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Amazon Prime Video vs. Netflix: Which is worth paying for in Singapore?

By Alvin Soon - 30 Jan 2017

The best movies on Amazon Prime Video and Netflix

Note: This article was first published on 20th December 2016.

Amazon Prime Video just launched in Singapore last week, so we now have two major video streaming services to choose.

You can get a free 7-day trial on Amazon Prime Video, with an introductory price of US$2.99 (~S$4.25) per month for the first six months, then US$5.99 (~S$8.50) per month. Netflix charges you S$10.98 for the Basic subscription which lets you stream at 720p, S$13.98 for the Standard subscription which gives you Full-HD videos for two devices simultaneously, and the S$16.98 Premium plan lets you stream in 4K for up to four devices at once.

But because of international licensing issues, we’re not getting the full Amazon Prime Video or Netflix catalog on our tiny island. So is either worth paying for? And if you only wanted to get one, which would you get? To find out, I ran both catalogs through lists of the most highly-rated movies and TV shows, as ranked by Rotten Tomatoes.

 

Top 100 movies of 2016

I first searched for the top 100 movies of 2016. Now, this list is unfair, as some of these movies are still showing in the cinemas or haven’t been released yet, like Arrival. Keeping that in mind, Amazon Prime Video scores 1/100, while Netflix scores 5/100. 

 

Top 100 movies of 2015

This list is fairer than the previous one, but the scores don’t improve much. If you want to catch up on the best movies of 2015, you’re out of luck on either service. Amazon Prime Video scores 0/100 and Netflix scores 13/100. 

Movie number five, ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens,’ is a good/bad example of how the labyrinth of international movie rights confounds viewers. While ‘The Force Awakens’ isn’t available in Singapore, it isn’t available on Netflix US as well — but it is available on Netflix Canada. 

 

Top movies of the past 30 years

Okay, so far, not so good. What if you want to catch the number one film of the year, for the last 30 years? Amazon Prime Video still flails at 0/30, while Netflix scores 7/30. That’s still a low score, but if you ever wanted to catch up on the ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy, ‘The Truman Show’ or ‘LA Confidential,’ Netflix has you covered.

 

Top 100 movies of all time

What if you’re a film buff who wants to watch the greatest 100 movies of all time? Here, Amazon Prime Video scores 2/100, while Netflix scores 19/100. 

That’s almost 20% for Netflix, which is still a failing mark, but it’s the highest score it’s had for movies so far. That makes Netflix a better place for classic movies like ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ ‘The Godfather’ and ‘E.T.,’ than it is for newer movies like ‘Zootopia.’

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