Amazon Prime Video Review 2022: Prices, Plans, and More
We've spent thousands of hours watching shows and movies on Prime Video, and we think it's a good value. Read on to see if it's right for you.
Best value (on-demand streaming)
Editorial rating (4.2/5)
Monthly price: $8.99–$12.99/mo.
Annual price: $119.00/yr.
Free trial: 30 days
On-demand library: 25,000+ movies and TV shows
Compare to other services
Get Amazon Prime Video now
By Bill Frost
Share | Jan 5, 2021
Is Amazon Prime Video good?
Prime Video is the best perk of being an Amazon Prime member. We see you, AmazonFresh and two-day shipping, but 25,000 movies and TV shows is just tastier for that $12.99 a month. We call good on Prime Video, though a little less so when considering it as a standalone, no-Prime-membership service at $8.99 a month.
Prime Video also offers some live sports programming (like NFL football, NBA basketball, and PGA golf), and it has a growing slate of in-house original TV shows and movies (like award winners The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Sound of Metal).
Prime Video's still-small stable of original content can't compete with Netflix's sheer quantity of shows and movies. It also doesn't have the immediacy of Hulu, which streams many TV shows the day after they're broadcast elsewhere.
Still, there's plenty to love about Prime Video, especially if you're a movie buff who's a sucker for '80s marathons (aren't we all?).
Amazon Prime Video pros and cons
Included with Amazon Prime membership
Over 25,000 movies and TV shows
Limited original content
Less essential as a standalone service
Sign up for Prime Video
Free trials and deals
Amazon Prime Video vs. the competition
Shows and movies
Amazon Prime Video free trials and deals
Amazon Prime gives you a 30-day free membership trial, which means you also have a month to try out Prime Video. If you're interested in only Prime Video, the same 30-day trial also applies.
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Amazon Prime Video plans and pricing
Prime Video w/ Amazon Prime membership
Price Video Streams Details
$12.99/mo. or $119/yr. 1080p, 4K 3 View plan
$8.99/mo. 1080p, 4K 3 View plan
Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
$8.99–$12.99/mo. 1080p, 4K 3 View plans
$9.99–$19.99/mo. 1080p, 4K 1–4 View plans
$6.99–12.99/mo. 1080p, 4K 2 View plans
$7.99/mo. 1080p, 4K 4 View plans
$4.99–$9.99/mo. 1080p 3 View plans
Free–$9.99/mo. 1080p, 4K 3 View plans
$4.99–$6.99/mo. 1080p, 4K 4 View plans
Prime Video falls somewhere in the middle of the competition in price and content—Netflix has more of its own shows, HBO Max is pricier, and Hulu has buzzier originals. But can any of the others also deliver a Ninja air fryer to your door within 48 hours? Amazon Prime membership combined with Prime Video is an all-inclusive entertainment package that's tough to beat
Amazon Prime Video TV shows and movies
Prime Video carries three kinds of content: free, original (also free), and shows and movies to rent or purchase. We have a few recommendations in our What to Watch on Prime Video guide.
Of all Prime Video's categories, the most popular is "Included with Prime." This means you won't have to pay extra to watch a TV series or movie (it's also indicated by a blue "Prime" tab on the preview image).
Additional charge shows and movies from the Prime Video rental store are labeled with a yellow "$" tab and can range from $2 to $20 per TV episode or full movie. Most newly released videos on demand fall under this category, with Amazon-owned movies (like Tom Clancy's Without Remorse) excluded.
Original TV shows and movies
Prime Video's original lineup of TV series and movies isn't quite as fat as Netflix's or Hulu's, but it's growing steadily in quantity and critical acclaim. Shows like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Boys, and The Expanse, and movies like Sound of Metal, I'm Your Woman, and Coming 2 America prove Prime Video can go toe-to-toe creatively with the other services.
Channel add-ons
There are over 100 channel add-ons available through Prime Video, ranging from familiar premiums like SHOWTIME, STARZ, and EPIX to niche channels like BBC Select, PBS Masterpiece, and Hallmark Movies Now.
Some add-on channels, such as the martial-arts centric Hi-Yah!, go for as little as $2.99 a month, while SHOWTIME costs the same $10.99 a month as it does on cable or satellite. Read about all the options in our Amazon Prime Video Add-Ons guide.
Prime Video is now the streaming home to the NFL's Thursday Night Football, which is included in the basic subscription—again, always look for the blue Prime tab. Off the gridiron and into the sand, AVP pro beach volleyball games are also included with Prime Video.
You can also watch live MLB baseball (MLB.TV), NBA basketball (NBA TV, NBA League Pass), professional golf (PGA Tour Live), and CBS Sports (Paramount+) through Prime Video Channels for additional monthly fees.
Amazon Prime Video specs and features
Prime Video's on-screen guide is comparable to other on-demand streaming services like Netflix and Hulu, but one of our favorite Prime Video features is its exclusive X-Ray function, which displays information about the movie or TV show you're currently watching. It identifies actors in any given scene, provides trivia and soundtrack information, and more with a single remote click. It's handy for those "I know that guy—what's he been in?" moments.
Amazon Prime Video simultaneous streams
Prime Video allows up to three simultaneous streams, which is pretty standard with most streaming services. It also offers offline downloads for unconnected viewing, allowing up to 25 downloads per Prime Video account with 30 days to watch.
You can also create up to five user profiles within Prime Video and set up parental controls based on content ratings with a PIN number. Even though it's a cartoon, you probably don't want the kiddies watching Prime Video's ultra-violent superhero original Invincible.
Amazon Prime Video compatible devices
Amazon Fire Cube, Stick, TV
Android phones, tablets
Apple TV (4th gen.)
Chromecast, Chromecast with Google TV
Echo Show
LG TVs (select models)
NVIDIA SHIELD Pro TV
PC, Mac web browsers
PlayStation 3, 4, 5
Roku Ultra, Express, Premiere, Stick, TV
Samsung TVs (select models)
TiVo Stream
Data effective as of post date.
With the exception of Nintendo devices, your streaming gadget of choice is likely compatible with Prime Video. Amazon's Fire TV devices work exceptionally well with Prime Video, as it's literally what they were created to stream. Looks like corporate synergy pays off.
Amazon Prime Video video and audio quality
Prime Video streams at 1080p HD, with some original TV shows and movies in 4K, HDR, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision. It's not consistent from show to show, though: Prime Video's hit Bosch is available in HDR10, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision, while Carnival Row is available in HDR10, HDR10+, and Dolby Atmos.
Amazon Prime Video's Carnival Row
As long as your internet connection is solid and fast, Amazon Prime Video's picture quality is reliably pristine. Prime Video recommends at least 5 Mbps to get that quality; we recommend 25 Mbps at minimum for buffer-free streaming.
Amazon Prime Video Originals menu
Audio-wise, Prime Video supports Dolby 5.1 digital surround sound for most of its original movies and TV shows, and Dolby Atmos on a small portion of content. For the majority of programming on Prime Video, however, sound output is the standard 2.0 stereo offered by all other streaming services.
Final take: Is Amazon Prime Video worth it?
If you're an Amazon Prime member, Prime Video is an excellent streaming addition to your app lineup—if you aren't already using it, why not? That's like passing on a free dessert with your entrée, or at least those "extra" fries in the bottom of the takeout bag.
For non-Prime members, the standalone $8.99 a month service might not be quite as essential as a Netflix or Hulu subscription. Prime Video's original series and movies are high quality but few, and you can get its premium channels and rental movies for the same prices elsewhere.
But, now that Prime Video is the exclusive streaming home to NFL Thursday Night Football, and the mega-budgeted Lord of the Rings original series is set to arrive later in 2022, we think the streamer might become a whole lot more essential soon.
Get Amazon Prime Video
Our experts employed hours of hands-on testing with Prime Video, rating the streaming service on bang for your buck, reliability, features, and customer satisfaction. Then we matched up Prime Video with other on-demand streaming services head to head to give a clearer picture of its strengths and weaknesses. For more information on our methodology, check out our How We Rank page.
Amazon Prime Video vs. Netflix
Best Streaming Services
Best Streaming Services for Sports
Amazon Prime Video FAQ
Is Prime Video included with Amazon Prime membership?
Access to Prime Video is included at no extra charge with an Amazon Prime membership.
How much does Amazon Prime Video cost?
Access to Prime Video is included with Amazon Prime membership, which costs $12.99 a month or $119.00 a year.. For non-Prime members, Prime Video is available as a standalone streaming service for $8.99 a month.
How much do Amazon Prime Video movie rentals cost?
Movie rentals through Prime Video can range from as low as $2.99 for older releases to as much as $19.99 for recent theatrical releases.