Amazon has announced a significant update to the pricing and structure of its streaming platform, Prime Video. The company confirmed that starting April 10, subscribers who prefer watching content without advertisements will have to pay a higher monthly fee.
Currently, Amazon Prime members can remove ads from Prime Video by paying an additional $3 per month on top of their regular membership. Under the new pricing structure, that cost will increase to $5 per month for ad-free viewing.
The price change comes alongside the launch of a new premium subscription option called Prime Video Ultra, which will offer expanded features and improved streaming capabilities. The new tier represents Amazon’s latest move to reorganize its streaming offerings as it competes with other major entertainment platforms and deals with the rising cost of producing and licensing digital content.
New “Prime Video Ultra” Tier Expands Features
Amazon’s newly introduced Prime Video Ultra tier will become the platform’s highest-level subscription plan. The company is positioning it as the option for viewers who want the best video quality and the most flexible streaming experience.
One of the key improvements in this premium tier is an increase in the number of simultaneous streams allowed. At present, Prime Video users can watch content on up to three devices at the same time. With Prime Video Ultra, that limit will rise to five devices, making it easier for larger households or families to watch different shows and movies at once.
Offline viewing capabilities are also being expanded. Users who subscribe to the Ultra tier will be able to download up to 100 titles for offline playback. Currently, the service only allows up to 25 downloads, so the change will significantly increase the amount of content viewers can store on their devices.
The upgrade may appeal particularly to travelers or users who frequently watch shows in places where internet connectivity is unreliable.
4K Streaming Moves Behind the Premium Plan
Another major change involves the availability of 4K streaming on the platform. At the moment, certain titles on Prime Video can be viewed in 4K resolution by users who pay for ad-free access.
However, starting April 10, Amazon plans to place 4K video support exclusively within the Prime Video Ultra tier. This means subscribers who want to watch movies and TV shows in the highest resolution offered by the service will need to upgrade to the new plan.
The Ultra tier will also provide access to Dolby Atmos audio, a surround-sound technology designed to create a more immersive listening experience when used with compatible speakers or home theater systems.
Despite these changes, Amazon says its standard streaming tier will still include several upgraded features. The more affordable plan will support Dolby Vision, a high dynamic range video technology that improves brightness, contrast, and color accuracy.
In addition, the number of simultaneous streams available in the standard tier will increase from three to four, and the number of offline downloads permitted will double from 25 to 50.
Although Amazon has revealed several new features for Prime Video Ultra, the company has not yet provided full details about the overall pricing structure for the premium tier beyond the higher ad-free fee.
Pricing Strategy Reflects Streaming Industry Trends
Amazon’s updated subscription model appears to follow a broader pattern across the streaming industry, where companies are offering multiple tiers with different features and pricing levels.
For comparison, premium plans on other platforms already come with higher price tags. An ad-free subscription with 4K streaming on Netflix costs around $25 per month, while a similar ad-free plan with 4K support on Disney+ is priced at roughly $19 per month.
Amazon’s Prime membership in the United States currently begins at about $15 per month, which includes Prime Video with advertisements as well as other benefits such as faster shipping and additional digital services. Any upgrade for ad-free streaming or premium viewing features is charged separately from the base membership.
By restructuring its plans and introducing Prime Video Ultra, Amazon appears to be aligning its streaming service more closely with competitors that already offer layered subscription options.
Ads Became Part of Prime Video in 2024
The latest changes follow a controversial decision Amazon made in early 2024. In January of that year, the company introduced advertisements to Prime Video for the first time.
Instead of launching a separate ad-supported tier, Amazon automatically added ads to the streaming service for all Prime subscribers. Those who wanted to continue watching without ads were required to pay an additional monthly fee.
At the time, the fee was set at $3 per month, effectively creating an ad-free upgrade option for Prime members.
The decision generated criticism from some subscribers who had previously viewed Prime Video as an included benefit of their broader Prime membership. However, the move also aligned Amazon with other streaming platforms that had already embraced advertising as a key part of their business models.
Advertising on Prime Video Has Expanded
Since introducing advertisements, Amazon has steadily increased the amount of advertising shown on the platform.
Industry reports suggest that the volume of ads has grown noticeably over time. In mid-2025, advertising publication AdWeek reported that Prime Video was showing about six minutes of advertisements per hour of programming.
That level represents a significant increase from earlier estimates when the ad-supported format first launched. Initial reports in early 2024 indicated that the platform carried roughly two to three-and-a-half minutes of ads per hour.
The expansion of advertising reflects Amazon’s broader push into the digital advertising market, which has become one of the company’s fastest-growing business segments.
