The battleground of streaming services has never been more vicious than it is right now. Netflix recently announced it had increased its content budget by 10% compared to 2025… just as it announced it was raising its subscription prices. Again. It might seem as if the golden era of streaming platforms is slowly fading away – and Amazon’s own service might spearhead that extinction.
No, Amazon Prime Video isn’t going anywhere. For years, it was just a bonus for regular Prime subscribers, but it has now evolved into a different beast altogether. Prime Video has become immensely profitable for Amazon. Unfortunately, that value isn’t translating as effectively as it should to consumers, leaving them stuck with one of the most disappointing streaming services the web has to offer.
Why Too Many Streaming Services Are Ruining Entertainment
Let’s face it: there are simply too many streaming platforms competing with each other. The convenience of internet streaming has slowly eroded over the years, with some users even yearning for the “good ol’ days” of cable. The worst part? It gets even worse when you realize how the costs slowly accumulate.
Every streaming platform has increased its prices lately, but Prime Video takes the cake when it comes to obnoxious “extras.” Hidden costs are always a concern for new subscribers – the thing is, Prime Video isn’t even trying to hide its subpar value proposition anymore.
Prime Video Ads Are Making the Streaming Service Worse
Virtually every Prime Video tier now includes ads. Only Prime Video Ultra viewers can enjoy an ad-free experience – and to even get to that tier, users will have to spend a pretty penny, with costs that can rise to $159 annually for the Prime and Prime Video Ultra deal.
The ads themselves are pretty terrible, sure, but they get even worse once you notice how limited the advert pool is. You’ll see the same ads on rotation constantly, which makes the service feel somewhat worse than similar ad-supported offers, like Disney+. And speaking of Disney+, the main reason to cancel Prime Video now is that the platform, especially compared to its competitors, is a bit of a wasteland at the moment.
Prime Video’s Lack of Original Content Is Becoming a Problem
Once you look beyond Prime Video’s disastrous UI – the one with a tendency to mix rentals with actual, streamable content – you’ll notice that there’s a drought of content on the platform, especially this May. The Boys, the platform’s leading series, is ending this month, and we won’t have Fallout’s season 3 until at least 2027.
Even the divisive Rings of Power is on a hiatus right now, with its third season coming this autumn. Some subscribers have even noticed the platform’s propensity for cutting series short, as it happened to Gen V and I’m a Virgo.
May seems like the perfect time to break free from Prime Video – even if it’s a temporary separation. Right now, Prime Video is charging you more money for less original content. The truth is that, as of this May, the platform’s value proposition isn’t convincing enough to earn your money. Better just save that for streaming platforms that have content you would actually watch… or whenever Fallout season 3 drops.
