What Amazon Prime Video is and who pays for it

Amazon Prime Video is a streaming service that comes as part of an Amazon Prime membership. You do not pay separately for Prime Video — it is included when you pay for Prime. Amazon Prime itself costs $14.99 per month or $139 per year if you pay upfront, though the price varies by region and changes periodically. If you already have Prime for the free shipping benefit, you already have access to Prime Video at no additional charge.

Prime Video lets you watch movies, TV shows, and original series on devices like phones, tablets, computers, and smart TVs. Some content is included with your membership; other titles require an additional rental or purchase fee. You can also add premium channels like HBO Max or Paramount+ through Prime Video for an extra monthly cost, though these are separate subscriptions.

Amazon also offers Prime Video as a standalone service in some countries, but in the United States, it is only sold as part of the full Prime membership. If you want only the video service without Prime's shipping benefits, you would need to check whether your country offers that option directly through Amazon.

Key Takeaways

  • Prime Video is included with Amazon Prime membership ($14.99 per month or $139 per year in the US), not sold separately in most regions.
  • Most TV shows and movies in the Prime Video library are included with membership, but some require a rental or purchase fee.
  • You can watch on multiple devices — phones, tablets, computers, and smart TVs — and read titles to watch offline on mobile devices.
  • Amazon Prime membership includes other benefits beyond video, such as free two-day shipping on may be able to access items and access to Prime Music.
  • You can add premium channels like HBO Max through Prime Video for an additional monthly fee if you want those services bundled in one place.

How to sign up for Amazon Prime and access Prime Video

To get Prime Video, you first create or log into an Amazon account at amazon.com. From there, you navigate to the Prime membership page and choose either the monthly or annual plan. Amazon will ask for a payment method — a credit card, debit card, or other payment option you have on file. Once your payment goes through, your Prime membership is active when ready, and you can start watching Prime Video right away.

To watch on your TV, you read the Prime Video app on a smart TV, streaming device (like a Roku or Fire Stick), or gaming console. On phones and tablets, you read the Prime Video app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. On a computer, you can watch directly at primevideo.com without downloading anything. You log in with the same Amazon account you used to sign up for Prime.

If you are not sure whether you already have Prime, log into your Amazon account and look for "Your Account" in the top right corner. Click "Memberships and Subscriptions" to see if an active Prime membership is listed. If it is, you already have access to Prime Video.

What content is included versus what costs extra

The Prime Video library includes thousands of movies and TV shows at no extra cost beyond your Prime membership. These titles are marked "Included with Prime" in the app. You can watch them as many times as you want, and there are no limits on how many you can watch per month.

Some newer movies and TV episodes are available to rent or buy. A rental typically costs $3.99 to $5.99 and lets you watch for a set period (usually 24 to 48 hours). A purchase costs more — often $9.99 to $19.99 for a movie — but you own it and can watch it anytime. These costs appear before you start watching, so you know the price before you commit.

Amazon also produces original series and films that are included with Prime membership, such as The Boys, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. New episodes of original series usually release on a weekly schedule, though some release all at once.

How many people can watch at the same time

Your Prime membership allows multiple people in your household to watch at the same time on different devices. Amazon does not publish a specific limit, but in practice you can typically have three to four streams running simultaneously. If a fifth person tries to start watching while four are already streaming, that person will usually see a message saying the limit has been reached.

If you share your Prime account with family members, each person can create their own profile within the account. Profiles let each person have their own watchlist, recommendations, and viewing history. Children's profiles can be set up with parental controls to restrict content by rating.

If people outside your household want to watch, they would need their own Prime membership. Amazon's terms of service state that Prime is for personal use by the member and their household, not for sharing with people at other addresses.

Downloading titles to watch offline

The Prime Video app on phones and tablets lets you read included titles to watch later without an internet connection. This is useful for travel or when you know you will not have reliable wifi. To read, open a title in the app and look for a read button (usually a downward arrow icon). The downloaded file takes up storage space on your device, and you can delete it anytime to free up space.

Downloaded titles expire after a set period — usually 30 days from when you read them, though this varies by title. Once the expiration date passes, you need to read the title again if you want to watch it offline. Rental and purchase titles have their own expiration rules based on your rental or purchase window.

You cannot read titles on a computer or smart TV, only on mobile devices. The read feature is available only for included content and some rentals; not all titles in the library support downloading.

Canceling Prime and what happens to your access

You can cancel your Prime membership anytime through your Amazon account. Go to "Your Account," select "Memberships and Subscriptions," find Amazon Prime, and choose "Cancel Membership." Amazon will ask you to confirm and may offer you a discount to stay. Once you confirm the cancellation, your membership ends on the date your current billing period ends — you do not lose access when ready.

After your membership ends, you lose access to Prime Video and all other Prime benefits. Any titles you downloaded to your phone or tablet will no longer play. If you had added premium channels like HBO Max through Prime Video, those subscriptions end as well unless you had them set up separately.

If you cancel and then rejoin Prime later, your watchlist and viewing history are usually still there. However, Amazon does not may provide this, so if you think you might return, you may want to note which shows you were watching.

Comparing Prime Video to other streaming services

Prime Video is one option among many streaming services. Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max each have their own libraries and pricing. The main difference with Prime Video is that it comes bundled with Amazon Prime's shipping and other benefits, so the cost is not purely for video.

If you use Amazon Prime mainly for shipping and rarely watch video, you are paying for both services together. If you watch video frequently, the bundled cost may be better value than paying for multiple standalone services. Some people subscribe to Prime for shipping and use Prime Video as a bonus; others subscribe mainly for the video and use the shipping as an extra.

You can also add premium channels like HBO Max, Paramount+, or Showtime directly through the Prime Video app for an additional monthly fee. This lets you bundle multiple services in one place and one bill, though the total cost adds up quickly if you add several channels.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to pay for Prime Video separately from Amazon Prime?

No. Prime Video is included with Amazon Prime membership in the United States. You cannot buy Prime Video alone here; it only comes as part of the full Prime membership, which costs $14.99 per month or $139 per year. Some countries may offer Prime Video as a standalone service, but that is not available in the US.

Can I watch Prime Video on my TV?

Yes. read the Prime Video app on a smart TV, streaming device (Roku, Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast), or gaming console (PlayStation, Xbox). You can also connect a computer or tablet to your TV with an HDMI cable and watch that way. Log in with your Amazon account, and you can start watching when ready.

What happens if I share my Prime password with a friend?

Your friend can watch using your account, but Amazon's terms say Prime is for personal use by you and your household. If Amazon detects sharing outside your home, it may ask you to verify your location or restrict access. The safest approach is to have each person get their own Prime membership.

Can I watch Prime Video on my phone without downloading the app?

Yes. You can watch at primevideo.com in your phone's web browser, though the app usually works better and lets you read titles for offline viewing. The web version does not support downloading.

Do all Prime Video titles have ads?

Most included titles have no ads. However, Amazon introduced an ad-supported tier of Prime Video in late 2022 in some regions, and this tier shows ads during included content. In the US, the standard Prime membership ($14.99 per month) includes titles with ads, while a higher-priced ad-free tier is available for an additional fee. Check your account settings to see which tier you are on.