Amazon Prime Video Review 2023: Is It Worth It?

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What is Prime Video?

Prime Video is a streaming service offered by Amazon. While it's included as a part of Amazon Prime plans, it's also available as a standalone subscription for those who only want to enjoy the streaming platform. If you choose to buy the full Prime membership, you'll also get free shipping on most Amazon purchases, access to Amazon's music streaming app, and other appealing perks. 

Additionally, Prime Video comes with an impressive line-up of content, including fan-favorite movies and TV shows like Heathers, Silence of the Lambs, Scrubs, and others, as well as plenty of Amazon Prime Originals, such as The Wheel of Time, Reacher, The Boys, Hanna, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Upload and much more.

Keep reading to learn more about Prime Video, how much it costs, and how it stacks up to other streaming services.

Amazon's Prime Video stands out among this list for its huge catalog of on-demand titles and the ability to add more on-demand channels whenever you want. You can watch on-demand content with Sling TV as well, but the streamer leans more heavily into its live TV offerings. And Sling's price tag of $40/mo. reflects that service. Amazon Prime Video offers the occasional live event, including Thursday Night Football, but the vast majority of its content is on-demand. On the flip side, Hulu and Disney+ only offer on-demand with no live features at all, unless you sign up for the much more expensive Hulu + Live TV to replace your cable. 

Amazon Prime Video has a library of on-demand shows and movies that are available to all customers with very limited commercials, and they also have some free channels that require regular commercial breaks. If you're watching an Amazon show, you'll likely just see one ad-roll before the program that features another Amazon program. 

If you're watching something like the IMDb channel, you'll get regular commercial breaks as if you were watching traditional cable or Hulu. Where Amazon Prime Video really stands out is its list of channel add-ons. For a few dollars per month you can add HBO Max, SHOWTIME, AMC+, and other on-demand content channels to your plan. You can personalize your channels better on Prime Video than with the other streamers. 

Though Prime Video is the second most expensive streaming service on this list, it's also one of the only services that offers a one-month free trial before you ever make a purchase. That's 30 days of use before getting charged at all! This is an attractive sale for those who have any kind of apprehension about the service or just want more time to make a decision.

How Much Does Prime Video Cost?

A standable plan with Prime Video will cost you $9/mo. Keep in mind that you can access the streamer with a basic Amazon Prime subscription, which comes in two plan options -- the monthly Amazon Prime subscription will cost you $15/mo., while the yearly subscription will set you back an annual fee of $139.

Purchasing an Amazon Prime subscription is probably your best option here. With Prime, you can do everything from buy groceries to sell your own merchandise to get exclusive discounts at Whole Foods Market to one-to-two day free delivery on thousands upon thousands of goods. The added bonus of Prime Video with a Prime subscription makes Amazon a one-stop shop for most of your online life.

Prime Video Content, Channels, and Add-ons

Prime Video comes with a vast library of original content and syndicated shows for users to enjoy. But the service is also one of the few streamers that allows you to rent or buy additional shows and movies to watch at your leisure.

One could argue that Prime Video has one of the largest libraries of any on-demand streaming service out there, especially when you consider how many titles are available to rent or buy.

The service has also ramped up its original content offerings in recent years. There are so many titles on the service that you'll love. To get you started, here are a few of the best Prime Video original shows and movies on the service right now:

• The Boys
• The Wheel of Time
• One Night in Miami
• Coming 2 America
• Tell Me Your Secrets
• Homecoming
• My Spy
• Hunter
• Harlem
• The Wilds
• Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
• The Tomorrow War
• All or Nothing: Manchester City
• Brittany Runs a Marathon
• Reacher
• Upload
• Late Night

Prime Video also offers more than 100 different channels for subscribers to purchase for an additional fee. These channels run the gamut from live sports to premium cable networks. Some of the most popular live TV channel offerings for sports include NBA League Pass, NFL's Thursday Night Football, and MLB.TV. And channels like Showtime, Epix, Paramount+, Cinemax, and Starz deliver on the premium cable front.

Prime Video Compared

Prime Video has a lot to offer, especially when compared with some of the other top streaming services. When you compare Prime Video's price, it stacks up well against services like Netflix and Hulu. It costs $9/mo., compared to Netflix, which ranges from $10/mo. to $20/mo., and Hulu, which starts at $8/mo. Another benefit with Prime Video is that you have the option to purchase it as a part of your Amazon Prime subscription, which is $15/mo. or $139/yr. 

Prime Video also has a content library that easily stacks up to its competitors. That being said, it doesn't have as many popular titles. Additionally, some titles must be rented or purchased at an additional cost in order to watch. And while Amazon does have some popular original titles, it doesn't have nearly as many original hits as Netflix and Hulu.

Ultimately, many viewers may decide to purchase all three streaming services -- Prime Video, Netflix, and Hulu -- to enjoy what each one has to offer. And frankly, we can't blame them.

Prime Video Features

DVR Hours

Prime Video is primarily an on-demand streaming service, meaning it doesn't come with a DVR. The good news is that because you can watch any title on-demand, DVR isn't necessary.

Simultaneous Streams

You can watch the service on three screens simultaneously and create up to six user profiles to stream content on. This means that you'll never have to wait for friends or family to watch the latest episode of your current binge. 

Sports

When you scroll through Prime Video's premium channels available, you'll notice there's plenty in there for sports fans. Starting in the 2022-2023 season, Amazon Prime Video will be the exclusive platform for the NFL's Thursday Night Football games. You can also add additional sports channels, including NBA League Pass, NFL Network, MLB Network, and more. 

Offline Downloads

Like many other streaming services, Prime Video allows you to download certain titles to view offline. The catch is that this service is only available for customers with a Fire Tablet or the Prime Video app on their iOS, Android, macOS, or Windows devices.

Prime Video Supported Devices

You can stream Prime Video using all of your favorite devices, making it more accessible than ever. Here are the devices supported for Prime Video:

• Fire TV and Fire TV Stick
• Echo devices with a display
• Fire tablet
• Fire phone
• LG Blu-Ray player
• Panasonic Blu-Ray player
• Samsung Blu-Ray player
• Sony Blu-Ray player
• Playstation 5, 4, and 3
• Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and Xbox 360
• Android mobile devices
• Apple iPhones, iPads, and iPods
• Samsung smartphones and tablets
• Prime Video for PC and Mac apps
• Web browsers for macOS and Windows
• Chromecast
• Comcast X1
• Cox Contour
• Dish Network
• NVIDIA Shield
• Roku
• Prime Video VR for Oculus
• Tivo
• Apple TV
• Smart TVs including Sony, Samsung, Panasonic, LG, Vizio, and more

Is Prime Video Worth It?

Prime Video is one of the most popular streaming services right now, and it's easy to see why. Many people access Prime Video through an Amazon Prime subscription, but you can also access the platform as a standalone streaming service at a lower cost.

Prime Video comes with plenty of perks, including its affordable price tag, user-friendly platform, and popular original titles like Fleabag, The Expanse, The Manor, Hanna, and much more. As a result, we think it's well worth it for most entertainment lovers.