Say Goodbye to a Major Streaming Service as Prime Video Officially Announces Phaseout

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The streaming service recently made one of its most significant updates since it began. Following an announcement in March, they discontinued their lower-priced, ad-free plan and introduced a new, more premium option at a higher cost.

On April 10th, Prime Video switched from its Ad Free plan to Prime Video Ultra. Amazon informed subscribers that the old plan would simply be renamed to Prime Video Ultra.

What Are Prime Ultra’s Changes?

The previous plan was a monthly subscription that users could cancel whenever they wanted. It removed ads from all Prime Video profiles within an account.

However, the rule wasn’t absolute. Some Prime Video content, like free ad-supported shows, live television, and sports broadcasts, still included advertisements.

I’m really excited about the new Ultra plan! It still lets you watch everything without ads, which is a huge plus. It costs $4.99 a month, which is a little more than before – about $2 extra. And now, instead of just a monthly option, Amazon is offering an annual plan for $45.99. That works out to a nice discount – you save 23% if you pay for the whole year upfront!

The Ultra Plan offers significant improvements, including incredibly clear 4K UHD video – four times the resolution of standard HD. You’ll also enjoy enhanced sound quality with Dolby Atmos, creating a truly cinematic experience.

Instead of cracking down on password sharing like Netflix and Disney+, Prime Video actually expanded its availability. Prime Video Ultra now allows streaming on up to five devices at once, making it a better option for families or households with multiple viewers.

With Prime Video Ultra, you can download up to 100 movies and shows to watch offline. This is a significant upgrade from the previous ad-free plan, which only allowed downloads of 25 titles.

Amazon Prime Video Is Currently Thriving

In the U.S., a Prime Video subscription usually comes with an Amazon Prime membership and costs $14.99 per month or $139 per year. It’s available in 240 countries and has become a leading streaming service, largely due to its wide range of movies and TV shows, including both licensed content and original series – especially since Amazon purchased MGM Studios.

As a movie and TV fan, I find this streaming service really convenient – it’s not just about subscriptions, you can also rent or buy titles digitally, just like on Apple TV. And if you’re already paying for multiple services, it’s a one-stop shop; you can add subscriptions to things like Starz, Paramount+, MGM+, AMC+, and a whole bunch more. They’ve recently added another major player as an option, which honestly feels like a big move in this increasingly competitive streaming landscape.

Mike Hopkins, a senior leader at Amazon MGM Studios and Prime Video, described Prime Video as a leading entertainment hub with a diverse range of high-quality shows and movies.

We’re excited to add Apple TV+ to Prime Video, giving our customers even more to watch and making it easier to personalize their entertainment all in one place. This includes access to Apple’s award-winning shows, movies, and live events.

Amazon MGM Studios produces popular shows and movies like The Boys, Fallout, Heads of State, Reacher, Red One, Road House, The Accountant 2, Beast Games, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Scarpetta, Young Sherlock, and The Summer I Turned Pretty.

Prime Video Ultra is now available instead of the previous Ad Free plan.

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2026-06-02 13:16