Get ready for a price hike as amazon introduces a new charge for ad-free streaming.

In a surprising turn of events, Amazon Prime Video users in the UK will soon find themselves facing an additional £2.99 charge if they wish to escape the intrusion of adverts during their streaming experience. The streaming giant is set to roll out this change from February 5, leaving subscribers with a tough decision: pay up or endure the interruptions.

Starting next week, Amazon Prime Video, which currently costs £5.99 a month, will subject users to ads unless they opt to pay an extra £2.99 per month. This means that those who want to maintain an ad-free viewing experience will see their monthly bill skyrocket to £8.98 – a whopping 50% increase. While the service does offer a one-month free trial, the inevitable decision to pay or not will loom large over subscribers.

Existing Amazon Prime members paying £8.99 a month (or £95 annually) will also be impacted, requiring an additional fee of £2.99 per month to eliminate ads. The timing and frequency of these adverts remain unclear, with Amazon vaguely assuring users of “meaningfully fewer ads than ad-supported TV channels and other streaming TV providers.”

In an email to customers, Amazon explained that the introduction of adverts is aimed at “allowing us to continue investing in compelling content and keep increasing that investment over a long period of time.” This move aligns with the current landscape, as other streaming services have also tested the waters with ad-supported plans.

This change comes after Amazon Prime Video users in the US started experiencing ads from January 29. Live events and content on the Freevee service already include advertisements, and this trend will persist even for those who pay to remove ads through the new charge.

Amazon reassures users that they have the option to cancel their Prime membership for free if they are dissatisfied with this update. Refunds will vary based on the usage of Prime services, with full refunds for those who haven’t utilized any Prime benefits.

The move by Amazon follows in the footsteps of Netflix, which introduced a cheaper package with ads in late 2022, priced at £4.99 a month compared to £10.99 for its standard ad-free tier. Disney+ also offers an ad-supported package for £4.99 a month, launched in the UK in August last year.

As streaming services continue to evolve, subscribers are faced with the harsh reality of paying extra to preserve their uninterrupted viewing experience. With Amazon Prime Video joining the ranks of ad-supported platforms, users must now decide whether the additional cost is worth maintaining a pristine streaming sanctuary.