Prime Video India to show ads from June 17; Ad-free upgrade costs Rs 129 extra

New Delhi: Amazon has officially confirmed that ads will begin appearing on Prime Video content in India from June 17, 2025. 

Prime Video users in India will see “limited” advertisements on movies and TV shows — unless they opt for an additional payment to enjoy an ad-free experience.

Amazon will roll out a new ad-free upgrade for Prime Video users at an additional cost of Rs 129 per month or Rs 699 per year. However, advertisements will still appear during live events like sports and in content from Amazon MX Player available on Prime Video.

Amazon has started informing users via email, stating, "This will allow us to continue investing in compelling content and keep increasing that investment over a long period of time. We aim to have meaningfully fewer ads than TV channels and other streaming services. No action is required from you."

Amazon offers Prime Video as part of its broader Prime subscription, available in three pricing tiers: Rs 299 monthly, Rs 599 quarterly, and Rs 1,499 annually. 

Additionally, subscribers to Prime Lite—priced at Rs 799 per year—can access the full Prime Video catalogue, limited to one device (TV or mobile) in 720p HD resolution, with ads.

The company had outlined plans to introduce ads in Prime Video content in India back in October 2024, marking a strategic step in expanding its global ad-supported streaming model. 

Amazon first revealed its intention to incorporate ads into Prime Video in September 2023, aligning with similar moves by competitors like Netflix and Disney+ in select international markets.

In India, Amazon also operates a separate free, ad-supported streaming platform—Amazon MX Player—created through the merger of Amazon miniTV and MX Player in October. 

Other Indian streaming players like JioHotstar, Zee5, and Sony LIV also offer ad-supported models. Meanwhile, Netflix provides such plans in 12 countries, including the US, UK, Canada, and Australia, but has yet to launch them in India.