Verithiathe honest score on any app
Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

Amazon Shopping vs Amazon Kindle

Amazon Shopping 4.8★ · Free + IAP 60
Winner Amazon Kindle
Amazon Kindle 4.9★ · Free + IAP 75

Amazon Kindle is the better choice for dedicated readers due to its core functionality and extensive library, while Amazon Shopping is a necessary but often frustrating tool for general online purchases.

Full reviews: Amazon Shopping · Amazon Kindle

Amazon Kindle offers a vast selection of books and a convenient reading experience across devices, despite recent update issues affecting navigation and discovery. Amazon Shopping, while providing a wide array of products, is plagued by significant performance problems, poor customer service, and frustrating AI integration.

Head to head

Features & Content edge: Amazon KindleR1R6R7R8
Amazon Shopping Amazon Shopping offers a wide variety of merchandise, from everyday items to gifts, with users appreciating the extensive choices and deals R8. Some users also like additional features like free music and Grubhub+ . However, recent updates have introduced an unwanted AI chatbot for search, which many find intrusive and unhelpful, replacing traditional search results R1R7R41R57. There are also complaints about inconsistent functionality across devices, such as missing Alexa AI or image search on iPad R6.
Amazon Kindle Amazon Kindle is highly praised for its vast selection of digital books, including the Kindle Unlimited subscription service which offers many free books . Users appreciate the convenience of reading anywhere and across multiple devices, with progress syncing . However, recent updates have removed popular features like the 'Top Reads' list, 'similar books' suggestions, and the 'Continue Series You've Started' tracker, making book discovery and series management difficult R66R67R73R100. Some users also report issues with Audible sync and the inability to view PDF books on certain devices .
Ease of Use & Performance tieR1R2R7R8
Amazon Shopping Many users find Amazon Shopping easy to use for browsing and ordering R2R8. However, a significant number of recent reviews highlight severe performance issues: the app is described as cumbersome, sloppy, and prone to freezing and crashing frequently R1. Users report the app heating up their phone and draining battery quickly R12R15R33. Some also experience issues with pages not loading correctly, images failing to display, or inability to click on items . The forced AI chatbot further complicates navigation for many R1R7R41.
Amazon Kindle Kindle is generally considered easy to use for reading, with simple manipulation of pages, sizes, and fonts . Users appreciate the convenience of accessing books from anywhere . However, navigation within the app is a common complaint, with users finding it difficult to move around their library or within a book . Recent updates have made navigation worse, removing the 'back' arrow button and making it harder to find books . The app also experiences glitches and crashes, particularly after updates . Some users find the home screen cluttered .
Reliability & Support edge: Amazon KindleR3R4R10R16
Amazon Shopping Reliability of Amazon Shopping is a major concern for users. Many report issues with payment processing R3, delayed or missed deliveries, even for Prime members R3R10R19R31. Incorrect items being shipped is also a problem R4. Customer service is frequently criticized as difficult to reach, unhelpful, and relying too heavily on AI, making it hard to resolve uncommon issues R16. Package theft and issues with returns (charging for returns, inconvenient drop-off locations) are also cited R28.
Amazon Kindle Amazon Kindle is generally considered reliable for its core function of reading . However, users report issues with books getting lost or being difficult to organize . Syncing problems between the app and Kindle devices are also mentioned . Some users express frustration with not truly 'owning' their digital books, citing limitations on lending or transferring them . Customer support is not heavily mentioned, but the app itself is often criticized for bugs after updates R67.
Price & Value edge: Amazon KindleR19R28R31R55
Amazon Shopping Amazon Shopping is a free app, but many users highlight that being a Prime customer enhances the value, offering free returns and often better prices . However, some Prime members feel they don't receive the promised faster deliveries, questioning the value of their subscription R19R31R55. There are also complaints about being charged for returns R28.
Amazon Kindle Amazon Kindle is a free app, but its value is significantly boosted by the Kindle Unlimited subscription, which costs around $15/month and allows users to read a vast number of books without buying each individually . Users feel this offers great value compared to purchasing individual books . Some users also appreciate the ability to link to library services . There are minor complaints about being charged for Audible content when it was advertised as free .
Pick Amazon Shopping if

you prioritize a wide selection of physical goods and occasional deals, and are willing to tolerate performance issues and a frustrating customer service experience R8.

Pick Amazon Kindle if

you are an avid reader looking for a vast digital library and the convenience of reading across multiple devices, and are comfortable with the Kindle Unlimited subscription model .

Evidence note: Recent negative reviews for Amazon Shopping heavily focus on the forced AI integration and app performance issues, which may skew perceptions compared to its lifetime rating. For Amazon Kindle, recent negative reviews largely concern changes to navigation and discovery features after updates.

Frequently asked

Does Amazon Shopping have an AI chatbot?
Yes, Amazon Shopping has recently integrated an Alexa AI chatbot that many users report is forced as the default search experience, replacing traditional search results and causing frustration R1R7R41R57.
Is Amazon Kindle good for finding new books?
While Amazon Kindle offers a vast library, recent updates have removed popular features like the 'Top Reads' list, 'similar books' suggestions, and the 'Continue Series You've Started' tracker, making it harder for users to discover new books or track series releases R66R67R73R100.
Do Amazon apps drain phone battery?
Yes, users report that the Amazon Shopping app can make their iPhone 16 Pro (and other devices) very hot and drain the battery quickly, suggesting high memory utilization R12R15R33.
Are Amazon Prime deliveries always on time?
No, many Amazon Shopping users, including Prime members, report frequent issues with delayed or missed deliveries, with some stating that more than half of their orders are not delivered on time, even for next-day delivery R3R10R19R31.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R1] Amazon Shopping 1/5 · US Alexa ai slop now forced.: I am not going to support Ai slop. All I want to do is look at results of a search not be forced to chat with a stupid ai. The app is cumbersome, sloppy and freezes often now after the update. Hey alexa, you’re horrible.
  2. [R6] Amazon Shopping 3/5 · US Not ubiquitous functionality: I’d like to request an update to the functionality. The main issues are that there’s no Alexa AI for the iPad app, at least on the 11th generation I’m using, and you can’t use pictures to search for products like you can on the iPhone, which is maddening.
  3. [R7] Amazon Shopping 1/5 · US Stop with the AI!: They’ve replaced the search results with an annoying AI chatbot. Just show me search results. Replacing functional results and abandoning the model that made you a giant company is insanity.
  4. [R8] Amazon Shopping 5/5 · US Easy peasy: Great choices, good pricing, variety of merchandise. Like everything about it!
  5. [R2] Amazon Shopping 5/5 · US Great Work: Now most people have issues with online shopping but this was the most comfortable and reliable way to shop…. 5⭐️s
  6. [R3] Amazon Shopping 3/5 · US Terrible Payment System: While it offers many options and stores, getting it to process payment is terrible. I have to submit payment several different ways and there is never a notice which delays my orders. Deliver sucks too. Never a one day or fast delivery.
  7. [R4] Amazon Shopping 1/5 · US this is a great app but they got the wrong bed frame for me.: I am writing a bad review because when I ordered the bed it was white and had LED lights but when it came it was all yellow brown color and it looked way more different compared to the bed I bought and it costed $130 just for it to come like this? Cmon Amazon I know you guys can do better.
  8. [R10] Amazon Shopping 1/5 · US Order delivery info: Just order a portable holding tank and combo kit and some weather stripping. Was offered the gift card if I applied for card. So I did and then after I completed my order that offered me getting it by Saturday. It tells me the tank, the most important part won’t be in until the end of the month or possibly beginning of next month. Not happy at all!!!
  9. [R16] Amazon Shopping 1/5 · US Going down hill: Amazon has made there money now there customer support no longer cares I’ll be going back to buying from Walmart!!!!
  10. [R19] Amazon Shopping 1/5 · US Purchases not delivered on time: I pay for prime and more than half of my orders are not delivered when it says. Especially next day delivery. Over the last 2 months, barely anything I’ve ordered has been delivered on time.
  11. [R28] Amazon Shopping 2/5 · US Returns not free: You advertise free refunds and replacements but returns are not longer free, I must either drive over 30 miles out of my way to a Staples in another city or pay to return items now. When there is a UPS drop and FedEx drop right here. You want to charge me 6.99 even when I print and attach label and package for shipping myself.
  12. [R31] Amazon Shopping 1/5 · US Amazon has gone downhill: Amazon used to be good with shipping and receiving products. Now it seems like every time I order something, it is always delayed or I don’t seem to ever get my package. Not to mention I have Amazon prime so I am paying extra for “faster” deliveries.
  13. [R55] Amazon Shopping 1/5 · US Useless: dont get prime shipping if anything it makes u wait longer
  14. [R41] Amazon Shopping 1/5 · US AI Bloated: Amazon, literally no one anywhere, ever wants your AI search as their default. Switch it back to normal search by default or at least give us an option to turn this garbage off
  15. [R57] Amazon Shopping 1/5 · US Ruined a Good Thing: Amazon has always been something that I enjoyed using but they have now completely destroyed the app and website by adding an AI search bar feature that cannot be turned off. I do not want an AI education about what I’m searching for. I know what I am searching for. There is NO reason to have AI telling the customer WHAT the item is. We aren’t stupid! Add a “turn off” feature
  16. [R66] Amazon Kindle 3/5 · US BRING BACK THE TOP READS LIST!: I don’t know whose dumb idea it was to get rid of the rankings of books in the top read list will bring it back. That’s where I used to find all my new books. Now you just go to a book and all it has is the series of that book. I want to look at one book and be able to find 100 other books just like it.
  17. [R67] Amazon Kindle 1/5 · US new update has major issues: the newest update has major issues. you click see more book details and it just keeps opening same short detail page. “add to a list” option is gone. can’t view all books in a series it just keeps showing you the same 1 book in the series you are currently viewing. and audible will not download within the book keep getting an error within the book
  18. [R73] Amazon Kindle 1/5 · US Update sucks: Removed similar books feature
  19. [R100] Amazon Kindle 1/5 · US Unusable for series readers, bring back the release tracker!: A recent update completely ruined this app for me. They removed the "Continue Series You've Started" tracker from the main screens. I don't always remember every author's name, and I used to rely on this app to show me exactly when the next book in my series was releasing. Grouping books in the library doesn't fix this because it onl
  20. [R12] Amazon Shopping 3/5 · US Heats up phone: I like this app, and like shopping on Amazon, but I had to uninstall it because every time I open the app my iPhone 16 Pro gets very hot. There is really no reason a shopping app should utilize so much memory, but this one does.
  21. [R15] Amazon Shopping 3/5 · US Heavy app: The app is very heavy - my iphone battery drains so fast and heats up the phone. Pls don’t add asvertisments and animation . Its also distracting.
  22. [R33] Amazon Shopping 3/5 · US Drains Phone Battery: The app works really well but sometimes takes a long time to load and always drains my phone battery/makes my phone very hot. I only try to use it for quick purchases of products I’ve already used. If I need to browse at all I use my computer, otherwise my phone battery will drop significantly and very quickly.

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store