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Here’s an obvious truth: video streaming is in, and traditional cable plans are out. But in a rapidly changing industry previously dominated by Netflix and Hulu, Amazon Prime Video is making a compelling case for your movie-watching eyeballs.
Amazon has made a case for themself as a major competitor in the streaming game, with more content than Hulu and their original content like The Boys or the award-winning Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, a better overall cost than most, and it comes with all the crazy things you get from being a Prime member.
Here’s what Amazon Prime Video has that the competition doesn’t.
1. Is Hulu free with Amazon Prime?
No. Hulu and Amazon Prime are competitors, and so you can’t get either of them as an inclusion with your subscription to the other.
You can download the Hulu app on Amazon Prime for free. But it won’t actually work unless you pay for a Hulu subscription.
2. Amazon Prime Video is free for 30 days; Netflix doesn’t have a free trial.
Right now, Amazon wants to get you hooked, so like Hulu, they’re giving you 30 days of Prime membership for free. This is a great way to check out Prime’s TV and movie streaming offerings. Hulu only also has a 30-day free trial, but Netflix got rid of their free trial in 2021.
3. Amazon Prime Video costs $40.88 less per year than Hulu and $46.88 less than Netflix.
Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and Netflix all offer a pay-by-month option, but you can also get an Amazon Prime Video subscription with your Amazon Prime account for $139.
So while the $139 up front feels more expensive, Netflix (standard plan) is actually about 33.7% more expensive than Prime. Hulu (no ads plan) is just slightly less expensive than Netflix, but still much more expensive than Amazon Prime.
Lots of people ask: is there a Disney Plus bundle on Amazon Prime Video? While Prime Video has lots of other add-on subscriptions, like Starz, Paramount Plus, and HBO Max, there’s no way to add the Disney/Hulu/ESPN bundle.
4. You can cancel Amazon Prime immediately and still enjoy the full free trial.
Worried you’ll forget to cancel and get charged for your Amazon Prime membership? Cancel right away, and you still get to enjoy the benefits of the full free trial.
If you don’t cancel (or forget to before the 30 days are up), congratulations — you’re now a proud Prime member. Amazon automatically charges after the free trial. Same with Hulu and Netflix.
5. Get six months of Amazon Prime for free with the student discount.
Amazon offers six months of Amazon Prime free for college students, and then it’s either $7.49 per month or $69 per year. This includes Amazon Prime Video and all their other services.
By comparison, Hulu offers a college student rate of $1.99 per month, or you can get Hulu as part of the Spotify Premium college student discount ($4.99 per month). Netflix doesn’t have any discounts for students.
And those aren’t the only student discounts and freebies you can get.
6. Subscribe to Amazon Prime Video separately from Amazon Prime to save 28.85% on your subscription.
If you don’t need any of the Amazon Prime benefits but still want to watch all the Amazon Prime Video content, you can purchase a standalone Amazon Prime Video subscription for only $8.99 per month or $107.88 for a year. It’ll cost you $31.12 less — or 28.85% less — than a year’s worth of Prime.
7. Amazon Prime Video gives you the most profiles and screens for no extra charge.
Amazon Prime Video gives you six profiles that can stream three screens simultaneously as long as you aren’t watching the same show or movie across the three screens.
Hulu will give you six profiles but only allows you to stream two screens simultaneously. You can purchase the Unlimited Screens which will give you unlimited screens when you’re linked to a home network but only three screens outside the home network.
Netflix will only give you five profiles and streaming from one screen at the base level. If you go to the Standard level, you’ll get two screens, and the Premium level gives you four screens.
8. Prime Video subscribers get 7-day free trials to Showtime, AMC Plus, Starz, and more.
While Prime Video has a bunch of original content, one of the biggest perks is that you can subscribe to a number of popular services as an add-on. You can add each of these services to your Prime Video account and enjoy a 7-day free trial:
- Is AMC Plus free with Amazon Prime?: After the trial, it’ll cost $8.99 per month
- Is BET Plus free with Amazon Prime?: After the trial, it’ll cost $9.99 per month
- Is Britbox free with Amazon Prime?: After the trial, it’ll cost $7.99 per month
- Is Brown Sugar free with Amazon Prime?: After the trial, it’ll cost $3.99 per month
- Is Cinemax free with Amazon Prime?: After the trial, it’ll cost $9.99 per month
- Is Discovery Plus free with Amazon Prime?: After the trial, it’ll cost $4.99 per month with ads and $6.99 per month without ads
- Is Epix free with Amazon Prime?: After the trial, it’ll cost $5.99 per month
- Is Hallmark Movies Now free with Amazon Prime?: After the trial, it’ll cost $5.99 per month
- Is Paramount Plus free with Amazon Prime?: After the trial, it’ll cost $9.99 per month
- Is PBS Documentaries free with Amazon Prime?: After the trial, it’ll cost $3.99 per month
- Is Showtime free with Amazon Prime?: After the trial, it’ll cost $10.99 per month
- Is Starz free with Amazon Prime?: After the trial, it’ll cost $8.99 per month
- Is Sundance Now free with Amazon Prime?: After the trial, it’ll cost $6.99 per month
9. Get a taste of Amazon Prime Video content on their free-to-everyone page.
If you have an Amazon account, you can browse through the free IMDb TV library on Amazon Prime Video. Their collection includes Despicable Me, American Psycho, Night Court, and Scream Queens.
All you have to do is have a free Amazon account; no need to purchase a Prime account or a Prime Video subscription.
10. Amazon Fire Stick’s free channel list includes ABC, NBC, and more.
Unlike Netflix and Hulu, Amazon also sells a Fire Stick (regularly $29.99 – $54.99) and the Fire TV Cube ($139.99), a device that attaches to your TV via HDMI cable connection and makes it into a smart TV. You can download several free apps that can get you free TV, such as ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox, but there’s a limit on how much you can watch for each app.
You can also download Netflix, Hulu, and other streaming service apps, but you’ll need to purchase a separate subscription to gain access to those services.
11. You can rent and buy videos through Amazon Prime Video.
If you aren’t finding a title available through your Amazon Prime Video subscription, you also have the option of purchasing movies and TV shows through Amazon. Rentals last for 48 hours, and purchasing content will give you the purchased content forever.
If you just want to watch shows and movies that are free to you, make sure to put that in your filter options so you won’t be disappointed.
The rental and buying option is available to everyone — not just Amazon Prime members. But if you’re an Amazon Prime member, you can get discounts on select movies and shows — up to 50%.
12. Prime Video has Nickelodeon ‘Noggin’ shows for kids that Netflix and Hulu don’t have.
Amazon Prime’s relationship with Viacom (which controls Nickelodeon) means you expect a large collection of great Nickelodeon shows like Spongebob Squarepants, Blues Clues, and more!
Note: There are also a ton of free kids movies on Amazon Prime through IMDb TV.
13. Pausing most Amazon Prime Videos brings up ‘X-Ray’ — which lets you learn more about the video you’re watching.
Amazon Prime Video’s X-Ray feature gives you trivia, easter eggs, and bonus videos related to the movie or shows you’re watching. Plus, it has a neat feature on select titles that allows you to add products to your cart that you see in the movie.
This feature is only available on select movies, series, and sports, so if you want to take advantage, be sure to check out which ones are available.
14. Adjust your subtitles with Amazon Prime Video and Hulu.
Only Netflix doesn’t allow you to adjust the subtitles on videos. Both Amazon Prime Video and Hulu allow you to change the size, background color, or opacity of the text. All you have to do is check the subtitle menu while you are turning them on, and they will give you a set of options and styles to choose from.
15. Prime Video is the only streaming service that comes with free 2-day shipping (and more).
Is Audible free with Amazon Prime? Is Amazon Music free with Prime? Yes (for 30 days, and then it’s $7.95 per month), and yes. Where Netflix and Hulu are just TV streaming services, Amazon Prime offers added benefits like free 2-day shipping, free unlimited photo storage, Amazon gaming, Prime Gaming, and more.
