Amazon is rebranding its ad-free Prime Video subscription tier and adding several new features. However, it comes at a cost, and the updated "Ultra" plan is going from $2.99 to $4.99 per month.
In an announcement post, Amazon said that Prime Video Ultra will come with new "enhanced features" including five concurrent streams and "exclusive" access to 4K/UHD streaming. It will also allow up to 100 downloads (up from 25).
The original ad-free tier was introduced two years ago when Amazon switched all Prime Video users to an ad-supported plan. The commercial-free plan cost $2.99 a month. The ad-supported version remained an add-on for Amazon Prime subscribers.
The latest price hike goes into effect on April 10. You can also sign up for an annual plan at $45.99, a 23% discount on the monthly rate.
Other new features
Amazon's ad-supported plan is getting some new features as part of this update.
Amazon is adding Dolby Vision, and you will be able to download up to 50 shows or movies for offline viewing (up from 25). Concurrent streams are getting a boost from three to four.
The latest in a trend of streaming price increases
Prime Video's price bump is just the latest in a steadily more expensive streaming world. The company has also been steadily increasing the amount of ads you see in Prime Video, in some cases to disastrous results.
This year, Paramount Plus saw a $1 bump to $8.99, and since August, HBO Max, Disney Plus, Sling TV, Apple TV Plus, Netflix, Peacock and Spotify have all seen price increases.
The only service we've seen decrease prices is YouTube TV with its new genre packages, but those remove channels from your subscription. Still, it takes the price from a cable-esque $80 dollars to a more manageable $54 or $65, depending on the chosen package.
The enshittification of streaming continues apace.
