Amazon officially announced a major price hike for its ad-free streaming tier in the U.S. Starting April 10, 2026, the current ad-free add-on will be rebranded as Prime Video Ultra and its monthly price will increase from $2.99 to $4.99.
This represents a 67% increase for users who want to avoid commercials, though Amazon is bundling several new “premium” features into the rebranded tier to justify the cost.
The New Tier: Prime Video Ultra
The price hike is accompanied by a reorganization of features. Most notably, 4K/UHD streaming is being removed from the standard Prime membership and made exclusive to the Ultra tier.
| Feature | Prime (with Ads) | Prime Video Ultra (Ad-Free) |
| Price | Included ($14.99/mo) | +$4.99/mo (was +$2.99) |
| Ads | Yes | No (except Live Sports/Events) |
| Resolution | Max 1080p HD | 4K / UHD / HDR |
| Concurrent Streams | 4 (up from 3) | 5 (up from 3) |
| Downloads | 50 (up from 25) | 100 (up from 25) |
| Audio/Vision | Dolby Vision | Dolby Atmos & Dolby Vision |
Key Details for Subscribers
- The “4K Downgrade”: Current Prime members who do not pay for the Ultra upgrade will see their maximum streaming quality drop from 4K to 1080p HD on April 10.
- Annual Discount: Amazon is offering an annual version of the Prime Video Ultra plan for $45.99/year, which provides roughly a 23% savings over the monthly rate.
- Effective Date: The new pricing and feature shifts apply to both new and existing subscribers on April 10, 2026.
- Live Content Exception: Like competitors, Amazon noted that even “Ultra” subscribers will still see ads during live broadcasts, such as NFL’s Thursday Night Football or NBA games.
Why the Change?
Amazon cited the “significant investment” required to deliver ad-free content and premium features like 4K and Atmos. Industry analysts point out that by paywalling 4K, Amazon is following the “Premium” model used by Netflix ($24.99/mo) and Max ($22.99/mo), though Prime remains one of the more affordable options even with the $2 increase.
