Amazon Prime Video Said to Include Limited Ads From January; Option to Pay Extra to Stay Ad-Free Available

Amazon will start incorporating advertisements within their Prime Video streaming services soon. A report citing the company's intimation to Amazon Prime users in the US claims that the standard Amazon Prime plan will show ads while streaming movies and TV shows. This, however, is not a sudden move. The company announced the move in September this year and stated that it would go into effect in early 2024. Now, the action has a date of commencement in select regions. Amazon has not yet confirmed when this limited ads feature will be effective for Prime Video users in India.

A report by The Verge claims that Amazon said in an email to customers in the US that starting January 29, advertisements will be included in movies and TV shows streamed on its Prime Video platform. The move will let them continue investing in great content and increase the amount spent over time, the company claimed in the cited email.

Amazon also noted in the email that they intended to have significantly fewer advertisements than broadcast television and other streaming TV providers. They explained that the current price of Prime membership remains unchanged for all Amazon Prime users in the US and they did not need to take any additional action because of this move.

However, if a user wishes to continue to enjoy their ad-free Prime Video experience, they can enjoy the same by upgrading their current Amazon Prime plan. They will be required to pay an additional $2.99 (roughly Rs. 250) per month. Currently, the standard Amazon Prime subscription costs $14.99 (roughly Rs. 1,200). From January 29, users will need to spend $17.99 (roughly Rs. 1,500) each month to continue to watch movies and TV shows ad-free on Prime Video or continue on their older plan with occasional ads.

Notably, Prime Video membership can also be bought individually, without subscribing to the standard Amazon Prime plan. Presently, users need to pay $8.99 (roughly Rs. 750) per month to access only the Prime Video streaming service. Once the limited ads feature goes into effect, that plan will increase to $11.99 (roughly Rs. 1,000), according to the aforementioned report. Another report by The Guardian claimed the same action will start in the UK and Germany from February 5.