Something’s not adding up with Prime Video. While the streaming giant has already rolled out ads for its paying subscribers, it still doesn’t mention that fact clearly on its pricing page.
As seen in the latest update from the Amazon app, the membership plans, ranging from ₹299 monthly to ₹1499 annually, are listed cleanly. There’s no footnote, no warning, no fine print stating: “You will be served ads during your viewing experience.” And that silence is loud.
Customers are paying for what they think is a premium, uninterrupted experience. But what they’re actually getting is a downgraded version of what Prime Video once promised, a platform free from ads, accessible across multiple devices, and loaded with good content. Now, the content is hit or miss, and the ad-free experience has become an optional upgrade rather than the default.
And here’s the kicker, if you actually want to get rid of the ads, you’ll need to pay ₹699 more on top of your existing Prime subscription. Yes, you read that right. You pay ₹1499 for Prime, and then another ₹699 to truly make it Prime.
It would’ve been fair if Amazon had made this transition clear. A simple update in the membership section, a line or two about ads in the standard plan, would’ve saved a lot of confusion and backlash. But instead, what users get is a glossy layout of pricing tiers without any mention of the elephant in the room.
For a platform that once prided itself on transparency and user satisfaction, this feels like a step back. Customers deserve clarity, especially when their money and time are involved. Prime Video needs to stop being coy and start being honest. Because no one likes paying for surprises they didn’t sign up for.