Updated 13 May 2025 at 16:18 IST
Amazon Prime Video to Introduce Ads from June 17 Despite Already Charging for Much of Its Content
Amazon announced that ads will be “limited” and designed to be fewer than what viewers experience on traditional TV or rival streaming services.
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Amazon Prime Video to Introduce Ads from June 17 Despite Already Charging for Much of Its Content | Image:
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Your favourite romantic series or chilling crime thriller will now have ads on Amazon’s Prime Video. Starting June 17, 2025, the video streaming giant will run advertisements across its movies and TV shows even for the paid users, unless they opt for a new paid add-on to avoid ads. This comes when Prime Video already has a pay-per-view structure for much of its content.
Amazon announced that ads will be “limited” and designed to be fewer than what viewers experience on traditional TV or rival streaming services. The company insists the change is necessary to “continue investing in compelling content” and ensure long-term growth in original programming.
Currently, Amazon Prime members pay for an annual/monthly subscription that includes access to Prime Video. Despite this, a large portion of the platform’s library, including blockbuster films and newer TV series, is often placed behind an additional paywall, requiring users to either rent or purchase titles or subscribe to third-party channels.
The upcoming ad-supported model will be the default viewing experience. To watch without ads, users must subscribe to a new ad-free add-on, priced at Rs 129 per month or Rs 699 annually in India.
Meanwhile, competitors like Netflix have taken a different approach. Netflix introduced a budget-friendly ad-supported plan in several countries starting in 2022, offering a significantly lower monthly price to cater to cost-conscious viewers. Unlike Amazon, Netflix’s standard and premium plans remain free of ads, giving users the option to pay more for an ad-free viewing experience.
This change raises larger questions about the evolving streaming landscape. As content creation costs rise and subscriber growth slows, more platforms are turning to hybrid revenue models combining subscriptions and advertising. However, for existing Prime members, the new model may feel like a breach of trust, offering less for more without doing something for the content that is already gated by rental or purchase fees.
Published 13 May 2025 at 16:18 IST