Comparison

Amazon Prime Video vs STARZ

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Amazon Prime Video

Stream a vast library of movies, TV shows, live events, and sports. Discover original series and films, rent or buy new releases, and enjoy personalized recommendations. Download content to watch offline and create individual profiles for a tailored viewing experience.

Highlights
  • Watch original series and movies
  • Download videos for offline viewing
  • Rent or buy new releases
  • Personalized recommendations
  • Multiple user profiles
  • X-Ray access powered by IMDb
Features
Read full description

Watch movies, TV shows, live programming, and sports including Amazon MGM Studios-produced series and movies Road House, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Fallout, Reacher, The Boys, and The Idea of You, and much more. Browse titles, search for your favorites, or enjoy movies and shows recommended just for you. App features: • Download videos to watch anywhere. • Rent or buy new-release movies and popular TV shows (availability varies by marketplace). • Cast from your phone or tablet to the big screen with Chromecast. • Create multiple profiles so each person gets a personalized entertainment experience. • Go behind the scenes of movies and TV shows with exclusive X-Ray access, powered by IMDb (availability varies by marketplace). Enjoy Prime Video updates on your Apple TV or Mac by downloading the latest app from the App Store on your device. This requires an Apple TV 3rd generation or later, and for Mac, macOS Big Sur 11.4 or later. If you subscribe to Prime Video via iTunes (where available), payment is charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase and your membership automatically renews monthly unless auto-renewal is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the then current plan period. Your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours before the end of each plan period at the rate of your selected plan. Manage your subscription and turn off auto-renewal anytime by going to My Account or through iTunes. For customers located within the European Union, United Kingdom or Brazil: By using this app, you agree to the Amazon Conditions of Use and the Prime Video Terms of Use at primevideo.com/ww-av-legal-home. See our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-Based Ads Notice at primevideo.com/ww-av-legal-home. For all other customers: By using this app, you agree to the Amazon Conditions of Use, Privacy Notice, and and the Prime Video Terms of Use at primevideo.com/ww-av-legal-home.

About

STARZ

Access a library of bold original series and hit movies with this streaming service. Enjoy ad-free and offline viewing on multiple devices. Explore boundary-breaking content for adult audiences.

Highlights
  • Ad-free streaming
  • Offline viewing
  • Watch on multiple devices
  • Groundbreaking original series
  • Blockbuster hit movies
Features
Read full description

Family fun has its time and place. This isn't it. Switch on to STARZ and say hello to bold entertainment that doesn't hold back. Welcome to a world of boundary breaking entertainment where characters are bolder, the heat burns hotter and thrillers are – well, thrilling. Whether on iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV...We like it when you watch, wherever you watch. STARZ. We're All Adults Here. WITH STARZ YOU GET: - Ad-Free Streaming - Offline viewing (via download) - Watch on multiple devices simultaneously STARZ has groundbreaking original series including: Outlander, the World of Spartacus, P-Valley, Power, Power Book II: Ghost, Power Book III: Raising Kanan, Power Book IV: Force, The Spanish Princess, The White Queen, Black Sails, Survivor’s Remorse, & more Blockbuster hit movies like The Housemaid, Michael, The Strangers: Chapter 3, Shelter, & More If you’re already a STARZ subscriber through your TV provider, you can download the app and enjoy at no additional charge through your TV subscription. Otherwise, simply create an account within the app and start watching. STARZ SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS: - You can subscribe monthly or annually. Both subscriptions give you unlimited streaming of all content - Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase-Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period - Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period - You may manage your subscriptions and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to Account Settings after purchase - Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable STARZ online services are only accessible through participating partners in the U.S. and certain U.S. territories where a high-speed broadband connection is available. Service automatically rolls to month-to-month or annual subscription unless canceled prior to expiration of free trial. Subscription is non-refundable. Prices may vary. STARZ and related service marks are the property of Starz Entertainment, LLC. Privacy Policy -https://www.starz.com/privacypolicy Terms of Use -https://www.starz.com/termsofservice

Screenshots

Amazon Prime Video4 screens
STARZ4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: Amazon Prime Video at free with in-app purchases against STARZ's subscription. Amazon Prime Video also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 weeks) and ratings volume (3.1M vs 332K). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Amazon Prime Video sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and STARZ sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $11.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Amazon Prime Video against 4.8 for STARZ. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Amazon Prime Video has 3.1M ratings behind it against 332K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 16% of Amazon Prime Video's written reviews are positive against 10% of STARZ's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Amazon Prime Video ships an update every 4 days, STARZ every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on September 26, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Amazon Prime Video versus STARZ: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAmazon Prime VideoSTARZ
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (3.1M ratings)4.8 (332K ratings)
Positive reviews16.1% of reviews — better9.6% of reviews
Number of ratings3.1M — better332K
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterSubscription
Best chart rank#7 — better#13
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV — betteriPhone, iPad, Apple TV
Requires iOS17.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size340 MB57 MB
Age rating12+17+
DeveloperAMZN Mobile LLCStarz Entertainment, LLC

Customer experience

Amazon Prime Video

All ratings3,058,495 ratings
Positive95.2%
Neutral2.5%
Negative2.2%
Written reviews7,087 reviews
Positive16.1%
Neutral10.6%
Negative73.3%

STARZ

All ratings331,590 ratings
Positive95.7%
Neutral2.0%
Negative2.2%
Written reviews554 reviews
Positive9.6%
Neutral9.7%
Negative80.7%

User reviews

Amazon Prime Video

From 3.1M App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 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

Room to improve

  • 🐛 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

STARZ

From 332K App Store ratings

What we love

  • ⭐ Great content and selection
  • 👍 User-friendly app interface
  • 🚀 Reliable video streaming
  • 💎 Excellent adaptation of book series

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes
  • 🔀 Inconsistent resume functionality
  • 🔍 Difficult to navigate and find content
  • ⏱️ Slow app performance
  • 💸 Subscription issues and billing problems

Bugs and requests

Amazon Prime Video

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

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

STARZ

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Unable to enter parental control PIN
  • Downloaded content randomly deleted
  • Incorrect movie/show playback
  • Login issues with TV provider accounts

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add option to turn off autoplay
  • Improve syncing across devices
  • Provide more detailed episode information
  • Implement better parental controls

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Amazon Prime Video

Subscriptions3
  • Ad free$2.991 Month
  • Prime Video Monthly1 Month trial$8.991 Month
  • Prime Video Monthly$8.991 Month
8 purchases

STARZ

Subscriptions8
  • STARZ® App Monthly1 Month trial$11.991 Month
  • STARZ® Monthly$11.991 Month
  • STARZ® Monthly (T-Mobile)$11.991 Month
Show 5 more
  • STARZ® App Monthly$11.991 Month
  • STARZ® Three Month$25.993 Months
  • STARZ® Six Month6 Months trial$45.996 Months
  • STARZ® Six Month (T-Mobile)$45.996 Months
  • STARZ® Annual1 Year trial$69.991 Year

Questions

Is Amazon Prime Video free?
Amazon Prime Video is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is STARZ free?
STARZ is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Amazon Prime Video or STARZ?
Amazon Prime Video and STARZ are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 3.1M and 332K ratings respectively.
Do Amazon Prime Video or STARZ have ads?
Both Amazon Prime Video and STARZ show ads.
Which is updated more often, Amazon Prime Video or STARZ?
Amazon Prime Video ships an update every 4 days, and STARZ every 3 weeks. Most recently, Amazon Prime Video was updated on September 26, 2026 and STARZ on September 26, 2026.
Which is more popular, Amazon Prime Video or STARZ?
Amazon Prime Video currently peaks at #7 in the App Store charts, and STARZ at #13. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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