Amazon is the juggernaut of not only fast, free delivery and Prime Day but also commercial-free movies and TV shows. But everything is about to change.
Prime Video has always been one of the free perks of being a paid Amazon Prime member, with unlimited, commercial-free streaming for $139 a year. Amazon consistently updates its vast streaming selection with the newest movies, TV shows and Amazon originals that only add to the value of paying for an Amazon Prime membership. Besides the Freevee channel and live sports events, Prime Video streaming has remained relatively commercial-free. Now, Amazon has decided to change it up again.
Back in September 2023, Amazon super quietly announced a change to its Prime Video by introducing “Ads in Prime Video.” According to Amazon, “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.” If you don’t mind commercials and haven’t become completely spoiled by having zero interruptions in your viewing experience, then this announcement likely won’t phase you.
Ads in Prime is coming to Prime Video in the U.S., U.K., Germany and Canada by early 2024 (and France, Italy, Spain, Mexico and Australia later in the year), although Amazon contends it will strive to have fewer commercials than regular broadcast stations. Amazon further states that there won’t be a price hike to its Prime membership in 2024, but if you want to keep Prime Video void of commercials, U.S. Prime members will have to pay $2.99 a month to do so.
Amazon will email Prime members in the coming weeks (if they haven’t already) before Ads in Prime Video goes live with info about how to sign up for the ad-free option. For those who don’t want to pay the extra cost, you don’t have to do anything. Or, if you’re totally fed up, you can just cancel your Prime membership.
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