Amazon Prime Video Ads Will Start Displaying in January 2024

Love it or hate it, Amazon Prime Video ads are about to be a thing, folks. Starting January 29th, 2024, Amazon’s popular streaming service will be sprinkling “limited advertisements” between its movies and TV shows. But fear not, couch potatoes, because this change comes with a twist: an optional ad-free upgrade for those who crave uninterrupted viewing.

“This will allow us to keep investing in the kind of amazing content you love,” Amazon soothingly assured Prime members in a recent email. They promise “meaningfully fewer ads” than you’d encounter on regular TV or even other ad-infused streaming platforms. Think of it like those fancy movie theater ads before the lights dim, not the barrage of car insurance pitches bombarding you during sitcoms.

So, how does this affect your wallet? Hold onto your hats, because it’s a two-tiered situation. The good news: your current Prime membership stays ad-free at the same sweet price. The not-so-good news: if you want to keep those commercials at bay, it’ll cost you an extra $2.99 per month. That brings the ad-free Prime Video experience to just shy of $18, while standalone video climbs to just under $12.

Of course, Amazon wants to sweeten the deal, reminding members of the treasure trove of benefits beyond streaming. They’re talking free shipping on millions of items, exclusive deals like Prime Day, ad-free music streaming, and even access to discounted prescription medications. It’s basically a buffet of perks, with ads being the unwanted green pepper on the side.

This move mirrors similar ad-fueled strategies employed by competitors like Disney+ and Hulu. It’s a balancing act: offering more affordable tiers for cost-conscious viewers while still generating revenue for that next blockbuster series. Whether you’re a die-hard ad skipper or a casual viewer happy to watch the occasional pitch for pizza, there’s an option for you.

So, Prime members, brace yourselves for the inevitable “We’ll be right back after these messages” in January. Remember, you have a choice: embrace the ad-supported life, or shell out a few extra bucks for uninterrupted bliss. Just don’t forget the popcorn!

Here’s the full email from Amazon to Prime members:

Dear Prime member, 

We are writing to you today about an upcoming change to your Prime Video experience. Starting January 29, Prime Video movies and TV shows will include limited advertisements. This will allow us to continue investing in compelling content and keep increasing that investment over a long period of time. We aim to have meaningfully fewer ads than linear TV and other streaming TV providers. No action is required from you, and there is no change to the current price of your Prime membership. We will also offer a new ad-free option for an additional $2.99 per month* that you can sign up for here.

Prime is a very compelling value. Prime members enjoy a wide range of shopping, savings, and entertainment benefits, including: 

– More than 300 million items are available with free Prime shipping and tens of millions of the most popular items are available with free Same-Day or One-Day Delivery.

– Access to exclusive and broad streaming video content (including Prime Video exclusives like The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, The Boys,Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, Citadel, The Wheel of Time, Reacher, and The Summer I Turned Pretty, as well as blockbuster movies such as Air, Creed III, Dungeons & Dragons, Candy Cane Lane with Eddie Murphy, and exclusive live sports including NFL Thursday Night Football).

– Access to Prime Video Channels, which provides an unmatched selection of subscription channels like Max, Paramount+ with SHOWTIME, BET+, MGM+, ViX+, Crunchyroll, PBS KIDS, NBA League Pass, MLB.TV, and STARZ—with no extra apps to download, and no cable required. Customers only pay for the ones they want, and can cancel anytime.

– The ability to use your Prime shopping benefits—like fast, free delivery, a seamless checkout experience, 24/7 live chat support, and hassle-free returns—on online stores beyond Amazon.com with Buy with Prime.

– Exclusive deals and shopping events like Prime Day.

– Ad-free listening of 100 million songs and millions of podcast episodes with Amazon Music.

– Prescription medications as low as $1 per month and fast, free shipping from Amazon Pharmacy.

– Access to unlimited eligible generic prescription medications for only $5 per month (including free shipping) with RxPass from Amazon Pharmacy.

– High-quality health care from One Medical for only $9 per month (or $99 annually), with the option to add up to five additional memberships for the family for only $6 per month (or $66 annually) each. 

– Free two-hour Fresh grocery delivery on orders over $100 (and delivery charges between $6.95 to $9.95 for orders less than $100), and in-store savings on select groceries at Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market stores across the U.S.

– Unlimited photo storage with Amazon Photos.

– Gaming benefits with Prime Gaming. 

– More than 3,000 books and magazines with Prime Reading.

– A free, one-year Grubhub+ membership trial valued at $120 per year, offering unlimited $0 delivery fees on orders over $12.

And, you can expect additional features and programs added in the future for our Prime members.

As mentioned above, no action is required from you. If you wish to sign up for the ad-free option, you can click here. And, as always, if you have questions about your Prime membership, you can manage your account here.

Thank you for being a valued member of Amazon Prime.

Sincerely, 
The Amazon Prime team

Now, the question remains: will you pay to keep Amazon Prime Video ads away, or will you embrace the ad-infused future? Let the popcorn-fueled debates begin!

Tony Simons

Tony has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Phoenix and over 11 years of writing experience between multiple publications in the tech, photography, lifestyle, and deal industries.