Price to be Ad-Free on Prime Video Goes Up $2, Now $4.99

It wasn’t that long ago that Amazon’s Prime Video platform was ad-free. But In January 2024, all Prime subscribers started seeing ads unless they paid another $2.99/month. Now, that price is $4.99 to avoid commercials.

Amazon is calling the plan Prime Video Ultra.

If you were previously paying $2.99, the price will go up unless you cancel the add-on before your next bill.

What Do You Get with Prime Video Ultra?

Ultra offers what you’d usually get from an ad-free streamer: 4K, additional downloads, and more simultaneous streams. Here’s the breakdown.

Is Ultra Worth It?

Honestly, no. Prime Video has really pulled back on its original programming. While it has some popular shows like “Reacher,” “The Boys” (now in its final season), and “Invincible,” most of the TV and movies you see on Prime Video is available elsewhere in time.

If you have Amazon Prime already, you’re getting the live sports, and those have ads, even if you paid for Ultra.

Instead of the $5 upcharge, you could subscribe to something like Howdy for less than $3 — it’s ad-free and has a nice lineup of movies and shows (the same kind of random entertainment you’d see on Prime Video anyway).

People also forget that you can watch a lot of Prime Video for free. After Amazon killed off Freevee last year, it folded the free content into Prime Video, but didn’t really advertise that it was there. You can watch more than 380 channels with a lot of fun content. Yes, you have to sit through ads, but at least you’re not paying to watch commercials.

Remember that there are lots of great free streaming services packed with movies and shows. Some of our favorites like Kanopy and Hoopla have no ads at all.

If Amazon started turning out can’t-miss movies and shows that were original to the platform, Ultra might be worth the splurge. But since it seems to be spending all its money on sports rights, paying for ad-free movies and shows that come and go doesn’t feel like the right move.

What Are Some Ways to Save on Prime Video?

Amazon Prime is available at a lower price in a few key circumstances.

Make Sure You’re Not Double-Paying

You generally just need one Prime account per household. Amazon allows you to share Prime benefits with one adult and up to four kids in your home. To share your benefits, visit your Family Settings.

Prime for Young Adults

If you know someone 18-24 years old, they can gat a 6-month free trial of Amazon Prime. That includes Prime Video for free. When they sign up, they’ll get 5% cash back on beauty, apparel, electronics, and more.

Young adults get Grubhub+ included—which saves $120 per year.

After the free trial, the service renews at $7.49/month. You also have the choice to sign up for $69/year.

Prime Access

Prime Access is a discounted version of the Prime membership, available to eligible government assistance recipients or income-verified customers. It offers all the same benefits as the full-price Prime membership, but at half the cost—just $6.99/month.

Who is Eligible for Prime Access?

You can access this benefit if you’re part of one of these programs.

• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program)
• Medicaid
• Direct Express Debit Card (DE)
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
• National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
• Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
• Women, Infants, and Children Program (WIC)
• Tribal Assistance Eligibility Letter (TTANF)
• Puerto Rico’s Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP)

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