Amazon restructured Prime Video in April 2026 in a way that quietly shifted 4K streaming — something you used to get automatically — into a paid add-on. If you haven’t revisited your subscription since then, you may be paying for something different than you think, or missing features you used to have.
Key Answers Before You Subscribe or Upgrade
The questions people ask most about Amazon Prime Video pricing — answered plainly, without the marketing pitch.
It depends on which plan you mean. Amazon Prime is $14.99 per month (or $139 annually) and includes Prime Video as part of the bundle — along with free shipping, Prime Music, Prime Reading and other benefits. But Prime Video now shows ads and tops out at HD. If you want 4K, you pay an extra $4.99/month for Prime Video Ultra on top of that. If you only want streaming and nothing else, Prime Video standalone is $8.99/month.
Prime Video Ultra is a new add-on tier Amazon launched on April 10, 2026, priced at $4.99 per month on top of your existing Prime or standalone Prime Video subscription. It replaced the old $2.99 ad-free option. What Ultra gets you: no ads, 4K/UHD streaming, Dolby Atmos audio, up to five simultaneous streams, and up to 100 offline downloads. You need it if you want to watch in 4K — that feature was removed from base Prime Video in April 2026.
Yes, if you haven’t upgraded to Ultra. Starting April 10, 2026, 4K/UHD streaming became exclusive to Prime Video Ultra. Standard Prime members now max out at 1080p HD — even on a 4K television, even for content that was previously available in 4K. The base Prime membership did receive improvements in exchange: Dolby Vision HDR (previously removed) returned, downloads increased from 25 to 50, and simultaneous streams went from three to four. But 4K itself requires the $4.99 Ultra add-on.
Amazon offers a 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime for new members, which includes Prime Video with ads. After the trial, you’re billed at the standard Prime rate unless you cancel. The trial does not include Prime Video Ultra — that’s a separate paid add-on. Student and qualifying government assistance recipients may be eligible for a 6-month trial and discounted ongoing rates. Check amazon.com/prime directly, as trial availability can vary.
Yes. Prime Video standalone costs $8.99 per month and gives you access to the Prime Video library — originals, licensed movies and shows — but nothing else. No free shipping, no Prime Music, no other benefits. It’s the right choice if you genuinely only want the streaming service and already have fast shipping through another source, or if you’re comparing the streaming-only cost directly against Netflix or other services.
The math: Prime ($14.99/month) plus Ultra ($4.99/month) = $19.98 per month total for ad-free Prime Video with 4K, plus all shipping and other Prime benefits. On the annual plan, Prime is $139/year and Ultra can be billed annually for roughly $46/year — bringing the total to around $185 per year, or about $15.42 per month. Going standalone-only: $8.99 + $4.99 = $13.98/month but you lose shipping and other perks.
Beyond the base service, Prime Video acts as a hub where you can subscribe to additional channels — separate networks billed through Amazon. Popular options include Max (HBO) at around $9.99–$15.99/month depending on tier, Showtime at $10.99/month, Starz at $8.99/month, and Cinemax at $9.99/month. Each is a separate charge on top of your Prime or Prime Video subscription. They can be added or cancelled independently, anytime, directly through Amazon.
For most Prime Video content — yes, ads are gone with Ultra. But there is a catch: live sports, live TV events, and some other select content may still carry advertising even on the Ultra tier. Amazon’s official position is that these categories may carry ads regardless of your plan. If you’re subscribing primarily for Thursday Night Football or other live events, Ultra won’t give you a completely ad-free experience for those.
Prime Video works on Amazon Fire TV (all models), smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony and Vizio, Apple TV, Roku, Chromecast, Android TV, phones and tablets (iPhone, iPad, Android), gaming consoles (PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One and Series), and computers via a web browser. The Prime Video app is free to download. 4K Ultra content requires the Ultra add-on and a 4K-capable device with at least 15 Mbps of internet bandwidth recommended for stable 4K playback.
Yes — two significant ones. Prime Student costs $7.49/month (or $69/year) for verified college students, with a 6-month free trial. It includes Prime Video and most Prime benefits. Prime Access (formerly Prime Discounted Monthly Offering) costs $6.99/month for customers who receive qualifying government assistance such as EBT/SNAP or Medicaid. Both are verified through Amazon at sign-up. At roughly half the price of a standard Prime membership, these are among the better-kept subscription deals in the US.
Every Amazon Video Plan Side by Side
All Prime plans include the full Prime Video library. The differences are ads, video quality, streams, and whether you’re also paying for shipping benefits.
| Plan | Monthly Cost | Annual Option | Ads | Max Quality | Streams | Downloads | Shipping Perks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Prime (with video) | $14.99 | $139/yr | Yes | HD 1080p + Dolby Vision | 4 | 50 | Yes — full Prime |
| + Prime Video Ultra add-on | +$4.99 | ~$46/yr add-on | No (except live sports) | 4K UHD + Dolby Atmos | 5 | 100 | Yes — full Prime |
| Prime Video Standalone | $8.99 | Not available | Yes | HD 1080p | 3 | 25 | No |
| Prime Student | $7.49 | $69/yr | Yes (video) | HD 1080p | 3 | 25 | Yes (some limits) |
| Prime Access (EBT/SNAP) | $6.99 | Not available | Yes (video) | HD 1080p | 3 | 25 | Yes — full Prime |
What Each Plan Includes in Plain English
The video library is the same on every plan. What differs is the ad experience, picture quality, how many screens can run at once, and what other benefits come along for the ride.
The full Prime membership is the most popular entry point, and for most households it remains the best value even if you use it primarily for video. Free two-day shipping on millions of items, Prime Music (ad-free streaming of 100+ million songs), Prime Reading (access to thousands of ebooks and magazines), and Prime Video are all bundled in. Prime Video now shows ads and caps at 1080p HD, but got Dolby Vision back and gained an extra stream (now four simultaneous). If you regularly order from Amazon, this is almost certainly cheaper than paying separately for shipping and a video service. The annual plan at $139 breaks down to about $11.58 per month — notably lower than the monthly rate.
The add-on that brings back 4K — a feature Amazon removed from base Prime in April 2026 — and removes ads from the bulk of the video catalogue. Added on top of a Prime membership, the total monthly bill is $19.98. Added on top of the standalone plan, it’s $13.98. Ultra also unlocks Dolby Atmos spatial audio, raises simultaneous streams from four to five, and increases downloads from 50 to 100. Live sports content and certain live TV events may still carry advertising even on Ultra — that’s Amazon’s stated exception, which affects Thursday Night Football viewers in particular. The annual Ultra billing works out to roughly $46, making the annual Prime + Ultra total about $185 per year or $15.42 per month.
The streaming-only option for people who don’t shop on Amazon regularly enough to justify the full Prime fee. You get the same video library — originals like The Boys, Fallout, and Rings of Power, plus licensed movies and shows — but nothing else. No free shipping, no music, no reading benefits. Three simultaneous streams, HD quality with ads, and 25 downloads for offline viewing. For pure streaming value, $8.99 is competitive with many services, but the moment you start adding Ultra for 4K, the cost climbs to $13.98 — at which point the full Prime membership begins to look more attractive since it costs about $1 more and includes substantially more.
Two discounted gateways that are easy to miss. Prime Student ($7.49/month or $69/year) is for currently enrolled college or university students — Amazon verifies enrollment through SheerID. It includes a 6-month free trial, then half-price Prime benefits including video, music, reading and shipping. Prime Access ($6.99/month) is for US customers who receive qualifying government assistance — EBT/SNAP food benefits, Medicaid, and some other programs. Amazon verifies eligibility, and it renews monthly without an annual option. Both plans include Prime Video at HD quality with ads. Ultra can be added to either at the same $4.99/month rate.
What Can Appear on the Bill
Prime Video itself is clean — no hidden connection fee, no equipment charge. The bill grows when add-ons accumulate. These are the charges worth tracking.
This is the most common Prime Video billing surprise. If you subscribed to an add-on channel like Max (HBO), Starz or Showtime through Prime Video, that subscription continues charging even if you cancel Amazon Prime itself. Each channel is an independent subscription that must be cancelled individually — cancelling Prime doesn’t touch them. Check your Amazon account under Memberships and Subscriptions to see every active charge.
Find Your Situation
Amazon moved 4K from the standard Prime membership to Prime Video Ultra on April 10, 2026. If you haven’t added the Ultra add-on ($4.99/month), your Prime Video subscription now streams in HD at 1080p maximum — even if your television supports 4K. To get 4K back, go to your Amazon account, find Prime Video settings, and add Prime Video Ultra. The good news: Dolby Vision HDR, which Amazon had removed in 2024, came back to the base plan at the same time.
Standalone Prime Video at $8.99/month is technically the answer, but do the maths before you commit. If you add Ultra for 4K and ad-free, standalone + Ultra = $13.98/month. Full Prime + Ultra = $19.98/month. That’s a $6 difference. If you occasionally order anything from Amazon and would qualify for free shipping, full Prime almost certainly pays for itself within a month or two of use. The standalone plan only wins if you genuinely never use Amazon for shopping.
Very likely yes, and the savings are substantial. Prime Student costs $7.49/month (or $69/year) after a 6-month free trial. Prime Access for EBT/SNAP and Medicaid recipients costs $6.99/month. Both include the full Prime Video library, free shipping and most other Prime benefits. For Prime Access, go to amazon.com/prime and look for the “qualifying government assistance” option — Amazon verifies through their secure system and doesn’t share benefit information with third parties.
Cancelling an add-on channel is different from cancelling Prime itself. Sign into Amazon, go to Account & Lists, then Your Account, then Memberships & Subscriptions. You’ll see every active subscription billed through Amazon, including individual channels. Click the channel you want to remove and select Cancel Channel. You keep access until the end of the billing period you’ve already paid for. Cancelling Prime does not cancel these channels — they continue charging until you remove them individually.
It’s a fair comparison. Netflix Standard (no ads) is $17.99/month in the US for two screens — Prime + Ultra at $19.98 gets you five screens, 4K when available, and everything else Prime includes. Netflix has a larger, more consistent original content library. Prime Video has Thursday Night Football, The Boys, Fallout, and the most flexible channel add-on ecosystem of any streaming service. They serve different needs, and many households subscribe to both — but if you’re choosing one, Prime + Ultra is competitive and brings the shipping benefit along for two extra dollars per month.
You won’t lose access immediately. Amazon’s cancellation lets you keep all Prime benefits — including Prime Video — until the end of the billing period you’ve already paid for. If you paid annually, that could mean many months of remaining access. Amazon may also offer a discounted rate or a pause option during the cancellation flow, which is worth knowing before you click through. To cancel, go to your Account, select Prime Membership, click Manage Membership, then End Membership. The process takes a few minutes and there is no cancellation fee.
Sign Up, Upgrade or Get Help
Everything you need to start, change or cancel your Amazon Prime Video subscription.
Amazon Prime pricing of $14.99/month and $139/year, Prime Video standalone at $8.99/month, and Prime Video Ultra at $4.99/month effective April 10, 2026, are confirmed from Amazon’s official announcement (aboutamazon.com) and reported by IBC, PCWorld, and The Hollywood Reporter. Prime Student and Prime Access pricing reflect Amazon’s published rates. Add-on channel pricing (Max, Showtime, Starz, Cinemax) is approximate and subject to change — confirm current rates on amazon.com/channels. This page is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by Amazon.
Key sources: Amazon (aboutamazon.com); IBC.org (March 2026); PCWorld (March 2026).