There are multiple ways to get access to the entire Prime Video catalog, including a standalone subscription and an Amazon Prime membership. Regardless of how a Prime Video subscription is created, subscribers get access to all of the same streaming content, including Amazon Originals.
A Standalone Prime Video Subscription
For those looking to spend as little as possible, a standalone Prime Video subscription costs $8.99 a month. Amazon doesn’t offer a Prime Video annual plan, making the monthly plan the only standalone option.
$9/mo
- Amazon Originals
- NFL on Prime
- Prime Video Channels
At $8.99 a month, a standalone Prime Video subscription costs similar to other streaming services.
| Netflix | From $6.99/mo |
| Paramount+ | From $7.99/mo |
| Peacock | From $7.99/mo |
| Prime Video | $8.99/mo |
| Apple TV+ | $9.99 |
| Disney+ | From $9.99 |
| Hulu | From $9.99 |
| Max | From $9.99 |
In 2024, Amazon introduced ads to the Prime Video experience. Following this change, all standalone Prime Video subscribers get access to the ad-supported version of Prime Video.
At the same time as introducing ads, Amazon also launched an ad-free upgrade option. Removing the ads costs an additional $2.99 a month, taking the cost of a standalone ad-free Prime Video subscription up to $11.98 a month.
| Prime Video | |
|---|---|
| With Ads | $8.99/mo |
| Ad Free | $11.98/mo |
Prime Video Is Included With Amazon Prime
Those with an Amazon Prime membership already get access to Prime Video at no additional cost. Although Prime is primarily a way to save on Amazon.com shipping costs, there are some additional benefits that come with a membership, including Prime Video.
If not already a Prime member, the monthly cost in the U.S. is $14.99 and Amazon offers a 30-day free trial to new subscribers. It’s also possible to sign up for an annual plan at $139 a year, which lowers the average monthly cost down to around $11.50 a month.
Similar to the standalone subscription, all Prime members get access to the ad-supported version of Prime Video along with the option to pay $2.99 a month to remove the ads.
Prime Membership
$14.99/mo or $139/yr
For those in full-time education, Amazon offers a special student-only membership tier to help save on the cost. While Amazon Prime Student membership is a cheaper version of the full Prime membership plan, it still includes access to Prime Video.
Amazon Prime Student costs $7.49 a month, and to sweeten the deal even more, college students currently get a 6-month free trial when signing up.
Prime Student
$7.49/mo and 6 months free
Another way to save on Amazon Prime is through Prime Access. This program provides eligible EBT and government assistance recipients with a 50% discount on Prime membership, lowering the cost down to as little as $6.99 a month.
Prime Access
Save 50% on Prime membership
Amazon Prime or just Prime Video?
As there is no difference in the general Prime Video experience offered to Prime members and standalone Prime Video subscribers, consumers will need to weigh up the other benefits and the additional cost.
For example, the more expensive Amazon Prime membership not only includes Prime Video, but also two-day shipping on eligible items, access to millions of songs through Amazon Music Prime, and various Prime Gaming benefits.
If opting for the annual Amazon Prime plan, all of these benefits, including Prime Video, work out to be $11.58 a month on average. That’s around $2.50 a moth more than the cost of a standalone Prime Video monthly subscription.
| Prime Video (Monthly) | $8.99 |
| Amazon Prime (Monthly) | $14.99 |
| Amazon Prime (Annual) | $139 |
Of course, if none of these additional benefits are of interest, there is not much point paying for them. In this case, simply opting for the $8.99 standalone Prime Video subscription is likely to be the best option. Alternatively, the additional money saved each month can be put towards the cost of an ad-free Prime Video subscription to improve the streaming experience.
As Amazon does offer a Prime Video free trial, there is no harm in testing out a standalone subscription before deciding whether Prime Video or Prime membership is the best option.
