Amazon Prime members will have to pay a bit extra come January if they want to continue to see ad-free programs on its streaming service.
Amazon said that, beginning in January, shows and movies on Prime Video will include “limited advertisements.” The company noted that it aims to have “meaningfully fewer ads than linear TV and other streaming TV providers.”
Amazon said it is not making any changes in 2024 to the current price of Prime membership, but it will offer a new ad-free option for an additional $2.99 per month for U.S. Prime members.
Ads on Prime Video will be introduced in the U.S., U.K., Germany, and Canada in early 2024, followed by France, Italy, Spain, Mexico and Australia later in the year.
The company will e-mail Prime members several weeks before ads are introduced into Prime Video with information on how to sign up for the ad-free option.
“To continue investing in compelling content and keep increasing that investment over a long period of time, starting in early 2024, Prime Video shows and movies will include limited advertisements,” the company said in a post announcing its decision.
Amazon’s move to include advertisements comes as other streaming services, including Netflix, have also introduced ads into their programming.