Prime Video Ad-Free Just Went Ultra — and It Will Cost You

If you feel like every streaming service is trying to squeeze a few extra bucks out of us lately, you are definitely not alone. Case in point: Prime Video just quietly rolled out its fanciest, shiniest upgrade ever, and it could be the best deal they have offered... or maybe just another way to bump up your subscription without you noticing.

The New 'Ultra' Era

So here’s what’s changed. A while back, Amazon teased a new Prime Video plan, and now it’s officially here: Prime Video Ultra. No, they didn’t just slap a new name on the old plan – they actually made some upgrades (and, of course, tinkered with the price).

• New Plan Name: Prime Video Ultra (catchy, right?)
• Cost: $4.99 per month, or $45.99 for an annual subscription (a 23% discount if you pay by the year)
• No ads: That’s right, this is now the only truly ad-free tier
• 4K Ultra HD video: They’re promising four times the pixels of regular HD, so get ready for pores, pores everywhere
• Dolby Atmos sound: Because apparently everyone expects surround sound even when you’re watching action movies on your phone in bed
• Download limit: Now up to 100 shows and movies at a time for offline watching, up from the old 25-title cap
• Concurrent streams: You can now have up to five devices streaming at once (previously only three). And yes, this is their way of clamping down on password sharing, just with more slots
• Bonus perks: You still get all the other Prime goodness – faster shipping, Amazon Music, free Grubhub+... but those aren’t new

Why Bother Right Now?

If you’re already wondering if this is actually worth it, here’s what Prime Video has brewing lately. They’ve been building their lineup since way back – started as Amazon Unbox in 2006, changed to Amazon Prime Video in 2011, and somewhere along the way dropped the ‘Amazon’ for just ‘Prime Video’. They’ve been making originals since 2013, and a few have actually become appointment TV.

What Can You Watch Right Now?

First up: The Boys just kicked off its fifth (and final) season. Yes, it’s still cartoonishly violent, and they wasted no time killing off a major character in the season premiere. If you’re expecting things to get softer as the superheroes take their curtain call—nope, think again. Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, and Antony Starr are all back for what looks like a huge send-off.

Then there’s the Reacher series—somehow, this show is still growing its audience, and the upcoming fourth season is adapting 'Gone Tomorrow', the 14th Lee Child book. This time, Mr. Gigantic-Fists gets tangled up in a New York City plot involving a possible suicide bomber. And in a bit of classic franchise expansion, Maria Sten’s Neagley character is getting her own spinoff; no real details on that one yet, but Prime Video clearly thinks fans want more stoic muscle and less talking.

The Bottom Line

The Ultra plan is basically everything Prime Video can offer in one place—no ads, maxed-out video and sound tech, enough downloads for your next three vacations, and a higher device limit in case you want to split your subscription with a few extra 'roommates'. For $4.99 a month (or a little less if you pay annually), it's honestly not a bad upgrade if you’re already deep into the Amazon ecosystem—and especially if you’re a sucker for seeing just how high-def Karl Urban’s stubble can look in 4K.

Do with it what you will—but don’t say I didn’t warn you when Prime Video starts looking at your bank statement with hungry eyes again next year.