Prime Video is the movie and TV streaming service, including sports, provided by Amazon Prime service or available separately for $8.99 per month. Since 2024, Prime Video displays ads by default; the paid Prime Video Ultra add-on is needed to turn them off; the same add-on also provides 4K/UHD streaming and increases the number of simultaneous streams and offline downloads.
The standalone Prime Video subscription costs $8.99 per month without any shipping benefits. Full Amazon Prime costs $14.99 per month ($139 per year) and includes the free streaming service along with free fast shipping, music and gaming features. Considering that the cost difference between the two is $6/month, the latter is a much better deal for almost everyone, since the shipping benefit covers the extra expenses for most users even if they use the service very rarely.
Adverts appeared in the basic streaming experience provided by Amazon in early 2024. In April 2026, the ad-free option was renamed and repurposed as the Prime Video Ultra add-on, costing $4.99 per month on top of your regular Prime subscription (instead of $2.99 originally). The annual plan for Ultra costs $45.99 per year, making it about 23% cheaper than the monthly.
The Ultra plan does not consist only of an ad removal feature. In addition, the number of streams increased from 3 to 5, the limit of offline downloads increased from 25 to 100, and Ultra is the only plan providing 4K/UHD streaming and Dolby Atmos audio. Thus, if you were already going to take the ad-free upgrade, the above benefits are included in the same new plan.
Apart from the streaming service, the Prime Video also provides 100+ Channels – basically other paid streaming services (Paramount+ with Showtime, different premium networks) purchased through your existing Prime membership. Each of them has its own separate monthly cost. What is important, subscribing to a particular Channel does not mean getting the whole catalog of that provider through its official app – only those content pieces that are available via Channels.
Prime Video gained exclusive US streaming rights to NFL Thursday Night Football and entered the sphere of broadcasting other live sports events. This fact has changed the role of the streaming service quite a bit during the past years, making it more than just a movie and TV series library competing with Netflix and others – now, it is also a streaming destination providing live event content not available anywhere else.
In addition to the service and the Channels, the Prime Video also provides a possibility to rent or buy individual movies and series episodes that are not included in your subscription package. This content costs extra per each title and not depends on the chosen subscription plan – neither Prime nor Ultra gives you access to newly released rental titles for free.
The service and the membership can be legally shared with another adult person through Amazon Household; the cost of the membership can be divided among two people located at the same address. Each of them will get his or her own profile, watchlist and recommended content list instead of having only one joint login.
No. There is a standalone subscription to Prime Video, available for $8.99 per month without any other Prime membership benefits. The full membership, including Amazon Prime Video and other services, costs $14.99 per month.
Amazon started displaying ads in the basic streaming experience starting from early 2024. To remove them, the paid add-on Prime Video Ultra needs to be installed for $4.99/month. This add-on also provides 4K/UHD streaming.
The main differences are the removal of ads, provision of 4K/UHD resolution and Dolby Atmos sound, increase in the number of simultaneous streams from 3 to 5, and in the number of offline downloads from 25 to 100. The cost of the add-on is $4.99 per month, or $45.99 per year.
No. All of them are separate paid add-ons with their own separate monthly costs, additional to your existing Prime membership.
Yes, through Amazon Household. One more adult person located at the same address can share the membership. Each person will have his or her own separate profile with separate recommendations and watch history.
No, not always. New release films are frequently available as paid rentals or purchases separate from your subscription plan, regardless whether Prime or Ultra is active. Make sure if the title is labeled "Included with Prime" or has its own rental price.
No, the basic subscription displays ads just like the one bundled with Prime; the removal of ads is possible only with the paid Ultra add-on regardless of whether you have a standalone subscription to Prime Video or the whole Amazon Prime subscription.