Everything Amazon Prime users need to know about the latest changes to charges

28 December 2023 , 10:48

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Amazon Prime Video is introducing adverts from February 5 (Image: NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Amazon Prime Video will start showing adverts for UK subscribers from February 5 - unless you pay an extra £2.99 a month.

It currently costs £5.99 a month for Amazon Prime Video, which means your monthly bill would rise to £8.98 if you want to remove adverts. This is the equivalent of paying 50% more.

If you’re a full Amazon Prime member, you currently pay £8.99 a month, or £95 for the year upfront. If you want to get rid of adverts, your monthly bill would increase to £11.98 a month, or £130.88 for someone signed up for an annual subscription.

Amazon has not said how frequent the adverts will be, but said it would have “meaningfully fewer ads than ad-supported TV channels and other streaming TV providers”. The company said in an email to customers that the change will “allow us to continue investing in compelling content and keep increasing that investment over a long period of time”.

Prime Video users in the US will start seeing adverts from January 29. Live events, such as sports, and content offered through the Freevee service, already include adverts and will continue to do so, even if you pay for the ad-free add-on.

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If you're unhappy about the changes, you can cancel your Prime membership penalty-free. To do this, click on “Accounts & Lists” in the top right-hand corner, if you’re on a desktop computer, then click on “Prime” to manage your subscription.

Members who haven't used any Prime services should get a full refund. If you have only used Amazon Prime delivery benefits, then you may be eligible for a partial refund. But if other services - such as Prime Video, Prime Music, or Prime Gaming - have been used, you won’t get a refund.

Netflix rolled out a cheaper package with adverts in late 2022 - this costs £4.99 a month compared to £10.99 for its standard ad-free tier. Disney+ charges £4.99 a month for its package with adverts which launched in the UK in August, or £7.99 for its standard ad-free tier.

The latest Amazon change comes after the online delivery giant announced a new charge for Prime members on some same-day delivery orders. The new £1.99 charge applies if your same-day delivery order comes under £20. This was introduced in September of this year.

Levi Winchester