Some paid streaming services have ads to supplement revenue they can pass on to their members as savings while others choose not to show ads.
Those that do not have ads may charge a little extra for the convenience of uninterrupted streaming content to make up for ad revenue.
Streaming services like Amazon Prime Video, which includes in its content other streams like IMDb TV and many other VOD (video-on-demand) platforms, include ads for free content.
Does Amazon Prime Video Have Ads in 2024?
While Amazon Prime Video content does not have ads attached to it, some of its content now includes IMDb TV content, which does have ads. You will also see advertisements for Amazon Prime or Prime content at the beginning of shows and movies, mostly short trailers for new releases.
IMDb was purchased by Amazon in 1998 and began its video-on-demand service in 2019. It started in January 2019 as IMDb Freedive and was rebranded in June of the same year.
Most Amazon Prime Video movies and shows have some form of ads with them and how many and what kind of ads depends on what you are watching.
IMDb TV shows and movies are mixed in with Amazon content as well as premium content, but small signals in the top left-hand corners will tell you if they are free with ads, free with Prime, or will require you to pay upfront for them.
Which Amazon Prime Video Plans Have Ads?
There are no multiple plans at multiple prices for Amazon Prime Video. The prices to get Amazon Prime Video are:
- Prime Video for $8.99 per month
- Amazon Prime (Prime Video included) for $12.99 per month or $119 per year
- EBT/Medicaid eligible membership at $5.99 per month
- Student members at $6.49 per month or $59 per year
Extra third-party channels like HBO, Starz, and Showtime as well as many others are offered at various add-on prices and are not included in the prices stated above.
There are approximately 150 extra channel subscription offers on Amazon Prime Video and adding all your favorite third-party content can get pricey.
How Do I Stop Ads On Amazon Prime Video?
Unfortunately, if you are watching content through Amazon Prime Video that says it is IMDb TV content, you will not be able to remove ads because it is free content.
You can make a one-time payment to have ads and sponsored screen-savers removed from other Amazon Prime Video shows and movies on certain devices, here’s how:
- Go to the “Manage your content and devices” screen
2. Select “Devices” and choose which device you would like to eliminate these ads from
3. Click on “remove offers” under the “special offers” tab
4. Click on “End offers and pay the fee”
Why Does Amazon Prime Video Have Ads But Not Netflix?
Amazon Prime Video has many other third-party affiliates with content connected to its own, which complicates which content contains ads and which doesn’t.
Netflix, on the other hand, doesn’t include ads with its movies and shows since all of its content goes directly through Netflix and not an affiliate.
The other type of commercials Amazon Prime Video shows are trailers for its content. This type of ad is also seen in Netflix content in between movies and shows.
Does Amazon Prime Video Have A Plan To Stop Ads?
Amazon Prime Video does not have any plans on stopping advertisements on IMDb TV on its streaming service because it is also available off of the Prime Video platform.
Since you can pay extra to remove ads from regular Amazon Prime Video content, this will not be ending any time soon either.
IMDb TV runs separately from Amazon Prime Video, in addition, to be included on the streaming service. Since ads are included on its separate platform, the ads are also included on Amazon Prime Video.
Amazon Prime Video, in this way, treats IMDb TV like a third-party affiliate even though it has owned it since it began in 2019.
What Other Streaming Services Have No Ads?
While Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and Youtube all contain Ad content, other streaming services contain no ads. Hulu has a plan option that eliminates ads, offering both to its subscribers.
Hulu ad-supported costs $6.99 per month, or $69.99 per year, while its ad-free option costs $12.99 per month. There are also options that include live TV that are much more expensive.
Netflix has always been ad-free unless you count “what to watch next” ads at the end of shows and movies. Netflix will cost you $8.99 for the basic plan, $13.99 for standard, and $17.99 for Premium.
Disney+ is also without advertisements. You can get Disney+ for $7.99 per month or pay $79.99 for a year, which ends up saving you a little money.
Another option with Disney+ is the bundle package. With this option, you get ad-free Disney+, ad-supported Hulu, and ESPN+ for a low $13.99.
Is Amazon Prime Video Commercial Free?
You will see commercials on Amazon Prime Video, especially if the movie or show you are watching is provided through a third-party service like one of its premium channels or IMDb TV. Prime Video content also provides trailer ads for other content at the beginning of the video.
Prime Video mixes its content up, landing ad-supported and ad-free content next to each other. This can make it more difficult to determine which do and do not have ads.
To find out if the content you want to watch has ads, look for the “ad” square at the top left corner of the one-click tab.
When you scroll over the picture of the movie or show, a short description will pop up. In this description, you will be able to tell if it is ad-supported, if it is free with Prime, or if it is available to be purchased or rented through a third party.
