WASHINGTON — Amazon Prime Video will include commercials during shows and movies starting January 29, joining other streaming services that have added different tiers of subscriptions.
The company previously announced ads would be coming, but had yet to reveal the launch date. In an e-mail to members Tuesday, the company shared the change would officially take place in late January.
Members of Amazon Prime will have the option to pay $2.99 per month in the U.S. to keep their service ad-free. Tuesday's e-mail to members included a link to sign up for those interested in the ad-free option.
"This will allow us to continue investing in compelling content and keep increasing that investment over a long period of time. We aim to have meaningfully fewer ads than linear TV and other streaming TV providers," the company shared in its e-mail to members.
Streaming services are in a heated tug-of-war over viewers and users are growing more adept at jumping in and out of those services, often depending on price.
Disney recently began charging $13.99 a month in the U.S. for ad-free Disney+, 75% more than the ad-supported service. Netflix already charges $15.49 per month for its ad-free plan, more than twice the monthly subscription for Netflix with ads.
Live events on Amazon Prime, like sports, already include advertising and will still have advertising.
Amazon has said that it's not making changes to the price of Prime membership next year. It plans to announce pricing for ad-free programming for countries other than the U.S. at a later time.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.