finder India

This article contains links to products or services from one or more of our advertisers or partners. We may receive a commission when you click or make a purchase using our site. Learn more about how we make money.

Amazon Prime Video | Price, features and content compared

Online retail giant Amazon shifted into the video streaming market in 2011, and went global with the service in late 2016. Here's what you need to know to watch in India.

Alexandra Plesa
Alexandra Plesa

Updated

Amazon Prime Video

What's in this guide?

Long before Netflix launched in India and even before video streaming was even a thing, Indians looking for a bargain on the latest DVD movies would often head to Amazon to try and get a better price. However, the rise of streaming platforms has changed the way Indians consume their entertainment. According to an EY report, digital subscriptions rose 50% to ₹3.9 billion in 2017, a number that is expected to reach ₹20 billion by 2020.

Amazon wasn’t oblivious to the benefits of streaming. As far back as 2006, Amazon offered video rental and download services like iTunes. However, in 2011 it launched Amazon Prime Instant Video in the US, a streaming platform offering a huge range of content to the customers who subscribed. But it wasn’t until December 2016 that Amazon’s streaming efforts really became relevant for Indians.

Amazon Prime VideoAmazon Prime Video

Amazon Prime Video 30-day free trial

Sign up to a free 30-day trial for Amazon Prime Video and instantly access 1000s of shows and movies to stream.

Last verified

Get deal

How much does Amazon Prime Video cost in India?

Amazon decided to be rather aggressive with the pricing strategy for its streaming video platform. The service was launched at ₹499 per year, which was increased to its current cost of ₹129/month or ₹999 per year. In fact Prime Video was found to be cheaper in India than anywhere else in the world.

Amazon Prime Video free trial

It also has a free trial offer for 30 days so you can evaluate all the services Amazon Prime has on offer. You can register for your free trial with your Amazon account, which will be automatically charged at the end of the 30-day trial unless you cancel.

Prime Video content

TV on Amazon Prime Video

Amazon’s lineup isn’t as big as the competition, but is filled with exclusives.

TV on Amazon Prime Video

Movies on Amazon Prime Video

Looking for a cool movie to unwind with? Here’s what Amazon Prime Video has on offer.

Movies on Amazon Prime Video

Timed around the launch of the Top Gear successor, The Grand Tour, Amazon took Prime Video global to 200 countries around the world, including India. While global licensing arrangements meant that the lineup of content at launch was not as extensive as Netflix, it grew rather rapidly and now stands at around 3,800 titles.

Amazon’s vision for Prime Video is focused on their significant investment in original series programming, which will be delivered exclusively via the platform. Some of the originals Prime Video has produced include Bosch, Jack Ryan, Upload, Australian cricket docuseries The Test and The Boys.

Amazon has been sure to include Hindi programming includes shows like Inside Edge, Baahubali: The Lost Legends, Breathe, Laakhon Mein Ek, Pushpavalli, Chacha Vidhayak Hain Humare, Comicstaan, Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan and more. There’s also US based content such as The Big Bang Theory, Parks and Recreation, The Good Doctor, Vampire Diaries and The Office.

Back to top

What devices are compatible with Amazon Prime Video?

The fact Amazon Prime Video has been active in some international markets for years before its global launch means that there’s a solid lineup of devices you can use to access the service. In addition to the standard web browser, there are dedicated apps for iOS and Android smartphones and tablets. For iOS you’ll need to be running iOS 7 or above, while Android users will need Android 4.0 or above.

Being that Amazon also plays in the hardware space, it’s not surprising to learn that its Amazon Fire TV Stick (second generation) also supports Prime Video streaming in India. You can use it to stream Prime Video to any HDTV.

Indian PlayStation users (PS3 and PS4) can install the official Amazon Prime Video app to watch the service on their consoles. If you are an Indian Xbox one owner, you can download the Prime Video app from the Microsoft Store and stream content on your console.

Amazon Prime Video is also supported on Apple TV, as well as on compatible LG, Sony, Samsung and Panasonic Smart TVs.

There’s no native support for Chromecast. You can cast your screen to the big screen on Android devices, but native support is much better for your mobile’s battery life. Still, it’s still early days for Prime Video’s global expansion, so it wouldn’t be surprising to find the compatible device list improve consistently over time.

Back to top

How much data will Amazon Prime Video use?

Amazon’s streaming app has a pretty robust range of streaming quality settings in its mobile applications, although the settings are different depending on the device you use. On Android, you can only get a standard definition video stream. The “Best” quality setting will use about 460MB for one hour of content, while the data-conscious can be miserly by selecting the “Data Saver” option, which uses about 140MB per hour of streaming.

You also have the option of always using the “Best” quality setting when connected to Wi-Fi. iOS users, meanwhile, will use a lot more data when streaming Prime Video. The “Best” quality setting for Apple devices will use 5.8GB per hour, while the “Good” setting still manages to chew through double the data of its Android counterpart at 600MB per hour. Here’s a breakdown of the approximate data use for an hour’s worth of streaming across the operating systems and quality settings:

Setting Android iOS
Best 460MB 5.8GB
Better 270MB 1.3GB
Good 270MB 600MB
Data Saver 140MB N/A

Amazon does also allow users to download videos for offline viewing, with files taking up about the same amount of space on your device as the streaming settings. You can change the quality setting at any time on your mobile device by heading into the settings menu and choosing the streaming and download quality within the app. As with streaming, the amount of storage you can expect a file to take up varies between iOS and Android devices. Here are the numbers provided by Amazon within the iOS and Android apps:

Setting Android iOS
Best 460MB 900MB
Better 270MB 600MB
Good 270MB 300MB
Data Saver 140MB N/A

As with all the other streaming services though, those rates are indicative. If you are streaming and your connection can’t deliver the best quality stream, it will adapt to give you the best quality it can under the conditions, capped at the setting you’ve chosen.

Back to top

Amazon Prime Video FAQs

          Compare streaming video services below

          Data indicated here is updated regularly
          Name Product Price p/month or equivalent Free trial? Service Simultaneous streams 4K/UHD?
          Disney+ Hotstar Premium Monthly
          Disney+ Hotstar Premium
          INR299
          N/A
          On-demand streaming, Catch-up,Sports
          4
          No
          View details
          Prime Video
          Amazon Prime Video [IN]
          INR129
          30 days
          On-demand streaming
          3
          Yes
          Go to site
          View details
          ALTBalaji
          ALTBalaji 3-month [IN]
          INR33
          Free version available
          On-demand streaming
          5
          No
          Go to site
          View details
          Zee5 Tamil
          Zee5 Tamil Yearly [IN]
          INR52
          Free version available
          On-demand streaming,Live television
          5
          Yes
          Go to site
          View details
          Zee5 All Access
          Zee5 All Access Yearly [IN]
          INR50
          Free version available
          On-demand streaming,Live television
          5
          Yes
          Go to site
          View details
          Zee5 Telugu
          Zee5 Telugu [IN]
          INR49
          Free version available
          On-demand streaming,Live television
          5
          Yes
          Go to site
          View details
          Zee5 Telugu
          Zee5 Telugu Yearly [IN]
          INR52
          Free version available
          On-demand streaming,Live television
          5
          Yes
          Go to site
          View details
          loading

          Compare up to 4 providers

          Image: Amazon Prime Video

          More guides on Finder

          Ask an Expert

          You are about to post a question on finder.com:

          • Do not enter personal information (eg. surname, phone number, bank details) as your question will be made public
          • finder.com is a financial comparison and information service, not a bank or product provider
          • We cannot provide you with personal advice or recommendations
          • Your answer might already be waiting – check previous questions below to see if yours has already been asked

          Finder.com provides guides and information on a range of products and services. Because our content is not financial advice, we suggest talking with a professional before you make any decision.

          By submitting your comment or question, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms.

          Questions and responses on finder.com are not provided, paid for or otherwise endorsed by any bank or brand. These banks and brands are not responsible for ensuring that comments are answered or accurate.
          Go to site