Amazon Prime Video may be getting a subscription tier with ads, following a trend in the streaming space where companies offer access to their platforms at a lower price, with the addition of commercials.
As reported by Reuters, and as first picked up by the Wall Street Journal, people familiar with the matter told the Journal that an ad-supported tier will debut soon. Discussions of the tier have reportedly been going on for several weeks, with it further being discussed that streaming services offered as channels through Prime Video, such as Paramount Plus, could also add an ad tier.
The news comes less than a month after Amazon confirmed that subscriptions to its Prime service, the subscription service that bundles Amazon Prime delivery and Prime Video together, would be getting a price hike from $6.99 to $9.99 per month.
If Prime Video were to adopt ads, it wouldn’t be unexpected. Back in November 2022, Netflix rolled out its ad-supported tier, costing $6.99 per month, down from the basic level plan priced at $10.99 per month (with the most expensive plan costing $22.99).
Aussie streaming service Binge also recently introduced ads, as did Disney+ in some markets.
It remains to be revealed whether or not the ad-supported Prime Video subscription will come with fewer features, such as the exclusion of Prime delivery, or any of the perks that Amazon chucks in with the standard plan (such as Twitch.tv benefits, Audible perks, and Amazon Music access).
Not to be coy, but Prime Video already has ads – it has preroll ads on some of its content that advertise new additions to the platform.
Admittedly, this is slightly different, as it’s advertising content on and within its own platform, but it gives us at least a slight idea of how ads could work on the service.
Gizmodo Australia has reached out to Amazon for comment.
Curious how much it would cost to sign up for every streaming service in Australia? We’ve done the maths for you.