Amazon Prime Video to show ads in India to all paying users; company will charge more for ad-free plan

Ecommerce giant Amazon has announced that Prime Video users in India will start seeing advertisements from June 17, 2025—even if they're already paying for a Prime membership.

The announcement was made via email to Prime members on Tuesday (May 13), confirming that films and TV shows will include "limited advertisements," in line with the company's global strategy to support long-term content investment. 

This marks the first time Prime Video's core library in India will include ads. The company said that the number of ads will be "meaningfully lower" than what users typically experience on television or other streaming platforms.

The decision follows a global rollout that began in 2024 and has already brought advertising to international markets like the U.S., where the ad-supported version of Prime Video now reaches over 130 million monthly users.

Amazon to offer ad-free plan

To maintain an uninterrupted experience, Amazon will offer an optional ad-free plan. This add-on, which will be available from June 17, will cost Rs 699 per year or Rs 129 per month at a discounted launch rate. Originally pegged at Rs 999 annually, the opt-in tier allows viewers to watch content without ad interruptions. Users subscribing to this discounted add-on will pay Rs 2,198 for a year in total.

The existing Prime membership pricing remains unchanged at Rs 1,499 annually, and all bundled benefits—including free and fast delivery, Prime Music, Prime Gaming, and Prime Reading—will continue. The change will not impact Prime Lite subscribers, who currently access ad-supported Prime Video content in 720p on one device for Rs 799 a year.

Citing the need to "continue investing in compelling content," Amazon has framed this change as a way to fund its growing portfolio of original programming and maintain its edge in India's fiercely competitive streaming market. Prime Video currently holds the second-largest subscriber base in the country, with an estimated 23% market share. It trails behind JioStar, which remains the market leader.

Even with the new pricing structure, Prime Video remains competitively placed. JioStar's premium plan costs Rs 1,499 annually for ad-free access across four devices, while Netflix's top-tier subscription is priced at Rs 649 per month.