Amazon is making a notable change to its streaming service. The company has launched a new premium tier for Prime Video users in the United States. It is called Prime Video Ultra, and it now costs $4.99 per month. That price was previously $2.99 before the recent increase.
Most subscribers access Prime Video through the standard Amazon Prime membership. However, Prime Video Ultra sits one level above the base plan. It removes ads and unlocks higher streaming quality. With this move, Amazon is following the path set by Netflix’s tiered model.
The new Ultra tier brings several practical upgrades. Subscribers can stream in 4K/UHD resolution. They also get optional Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support. In addition, Amazon has raised the concurrent streaming limit to five devices. Offline downloads have increased as well, reaching 100 items per account.
At the same time, Amazon has made changes to the base plan. The standard Prime Video tier, included with Amazon Prime, will still stream at 1080p. However, some titles will now support optional Dolby Vision. Dolby Atmos remains limited to the Ultra tier. Ads will also continue to run on the base plan. Even so, the offline download cap has doubled from 25 items to 50.
Pricing remains central to this update. In the US, Amazon Prime costs $14.99 per month and includes the standard Prime Video plan. Customers who want Prime Video Ultra must pay an extra $4.99 per month on top of that.
In short, Amazon is offering more flexibility. Users can stick with the basic plan or pay extra for higher quality and fewer limits. The real test will be whether the jump from $2.99 to $4.99 feels worth it to subscribers.
