# Amazon Prime Video vs Kanopy

Amazon Prime Video and Kanopy both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 72% of Kanopy's written reviews are positive against 17% of Amazon Prime Video's. Kanopy also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). Amazon Prime Video's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 weeks) and ratings volume (3.1M vs 153K). On price, rating and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Amazon Prime Video sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $2.99 per month. Kanopy asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Amazon Prime Video against 4.8 for Kanopy. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Amazon Prime Video has 3.1M ratings behind it against 153K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 17% of Amazon Prime Video's written reviews are positive against 72% of Kanopy's.

Amazon Prime Video ships an update every 4 days, Kanopy every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on November 9, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Amazon Prime Video | Kanopy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (3.1M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/amazon-prime-video/id545519333/reviews) | **[4.8 (153K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kanopy/id1205614510/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **3.1M** | 153K |
| Positive reviews | 17.0% of reviews | **71.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#7** | #173 |
| Size | 357 MB | 103 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [AMZN Mobile LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/297606954) | [Kanopy](https://appshunter.io/developer/1205614509) |

## What reviewers say

### Amazon Prime Video

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/amazon-prime-video/id545519333)

**Currently charting:** #7 Top Grossing · Entertainment, #9 Top Free · Entertainment, #29 Top Grossing, #39 Top Free (US App Store)

Stream hit movies, original series, live sports, and more. Discover personalized recommendations and download content for offline viewing. Access additional channels and rent or buy new releases within the app.

**Highlights:** Original series and movies, Live sports streaming, Offline downloads, Personalized recommendations, Rent or buy new releases, Channel subscriptions, X-Ray feature

**Features:** Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ad free | $2.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great selection of movies and TV shows
- 💡 Useful X-Ray feature with trivia and cast info
- 👍 Smooth streaming experience
- 🎁 Good value as part of Prime membership

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent syncing of progress across devices
- 🔍 Cluttered and confusing user interface
- 💰 Excessive ads and upsells for additional content
- 🔍 Difficult to find and access purchased content

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent playback issues and buffering
- Subtitles not working correctly
- App crashes and freezes on various devices

**Requested features**

- Improved search and browsing experience
- Ability to create user profiles and watchlists
- Seamless Chromecast/AirPlay integration
- Better organization of free vs. paid content


### Kanopy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kanopy/id1205614510)

**Currently charting:** #173 Top Free · Entertainment (US App Store)

Access a vast library of films and documentaries for free with your library card. Enjoy ad-free streaming of award-winning movies, The Criterion Collection, and curated content for children, with new titles added regularly.

**Highlights:** Free film streaming, Ad-free viewing, Library card required, Festival award-winning films, Documentaries, The Criterion Collection, Kanopy Kids with parental controls

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎥 Eclectic and engaging selection of films and series
- 🎬 Great movies and documentaries
- 🏆 Excellent content and thoughtful entertainment
- 🌍 Wide selection of various international material
- 🧠 Fantastic educational content like The Great Courses

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes, freezes, and has stability issues
- 🔍 Difficult to search and navigate, poor user experience
- 🕰️ Losing credits just for resuming a movie
- 🔇 No way to turn off closed captions
- 📺 Chromecast and TV integration problems

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes and freezes frequently
- Login issues, unable to sign in or access account
- Chromecast and TV streaming problems
- Video playback issues, including blurry or out of sync
- Inconsistent behavior when resuming or rewatching movies

**Requested features**

- Add ability to pause, rewind, and resume movies without using credits
- Improve search and browsing functionality
- Provide more content filtering and parental control options
- Add support for offline viewing and downloads
- Enhance Chromecast and TV integration


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Amazon Prime Video free?

Amazon Prime Video is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Kanopy free?

Kanopy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Amazon Prime Video or Kanopy?

Kanopy is rated higher. Amazon Prime Video averages 4.8 out of 5 from 3.1M ratings, while Kanopy averages 4.8 from 153K ratings.

### Do Amazon Prime Video or Kanopy have ads?

Amazon Prime Video shows ads; Kanopy does not.

### Which is updated more often, Amazon Prime Video or Kanopy?

Amazon Prime Video ships an update every 4 days, and Kanopy every 2 weeks. Most recently, Amazon Prime Video was updated on November 9, 2026 and Kanopy on November 9, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Amazon Prime Video or Kanopy?

Amazon Prime Video currently peaks at #7 in the App Store charts, and Kanopy at #173. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*