Amazon introduced an additional charge for commercial-free viewing on Prime Video over two years ago, and following adaptation to that cost, the company is now raising the price further.
The e-commerce giant has revealed that the existing $2.99 monthly option to eliminate advertisements on Prime Video will transition to a service named Prime Video Ultra, priced at $4.99 per month. This represents a 66% increase for those selecting the ad-free monthly upgrade. The yearly Prime Video Ultra option is available for $45.99, offering a 23% savings over the equivalent monthly payments.
Set to launch on April 10, Prime Video Ultra provides enhanced features beyond ad removal for most content—though interruptions remain during live sports and select shows—including support for five simultaneous 4K streams, an increase from the previous three, and up to 100 downloads for offline use, doubled from the prior 25.
Meanwhile, base Prime subscribers, whose memberships at $14.99 monthly or $139 annually include Prime Video with ads, will receive upgrades such as Dolby Vision HDR compatibility, an extra simultaneous stream for a total of four, and twice as many offline downloads as the original 25 limit.
However, for standard Prime users accessing Prime Video, the improvements stop there. From April 10, 4K streaming will be limited to the Prime Video Ultra tier, reducing resolution to standard HD for others, though Dolby Vision will still apply.
Amazon explained in an official release: 'Providing uninterrupted viewing with advanced capabilities demands substantial funding, and this model matches industry standards from leading platforms while allowing users to select their preferred viewing method.'
Historically, access to Prime Video's full catalog in 4K HDR without ads formed a major perk of Prime membership.
This shifted in early 2024 when commercials were added to Prime Video streams, requiring an extra $2.99 monthly fee to opt out of them.
The adjustment drew criticism from annual Prime subscribers who joined shortly before the updates, prompting a class-action legal challenge against Amazon that was later thrown out.