Amazon began notifying subscribers on December 26 about a change for Prime Video subscribers starting on January 29, 2024. The service will transition to ad-supported unless subscribers pay an additional $2.99 per month to watch content without ads.
As of now, Prime subscribers pay $14.99 monthly or pay a $139 annual fee. The additional $2.99 per month would make it $17.98 per month. A discounted yearly subscription may be offered with ad-free streaming.
Amazon first announced the changes to Prime back in late September 2023.
In the announcement, Amazon said the change will allow the company to “continue investing in compelling content and keep increasing that investment over a long period of time, starting in early 2024, Prime Video shows and movies will include limited advertisements.”
In addition, the statement claimed the change to Prime would feature less commercials than traditional linear TV. “We aim to have meaningfully fewer ads than linear TV and other streaming TV providers,” said Amazon.
The ads will be introduced in the U.S., U.K., Germany, and Canada in early 2024, followed by France, Italy, Spain, Mexico, and Australia later in the year.
Of course, Prime members get more than just video content with an annual subscription. Membership includes free same-day, one-day, and two-day delivery, discounts at Amazon Fresh stores, music and podcasts on Amazon Music, and other benefits.
