Subscribers noticed the change immediately: in early 2024, Amazon began showing advertisements in Prime Video's standard tier, the one included with a Prime membership people were already paying for, and started charging an additional monthly fee to remove them. It was a striking move for a service long marketed as a Prime perk, and it reframed how the app should be judged. The base experience is now ad-supported streaming; ad-free is an upsell.
Judged on the merits, there is still plenty here. The catalogue mixes well-funded originals with a deep licensed library and live sport in several regions, the download system is arguably the best of any major streamer, and X-Ray remains a genuinely clever companion feature nobody else has matched. The app itself, and Amazon's appetite for viewing data, deserve a closer look, which is what follows.
Flights, commutes, and dead zones
Offline viewing is where Prime Video quietly beats its rivals. Downloads are quick, quality tiers are selectable, and generous device limits mean a tablet can be loaded up for a long-haul flight without fighting the app.
Watching alongside a Prime membership
If a household already pays for Prime shipping, the video service arrives at no extra base cost, ads included. For those subscribers the calculation is simple: it is a bonus, and the only real decision is whether the ad-free surcharge is worth it.
Renting or buying beyond the catalogue
Prime Video doubles as a digital video store. New releases absent from the subscription can be rented or purchased, and paid channel add-ons bolt other services onto the same app, keeping one watchlist and one billing relationship.
X-Ray
Pause any scene and X-Ray identifies the actors on screen, the music playing, and related trivia, drawing on Amazon-owned IMDb. It sounds like a gimmick until you use it; then it becomes the feature you miss everywhere else.
Downloads done properly
Selectable quality levels, reliable background downloading, and clear expiry information make offline viewing dependable rather than a lottery. Not every title is downloadable, since licensing intervenes, but coverage across the catalogue is broad.
Profiles and Kids profiles
Household members get separate profiles with independent watch histories and recommendations. Kids profiles restrict content by age rating and hide the store, and a PIN can gate purchases and mature titles.
Live sport and events
Depending on region, Prime Video carries live football, cricket, or other major sport, streamed inside the same app. Sport availability varies enormously by country, so check your local lineup before subscribing for it.
