Ads on Prime Video spark outrage as viewers complain of ruined streaming

Prime Video users are upset after ads began appearing during movies and shows; many paid subscribers say the constant ads are ruining their experience

Prime Video’s recent decision to add advertisements during movies and web series has left many subscribers frustrated. The backlash has grown even louder in India after the release of The Family Man Season 3.

 

Many users argue that it is unreasonable to watch ads after paying for a premium subscription. They say that advertisements interrupt their viewing experience, especially when watching new and highly anticipated shows.

 

With The Family Man Season 3 releasing seven episodes at once, subscribers wanted to binge-watch the season smoothly. Instead, frequent ads have disrupted their experience and triggered widespread complaints.

 

Social media flooded with complaints to Amazon

 

Viewers have taken to social media to vent, tagging official Amazon Prime accounts and demanding a solution. Many are asking for a truly ad-free option for paying customers.

 

One user wrote on X, "First we pay for the subscription. Then we’re asked to pay extra just to stop ads. What kind of logic is this? Ads popping up every 15-20 minutes on a PAID platform is just ridiculous. Paying for Prime to watch advertisements - this is peak comedy."

 

Another user added, "Prime video have become one of the worst ott. Poor experience, ads everywhere, can't watch a movie or series without ruining the experience @amazonIN. Also I can't share screen and watch with someone together on Google meet or Zoom. At last I have to watch from somewhere else."

 

A third user said, "Amazon @PrimeVideoIN has become pathetic... To watch one episode in a series we need to watch 5 Ads all this after taking prime subscription."

 

Another user commented, "Hi @amazonIN. I have a Prime subscription & I'm still getting irritating ads every few minutes. Same mind-numbing ads over & over again. What's the point of paying subscription if you're going to do this? I'm going to stop using your platform if this doesn't stop."   

 

How to get an ad-free experience on Prime Video

 

To watch content without ads on Amazon Prime Video, users must keep their regular Prime membership and pay for an extra “Go Ad Free” add-on. Without this add-on, ads will continue even for paid Prime subscribers.

 

Steps to go ad-free

 

1. Keep an active Amazon Prime subscription

   (₹299/month, ₹599/quarter, or ₹1,499/year; Prime Lite continues to show ads)

2. Open the Amazon website or Prime Video app and log in

3. Click your profile icon -- go to “Your Account/Account & Settings

4. Find the “Go Ad Free” or “Ad-Free Plan” option

5. Choose a plan: ₹129/month or ₹699/year (introductory rates; charged in addition to Prime)

6. Complete the payment; ads will stop for all profiles, though some skippable promos or live-sports ads may still appear

 

Netflix plans AI-driven ads by 2026

 

While Prime Video faces criticism, rival Netflix is moving toward advanced advertising tools. The platform plans to introduce AI-generated ads on its ad-supported plan by 2026. These ads will blend more naturally with the content viewers watch and may include pause ads, interactive mid-rolls, and other innovative formats.

 

According to Netflix, AI will help place brand elements directly into shows and movies, making ads more relevant and engaging.

 

Netflix introduces viewer-based metric

 

Earlier this month, Netflix said ads on its platform now reach over 190 million monthly active viewers (MAVs) globally. This new metric counts the actual number of people watching ad-supported content rather than just the number of accounts.

 

Netflix said this shift will give a “more comprehensive count of how many people” are watching.

 

The company has also begun testing dynamic ad insertion (DAI) during live-streamed events such as WWE Raw and SmackDown. It plans to offer this ad technology in the US, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Mexico and the UK for the upcoming NFL Christmas Gameday.