12 devices and services that could help you ditch Amazon completely (AMZN)

Getty / David Ryder

• Amazon's formerly sterling reputation has taken a hit from all sides recently.
• That has led some customers to threaten to boycott and cut themselves off from Amazon completely.
• Amazon relies on the interconnectedness of its services — and Amazon Prime in particular — to keep customers in its ecosystem.
• But there are plenty of alternatives to nearly all of its offerings, if you're willing to do a little research.

Amazon is quickly growing to be one of the most powerful companies on earth, spreading into so many categories and offering so many services that it can be difficult to keep track of them. 

With such rapid growth, it was bound to catch the eye of both scrutinizing politicians and customers who might be inherently distrustful of such a large organization.

Amazon's repuation has taken a beating over the last year, with high-profile detractors like Sen. Bernie Sanders repeatedly criticizing the company over its workplace practices and pay standards. Amazon is one of Sanders' top examples of a company that has become too powerful, and he frequently makes reference to CEO Jeff Bezos' incredible wealth in his criticisms.

He recently scored a victory when Amazon raised its starting pay to $15 an hour for all US employees. The company was hailed as forward-thinking, and even Sanders praised the move. 

But employee pay is far from the only reason customers have criticized the company, as the rise of e-commerce has long been blamed for putting brick-and-mortar — and, especially, locally owned — stores out of business.

Whatever the reason for wanting to file for divorce from Amazon, the fact remains that it's daunting to find a place to start.

We've rounded up some of the most commonly used Amazon services and found the closest alternatives to them. Some of them are easy, like shopping. Many other retailers now have perks like free two-day shipping, though they often come with different stipulations. Others, like Amazon's Kindle devices, aren't quite a one-for-one replacement.

Amazon.com is the first URL many online shoppers type into their browser. 

But Amazon is not always the cheapest or fastest option, despite its sterling reputation. Other general merchandise sellers like Walmart and Target have caught up after years of online investment, and they both have low prices and a similar two-day shipping promise.

Amazon-owned Whole Foods is certainly the largest US grocer focused on organic and locally sourced foods. 

But there are others. Sprouts Farmers Market is one of the largest chains, with 280 stores across 15 states. Many local players also replicate Whole Foods' model.

Twitch is Amazon's gaming streaming platform. And while it is still the go-to service for follow-along gaming, it's far from the only one doing it.

YouTube now has its own similar service with YouTube Gaming. 

Amazon has two streaming services: Prime Music and Music Unlimited.

Prime Music comes bundled with Prime, but it has a limited selection. Music Unlimited, while $9.99 a month, contains a much wider catalogue. It costs $7.99 a month for Prime members. 

Spotify Premium, which is $9.99 a month, is a near-identical service, but it also has wide capability with different devices and additional AI-based services. 

Alexa is taking over. Amazon is spreading the voice assistant to all kinds of devices, making it the cornerstone of many smart-home setups.

Google Assistant provides similar functionality, however, including an arguably superior ability to answer general knowledge questions.

See Also:

• Amazon is reportedly revisiting HQ2 contenders as it prepares to make its decision — here's who's left in the running
• China's biggest retailer is coming to America with the help of Google
• We visited a Kmart store the day after Sears filed for bankruptcy, and it was a mess. Here's what it was like shopping there.

SEE ALSO: There's more evidence that the race for Amazon's HQ2 is still wide open