Amazon Will Increase Ads on Prime Video in 2025

Key Takeaways

Amazon plans to increase ads on Prime Video next year.

This will boost Amazon’s revenue but may not sit well with subscribers on its ad-supported tier.

New interactive ads will let viewers add items to their cart without leaving their show.

Just eight months after launching its ad-supported tier, Amazon has announced plans to increase the number of ads on Prime Video starting in early 2025, according to the Financial Times.

Ads have become a key part of Amazon’s income. In September, the company revealed that it had secured over $1.8 billion in advertising commitments, surpassing its own targets.

The ad-supported Prime Video tier is already quite popular. In the UK alone, it reaches 19 million viewers, while in the US, over 100 million people use it every month.

Kelly Day, Vice President of Prime Video, shared that the ad tier was introduced with a “very light ad load” to ease subscribers into the idea of advertising. However, not everyone was thrilled. Many subscribers were automatically switched to the ad tier or had to pay extra to keep an ad-free experience. The interruptions, especially during shows not made for ad breaks, can be annoying. Imagine being in the middle of an intense scene, only for a random ad to pop up!

Despite the frustrations, Day mentioned that the rollout went better than expected, with no mass exodus of customers canceling their memberships. Though she didn’t share how many chose to pay for the ad-free option, it’s clear that not everyone is thrilled about more ads.

On the flip side, Amazon is also bringing in something new—interactive “shoppable” ads. Imagine watching a show and being able to use your phone or remote to add something to your cart without pausing or leaving the screen. It’s a convenient way to shop, but it also means ads are becoming even more integrated into the viewing experience.

Streaming services offering ad-supported options have become pretty common now. Netflix, Disney+, and Paramount+ all provide cheaper, ad-supported plans. But just because it’s common doesn’t mean people like it.

On platforms like Reddit, many subscribers admit they’re finding ways around the ads, such as downloading shows to watch offline. Some do say that the ads on Prime Video aren’t as frequent as those on platforms like YouTube, which is at least some relief.

In the end, most people seem to expect more ads to show up across streaming services. With ads bringing in so much revenue alongside subscriptions, it looks like this trend will only grow in the future.