is free for you. Use it. The MGM library and Thursday Night Football are worth your time.
Keep both if you have Amazon Prime and love Netflix originals. This is the most common setup. Prime for shipping and football. Netflix for everything else. Total cost is about twenty three dollars per month if you get Netflix Standard with Ads. That is reasonable.
Do not subscribe to Prime Video by itself. Fifteen dollars per month is too expensive. Just get Netflix for seven dollars with ads or fifteen dollars without ads.
Comparison Table
| Feature | Netflix | Amazon Prime Video |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $6.99 to $22.99 | $14.99 (or free with Prime shipping) |
| Free with shipping | No | Yes |
| Thursday Night Football | No | Yes |
| MGM library (James Bond, Rocky) | No | Yes |
| 4K consistency | Excellent | Inconsistent |
| User interface | Excellent | Poor |
| Best for | Originals, variety, interface | NFL, classic movies, Prime members |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Amazon Prime Video free with Prime? Yes. If you pay for Amazon Prime shipping at one hundred and thirty nine dollars per year, Prime Video is included at no extra cost.
Does Netflix have live sports? No. Netflix has no live sports. Amazon has Thursday Night Football.
Which has better original content? Netflix has more hit originals. Amazon has fewer but higher budget shows like The Boys and Fallout.
Should I cancel Netflix for Amazon Prime Video? Only if you never watch Netflix originals and you already have Amazon Prime shipping. Otherwise, keep both or keep Netflix.
Is Amazon Prime Video worth it without Prime shipping? No. Fifteen dollars per month is too expensive. Get Netflix instead.
Related guides:
Netflix Review 2026 →
Amazon Prime Video Review →