Is Amazon Prime Worth It for Streaming? Prime Video, Ads and Channels Explained

What Prime Video includes, and what it does not

The most common source of confusion is that the app shows everything together. A title with a price tag or a channel logo is not included with Prime. Our title pages separate these for you, so you can see whether a film is included, on a channel, or only available to rent or buy.

How much is actually included?

Of the 5,179 popular movies rated 7/10 or higher by users in our data, 631 (12%) are included with Prime in the US right now.

Prime Video’s catalog is a paradox. At our last review it included several times more popular titles than any other major US service, and more well-reviewed movies than any of them. It also had the lowest share of well-reviewed titles, because most of the catalog is older and little-known films. The good films are there, but the app will not hand them to you. Arrive with a title in mind, or use the lists below, and it is excellent value. Browse without a plan and it can feel like a bargain bin. Our catalog comparison shows the figures for every major service.

Where Prime Video is strong, and where it is not

• Strong: films. The depth of the movie catalog is its biggest advantage, helped by the MGM library that Amazon owns, which includes the James Bond and Rocky films.
• Strong: a small number of big originals. Series such as The Boys, Reacher and Fallout are exclusive to Prime Video. There are fewer originals than on Netflix, but the best are among the most watched shows anywhere.
• Strong: live sport. Thursday Night Football and other live events are part of the membership in the US.
• Weaker: television overall. For well-reviewed series, Prime Video trailed Netflix and Hulu at our last review, despite having more shows than either.
• Weaker: the app. Included titles, channel titles and rentals share the same rows. Look for the "included with Prime" label, or filter to included titles only.
• Weaker: picture and sound on the standard plan. At the time of writing, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos are reserved for the ad-free option. 4K itself is included.

Ads and the ad-free option

Since early 2024, Prime Video in the US shows ads by default. Members who want an ad-free experience can pay for an add-on on top of their Prime membership. Whether that is worth it depends on how much you watch. A few films a month with short ad breaks is easy to live with; nightly viewing is a different matter.

Current pricing for Prime Video in your country, including the standalone Prime Video plan, is on our Prime Video page.

There are two ways to pay. A full Prime membership bundles Prime Video with delivery and Amazon’s other benefits, and can be paid monthly or annually. The standalone Prime Video plan costs less per month and includes the same catalog without the shopping benefits. If you would not use the delivery, the standalone plan is the one to compare against Netflix or Hulu. If you only want Prime Video for one series, a single month of either is enough.

Prime Video Channels: convenient, but check the maths

Channels let you add other services, such as HBO Max, Paramount+, MGM+ and AMC+, inside the Prime Video app, with billing through your Amazon account. The appeal is one app, one bill and easy cancellation. Many channels offer free trials, which makes them a simple way to watch one specific series and then cancel.

• Compare the price. A channel can cost the same as, or differ from, subscribing to that service directly. Check both before you commit.
• Check the catalog. A channel does not always carry everything the standalone service does, and features such as 4K or offline downloads can differ.
• Watch for renewals. Free trials convert to paid subscriptions automatically unless you cancel in your Amazon account.

We compare what each channel includes, using live data, in Prime Video Channels explained.

Who gets the most value from Prime for streaming

• You already use Prime for shopping. Prime Video is effectively a bonus, and the question is only whether the ad-free add-on is worth it.
• You watch Amazon originals. Prime Video is the only place to stream them.
• You rotate subscriptions. Channels make it easy to add a service for a month, then drop it.

If you would subscribe purely for the film catalog, compare first. Search for the specific titles you want to watch: if most of them are on a service you already have, you may not need Prime Video at all. Our streaming service pages compare catalogs and pricing.

A quick way to decide

1. Already a Prime member for delivery? You have Prime Video at no extra cost. Use it, and decide only whether the ad-free add-on is worth it to you.
2. Not a member, but there is a series you want? Take one month of the standalone plan, watch the series and cancel.
3. Mostly watch films? Prime Video is one of the better choices, as long as you search for titles instead of browsing.
4. Mostly watch new TV series? Start with a service that is stronger for television and add Prime Video for a month when one of its originals returns.
5. Want it for one film? Check whether that film is included or only available to rent. Anyone with an Amazon account can rent or buy from the store without a membership.

Watching Prime Video on your TV

Prime Video runs on almost every smart TV, game console and streaming device. If your TV's app is slow or missing features such as Dolby Vision, a streaming device is the cheapest fix. See our streaming device comparison for the full range.