Is Amazon Prime right for you? Learn about the pros and cons of Amazon Prime Video to make an informed decision.
Amazon is one of the most recognizable names in the consumer world. The company provides a wide range of products and services that elevate user experiences. One of these is Amazon Prime.
Amazon Prime is a premium paid subscription service that provides Amazon users access to various services, including Prime Video.
You can enjoy countless benefits by subscribing to Amazon Prime, which are otherwise unavailable to others or come with an additional price.
So, it is not surprising that as of 2020, the total number of Amazon Prime subscribers exceeded 150 million according to The Verge.
If you’re on the fence about subscribing to Amazon Prime, take a look at its pros and cons to make the right decision:
Amazon Prime Pros
As one of the most widely used online shopping destination in the country, Amazon’s offering of its Prime membership and Prime Video streaming service comes with a number of advantages:
Free shipping
One of the immediate benefits of subscribing to Amazon Prime is that you will get free shipping on all Amazon products.
For those who do most of their shopping online, this can save them a lot in terms of cost. Aside from a few specific products, the Prime membership cuts the shipping cost of more than 100 million items.
Fast shipping
After you subscribe to Amazon Prime, you also get benefits such as faster shipping. Through the standard shipping option, the company will deliver your desired products within a couple of days. However, you have the option to order items even sooner.
Stream Prime Video
If you have had enough of the shows on Netflix, you can try switching to Amazon Prime Video. The streaming service features an impressive list of original series, and you can watch hundreds of TV shows and movies as well.
Prime Exclusive Brands
Users of Amazon Prime get the opportunity of purchasing exclusive products, which are not available to other customers. This is why Amazon has dedicated an entire section of its website to support these products.
Special Discounts
Subscribing to Amazon Prime allows you to benefit from discounts and special deals on specific products, such as baby products. There’s also additional discounts and deals on presale items that you can make the most of.
Free Prime Reading
Amazon has started an online store for its customers. When you subscribe to it, you will gain free access to a treasure of magazines, news stories, and books that you can easily read on tablets, phones, or Amazon Kindles.
Unlimited Photo Storage
Are you out of the 15 GB storage space on your Google Drive? With Amazon Prime, you can secure unlimited storage for your photos and videos and not worry about limited device storage issues again.
Twitch Prime for Gamers
For all the video game fanatics out there, Amazon Prime offers excellent features for them. After subscribing to Amazon Prime, you can use the Twitch Prime service for gamers.
It offers free in-game loot each month and several other exclusive in-game surprises. Furthermore, you can also use the ad-free version of the service.
Other Benefits
Amazon Prime features a library of over two million songs. Using this service, you can create your favorite playlists and personalized stations. At the same time, users can access a wide collection of audio stories and documentaries available through the Audible app.
Amazon Prime Cons
While there are many benefits of Amazon, there are also a few disadvantages that you need to know.
Expensive
With so many benefits, you can expect that the subscription price will not be low. The annual membership of Amazon Prime will cost you $119, whereas the monthly price stands at $12.99 a month. However, you can use the service for 1 month for free if you buy the annual subscription.
The standalone Prime Video subscription is $8.99 / month.
Limited Options for Music
The two million song selection is limited, especially compared to popular music streaming services like Spotify. In order to gain access to unlimited music, you need to subscribe to a service that costs $7.99 a month.
Amazon Prime vs. Netflix
While there is a lot of amazing original content on Amazon Video, it often falls when it comes to the quantity and quality of content on Netflix.
Privacy
The majority of tech companies don’t have a good reputation in terms of safeguarding a user’s privacy. With Facebook’s recent privacy debacle, the concern for user privacy has never been greater.
Once you subscribe to Amazon Prime, you will be using it for downloading music, online buying, etc. The service provider asks for users’ confidential information to offer their products and services. However, this happens with almost all online services anyways.
If You Aren’t a Regular Online Consumer
The price tag of Amazon Prime’s subscription can be worth the investment if you order things online regularly. However, it doesn’t make much sense to subscribe to the service otherwise.
What Channels Are Included with Amazon Prime Video?
As explained before, Amazon Prime Video is a streaming service that is available for people who have Amazon Prime.
You get access to thousands of titles, movies, and TV shows with this service, and you can also buy or rent other movies and TV episodes. The service includes Amazon Original Movies and Prime Original series.
In addition, there are more than 100 premium channels that are accessible inside Prime Video if you purchase additional subscriptions.
There are over 100 subscription-based channels, but many offer a free trial that ranges from seven days to 30 days.
There are a few that are free, including IMDb TV, which has free movies and TV. Most of the channels have a subscription fee that is set by the individual companies.
Here are some of the main Prime Video Channels:
- HBO
- Showtime
- CBS All Access
- Various PBS subscriptions
- MLB.TV
- Cinemax
- Comedy Central Now
- PGA Tour Live
- etc
How Do I Stream Amazon Prime Video to My TV?
Amazon Prime Video offers a streaming service, and you can watch it on your TV through any Internet-connected device.
If you have a smart TV, you can use an app that is provided by the manufacturer on the TV itself. Once you enter your Amazon account information into the app, you can start watching your programming right away from your Television set.
Amazon also offers streaming devices called the Amazon Fire TV Stick and Fire TV Cube. They connect to your TV and allow you to stream Amazon Prime Video.
You can also use the Amazon Prime Video app through other streaming sticks and boxes, including Apple TV, Roku devices, Google Chromecast, Nvidia Shield, BT TV set-top box, Virgin Media TiVO, and a number of Blu-ray players.
The major gaming consoles also provide access, including the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. In addition to these methods of watching on your TV, you can watch Amazon Prime video on smartphones, tablets, PCs, and Macs.
How Much Is Amazon Prime a Month?
You can get Amazon Prime for 30 days for free if you have never had a subscription or if you have not had a subscription for more than 12 months.
The full Prime membership costs $119 a year or $12.99 a month plus taxes (this price includes also Prime Video).
The standalone Prime Video membership is $8.99 a month.
For a student plan, you can pay $59 per year or $6.49 a month, but you must have a “.edu” email address.
Can Two People Watch Amazon Prime Video at the Same Time?
You are allowed to stream up to three different titles at the same time using the same Amazon account. In addition, you can stream the same title on two devices max at a time.
What Is the Difference Between Amazon Prime and Prime Video?
People often confuse Amazon Prime and Prime Video because the names are used interchangeably even though they are different services.
Amazon Prime is a subscription that gives you free shipping, access to Amazon deals, and other benefits that include digital services. You get Prime Video, Prime Music, Prime Gaming, and more as part of your subscription.
However, Prime Video is a streaming service that gives you access to their original programming as well as other TV shows and movies.
You can also subscribe to other channels if you are interested in watching more. You can buy or rent movies through Amazon Video. You can subscribe to Prime Video on its own for $8.99 a month, or you can get it as part of your Amazon Prime subscription for $12.99 a month.
Is HBO Max on Amazon Prime?
HBO Max is available on Amazon Prime Video as an additional subscription. You must be an active Amazon Prime member and use your existing subscription in Prime to subscribe for HBO.
It is the same price as it would be if you subscribed directly with them. You can also access a free trial to get started.
Is Alexa Included in Amazon Prime?
Alexa is a separate service, and it is not a part of Amazon Prime. Alexa works with Alexa-enabled devices, and it doesn’t require a subscription.
However, if you are using an Amazon Echo Show, you can tell Alexa to stream your videos. You can use Alexa with Prime, but it isn’t a part of the service.
The Final Verdict
Amazon Prime is ideal for people who depend on Amazon for their daily shopping and video streaming services.
On the other hand, the benefits of the service are limited if you are not an Amazon user. At the end of the day, we strongly recommend subscribing to Amazon Prime since overall the service’s advantages far outweigh its disadvantages.
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