Amazon Prime Video to start showing ads unless you pay an extra monthly fee – here's what's happening

Below we explain what's changing, who's affected and what you can do about it. For top tips on how to slash the cost of your digital TV subscriptions, check out our TV MoneySaving tricks guide.

How Amazon Prime Video is changing

Here's what's happening:

• From 5 February 2024, you'll be shown adverts when watching films and TV shows on Prime Video unless you pay a new monthly fee. Amazon told us it was currently unable to confirm exactly when these ads will be played (for example, if they'll be shown during content or only before it). However, it says it aims to have "meaningfully fewer" ads than ad-supported TV channels and other streaming TV providers.

• If you want to watch Prime Video content without ads, you'll need to pay an extra £2.99 a month to go 'ad-free'. This is equivalent to £35.88 a year and is effectively a price hike of 33% to 76% for those who want to keep ad-free viewing, as it will be charged on top of the existing Prime, Prime Student and Prime Video membership costs.

  Live events, such as sports, and content offered through Amazon's Freevee service already include adverts and will continue to do so, even if you pay for the ad-free add-on.

  You can sign up for ad-free video now on Amazon.co.uk, though you won't be charged until the change kicks in on 5 February 2024. If you change your mind, you can cancel the add-on at any time penalty-free.

• The changes will affect ALL Amazon Prime subscribers. This includes new and existing monthly and annual Prime and Prime Student members, as well as those who subscribe to Prime Video only.

Unhappy with the changes? You can cancel your Prime or Prime Video subscription penalty-free

Amazon Prime and Prime Video are both contract-free, meaning you can cancel at any time without penalty by visiting Amazon.co.uk and navigating to your account page.

Amazon told us that annual Prime members will be able to get a pro rata refund of their subscription fee if they decide to cancel as a result of the change.

O2 mobile customer? You may be able to get £2 a month off an Amazon Prime subscription, which could help offset the cost of the new ad-free option – here's how.

Other streaming services have also introduced ads on some plans

Prime Video isn't the first streaming service to introduce ads, though it is unusual in not charging less for its ad-supported plans.

Last year, Netflix launched a £4.99 a month plan that features ads, and in November this year, Disney+ followed suit with a 'standard with ads' plan at the same price.

For more on how these and other streaming services compare, see our Streaming services guide.