Yahoo Finance Amazon Prime Video: How much does the streaming service cost in the UK vs the US and what’s included?
In what is quickly becoming a congested market, Amazon’s bid to help its video streaming service stand out from the crowd is simple: include much, much more than just movies and TV shows.
Amazon Prime arrived way back in 2005, long before anyone even thought about streaming television and films, then came to the UK in 2007. Back then, Prime was a subscription service that offered free delivery on a massive range of products sold by Amazon.
Now though, Prime comes bundled with an awful lot more, including Prime Video, which is Amazon’s answer to Netflix and Disney+. There’s also the Amazon Music streaming service, plus same-day grocery deliveries through Amazon Fresh and Morrisons (in qualifying postcodes only) and a subscription to Deliveroo Plus.
Of course there’s also Prime Reading for unlimited access to eBooks and magazines, and members also get early access to Amazon’s Lightning Deals which is ideal around sales events like the upcoming Amazon Prime Day sales in July.
It is estimated that Amazon has over 200 million Prime members globally, and by combining streaming services with useful online shopping perks it’s easy to see why Prime has become so popular. But, if you don’t want to pay for all of those extras, the Prime Video streaming service can be used on its own for a lower monthly fee.
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Subscribing to Prime Video gives you access to a massive catalogue of content, including Amazon’s own shows like The Man in The High Castle, Clarkson’s Farm, Jack Ryan and Reacher. You’ll also get exclusive access to movies like No Time To Die, the option to rent films that have only just hit the cinema, and even live sport, including tennis and football.
So, if you haven’t yet tried the service or are in two minds whether to sign up for Amazon Prime or not, we’ve answered all your burning questions below.
How much does Amazon Prime cost in the UK?
Amazon Prime, which gives access to Prime Video, as well as all the other Amazon services mentioned above, is currently priced at £7.99 a month. Or you can pay £79 a year, which works out at £6.58 a month. However, from 15 September the price will go up to £8.99 a month or £95 is you choose to pay annually – an increase of 20 per cent. This is the first time Amazon has raised the price of Prime since 2014, and the cost is going up in other markets across Europe too, in some cases by as much as 43 per cent.
Read more: How much does Disney+ cost in the UK and US, and what’s included?
Alternatively, if you only want Prime Video, this is priced at £5.99 a month. If you aren’t yet a Prime subscriber, you can sign up for a free 30-day trial to see if this is the streaming service for you.
How much does Amazon Prime cost in the US?
Across the pond Amazon Prime costs $14.99 a month or $139 a year, which works out at $11.58 a month. These prices were introduced earlier in 2022, and US prices are not subject to the same rises coming to the UK and Europe in September. Alternatively, subscribing to the Prime Video streaming service on its own costs $8.99 a month.
Is Amazon Prime Video free with Amazon Prime?
Yes, it is. Prime Video is included in a Prime subscription, which also gives members access to a range of other perks. That includes (deep breath now) free next-day delivery from the Amazon website, Deliveroo Plus, advert-free music streaming from Prime Music, unlimited photo storage, same-day grocery deliveries (in qualifying postcodes) and early access to Amazon’s Lightning Deals. Access to all of this costs £7.99 a month or £79 per year, but increases to £8.99 a month or £95 a year on 15 September.
Alternatively, you can just subscribe to Amazon’s Prime Video streaming service. This costs £5.99 a month and only grants access to the streaming platform, with no other Prime perks included.
What to watch on Amazon Prime Video
Just like Netflix, there’s a lot to sink your teeth into with Amazon Prime Video. This includes original series, as well as TV shows broadcast elsewhere, and a huge catalogue of movies too.
Read more: How to sign up for Apple TV+, the free trials and shows to watch
Must-watch Prime originals include The Man in the High Castle, Bosche, Mr Robot, Mad Dogs, The Grand Tour, Jack Ryan, The Wheel of Time, Clarkson’s Farm and Night Sky. Content on Prime that was first shown elsewhere includes Fleabag, House, Travel Man and Vikings.
Films to watch on Prime Video include Manchester by the Sea, The Big Sick, Parasite, The Wolf of Wall Street, In Bruges, Paddington, We Need to Talk About Kevin, Con Air, Shrek and Fight Club. Prime Video also has every James Bond film, including No Time To Die, thanks to Amazon’s purchase of MGM earlier in 2022.
Is Netflix free with Amazon Prime?
Netflix and Amazon Prime are competing services and as such, one is not available as part of the other. You may occasionally see a TV service bundle streaming apps like Netflix and Prime Video into one monthly fee, but the services themselves are entirely separate. Each requires their own user account and subscription if you want access to both.
How many screens can you watch Amazon Prime on?
Currently, Amazon allows up to three screens to access each Amazon Prime subscription at once. This means you could have three user accounts, all tied to the same Prime subscription, watching content on a television, a laptop and a smartphone all at the same time, but a fourth user would not be able to join in with their own device.
Read more: How much does Netflix cost in UK and US and what’s included?
Of those three users, Amazon allows two to watch the same content simultaneously. Say you want to watch a TV show with someone remotely; you can each log into your user profiles of the same Amazon Prime subscription, then watch the content simultaneously. But, while a third user could watch something else on that Prime account, they cannot join in with what the other two are watching.
What are Prime Video Channels?
Although a regular Prime or Prime Video subscription grants you access to a wide range of movies and TV shows, Amazon also offers a selection of channels that cost extra. These include Britbox, the UK service full of ad-free content from the BBC and ITV; Hayu, a channel for reality TV shows like Below Deck and Keeping up with the Kardashians; and documentary channel Discovery+.
A Prime or Prime Video subscription is required before you can subscribe to these extra channels, which incur an additional monthly fee. Channels available in the UK tend to cost between £2.99 and £5.99, while in the US channels are available for around $2.99 to $14.99 a month.
Are movies free on Amazon Prime?
A great many movies, old and new, are included in a Prime or Amazon Prime subscription. But there are also titles that can be rented or bought. Older films tend to cost between £3.49 and £5.99 to rent or buy, while newer blockbusters cost around £5 to rent or £14 to buy. You can also rent brand-new movies that are still in the cinema, like The Batman, but these will cost around £15.99 to rent. And it’s worth noting that should you choose to rent a film, once you start watching you will only have access to the film for 48-hours.
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