What Amazon Prime Video is and who pays for it

Amazon Prime Video is a streaming service included with an Amazon Prime membership. You watch movies and TV shows on demand through an app or website, and the service is funded by your Prime membership fee rather than by ads or per-title purchases.

Amazon Prime membership costs $14.99 per month or $139 per year as of 2024, though these prices vary by region and change over time. The membership includes Prime Video along with other benefits like free shipping on Amazon purchases and access to Prime Music. You can also buy a Prime Video–only subscription for $8.99 per month if you do not want the full Prime membership, but this option is not available in all regions.

Prime Video works on most devices: phones, tablets, computers, smart TVs, streaming devices like Roku and Fire TV, and gaming consoles. You sign in with your Amazon account and stream as much as you want within your subscription period. There are no overage fees or limits on how many titles you can watch.

Key Takeaways

  • Prime Video is included in an Amazon Prime membership ($139 per year or $14.99 per month) or available separately for $8.99 per month in some regions.
  • You can watch on phones, tablets, computers, smart TVs, and streaming devices by signing in with your Amazon account.
  • Some titles are included with your subscription, while others require an additional rental or purchase fee.
  • Prime Video offers both original shows and movies produced by Amazon Studios and licensed content from other studios.
  • You can read titles to watch offline on mobile devices, which is useful for travel or when internet is unavailable.

Included content versus rentals and purchases

Not every title on Prime Video is free with your subscription. The service divides its catalog into three categories: included with Prime, available to rent, and available to buy.

Included titles are part of your subscription at no extra cost. The selection changes monthly as Amazon adds and removes licensed content. You can browse the full catalog in the app or on the website and filter by "included with Prime" to see what is available to you right now.

Rental titles let you watch for a set period — usually 24 to 48 hours depending on the title — and cost between $3.99 and $5.99 for standard definition or $4.99 to $6.99 for high definition. Once you start watching, your rental window begins counting down. After the window closes, you lose access unless you rent again.

Purchase titles are yours to keep indefinitely. Prices range from $9.99 to $19.99 or higher depending on the title and format. You can rewatch purchased titles anytime without additional fees. Purchases are tied to your Amazon account, not to a specific device.

How to sign up and start watching

If you already have an Amazon account, signing up for Prime Video is straightforward. Go to amazon.com, sign in, and navigate to the Prime membership page. You can choose between the monthly plan ($14.99) or annual plan ($139). Amazon will ask for a payment method and billing address, then set up your membership when ready.

If you do not have an Amazon account, you will create one during the signup process. You will need a valid email address and a payment method (credit card, debit card, or other option depending on your region).

Once your membership is active, read the Prime Video app on your device or visit primevideo.com in a web browser. Sign in with the same Amazon account you used for your membership, and you can start watching right away. The app will remember your account across devices, so you can watch on your phone, then pick up where you left off on your TV.

Downloading titles to watch offline

Prime Video lets you read included and purchased titles to your phone or tablet so you can watch without an internet connection. This is useful for travel, commutes, or situations where your connection is unreliable.

To read a title, open the Prime Video app on a mobile device, find the title you want, and look for a read button (usually a downward arrow icon). The app will ask you to choose a video quality — higher quality takes more storage space. Downloads are available only on the mobile app, not on computers or smart TVs.

Downloaded titles expire after a set period, which varies by title. Some expire after 30 days, others after 48 hours. The app shows the expiration date before you read, so you know how long you can keep it. Rentals cannot be downloaded; only included and purchased titles can.

Amazon Studios originals and exclusive content

Amazon Studios produces original shows and movies made specifically for Prime Video. These titles are included with your subscription and are not available on other streaming services. Examples include The Boys, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Rings of Power, and The Grand Tour.

New original content is released on a schedule set by Amazon. Some shows release all episodes at once (called a "drop"), while others release one or two episodes per week. You can check the Prime Video app or website to see release dates for upcoming originals.

In addition to originals, Prime Video licenses content from major studios like Disney, Warner Bros., Paramount, and others. This licensed content rotates — titles are added and removed based on licensing agreements. If you find a title you love, you can add it to a watchlist so the app notifies you if it leaves the service.

Profiles, parental controls, and simultaneous streams

One Prime membership can support multiple profiles within the same household. Each profile has its own watchlist, viewing history, and recommendations. To create a profile, go to your account settings in the Prime Video app or website and select "Manage Profiles."

Parental controls let you restrict content based on rating. You can set a PIN that prevents access to mature content without entering the PIN first. This is useful if children use the same device or account. Go to account settings, select "Parental Controls," and choose the content rating level you want to allow.

Your Prime membership allows you to stream on up to three devices at the same time. If a fourth device tries to stream, you will see an error message. This limit applies to the entire household, not per profile. If you frequently hit this limit, you may need to upgrade or manage which devices are actively streaming.

Troubleshooting common issues

If you cannot sign in, first check that you are using the correct Amazon account email and password. If you forgot your password, use the "Forgot Password" link on the Amazon login page to reset it. Make sure your Prime membership is active — if it has expired or been cancelled, you will not have access to Prime Video content.

If a title will not play, try closing the app completely and reopening it. Check that your device has a stable internet connection. If the problem persists, try signing out of your account, closing the app, and signing back in. On some devices, uninstalling and reinstalling the app can fix playback issues.

If you see a message that your account is being used on too many devices, sign out of the app on devices you are not actively using. Your membership allows three simultaneous streams, so you may need to stop playback on one device before starting on another.

For technical issues that do not resolve with these steps, contact Amazon customer service through your account. Go to amazon.com, sign in, and look for "Contact Us" in the footer or account menu. Amazon offers support through chat, email, or phone depending on your region.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I share my Prime Video account with someone outside my household?

Amazon's terms of service state that Prime membership is for personal use within a single household. Sharing with people outside your home technically violates the terms. However, Amazon does not actively police this. If you share your login credentials, the other person can access your account, watchlist, and payment information, so there is a security risk.

What happens if I cancel my Prime membership?

You lose access to all included Prime Video content when ready. Any titles you purchased remain in your library and you can rewatch them, but you cannot watch included titles anymore. If you had a rental in progress, it expires and you lose access. You can reactivate your membership at any time and regain access to included content.

Can I watch Prime Video on multiple TVs at the same time?

Yes, as long as you stay within the three-simultaneous-stream limit. If you have two smart TVs in your home, you can watch different shows on each one at the same time. A third device (phone, tablet, or computer) can also stream simultaneously. A fourth device will be blocked until one of the others stops.

Do I need a fast internet connection to watch Prime Video?

Prime Video recommends at least 15 Mbps for 4K streaming, 5 Mbps for HD, and 1.5 Mbps for standard definition. Most home internet connections meet these speeds. If you experience buffering or constant pausing, your connection may be too slow or unstable. Try lowering the video quality in your app settings, or move closer to your WiFi router.

Can I watch Prime Video on my smart TV if I do not have a streaming device?

If your smart TV has the Prime Video app built in, yes. Most modern smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, and others include Prime Video. Check your TV's app store to see if Prime Video is available. If not, you can use a separate streaming device like Fire TV Stick, Roku, Apple TV, or Chromecast to add Prime Video to your TV.