Check Prime Video and Amazon Video – offer, prices, series and more
With over 200 million subscribers, Prime Video is one of the biggest players in the VOD landscape.
The American e-commerce company Amazon introduced Prime Video to the Dutch market in 2017. For a small price, this service seems to compete with major VOD platforms like Netflix and HBO Max with impressive reach. Read all about Prime Video prices, deals and benefits below!
Founded in: 2006 (as Amazon Unbox)
Headquarters in: Seattle, V.S.
Focus: International movies and series
Payment form: subscription or purchase/rental
Price: €2.99 per month
Since 1997, parent company Amazon has focused on selling music, video, and books online. The company’s AV business expanded rapidly in 2006 with its own Amazon Unbox video service. The service soon changed its name to Amazon Instant Video on Demand and later to the familiar Prime Video.
Starting in 2016, Amazon began to separate its video services: Prime Video for subscribers and Amazon Video to rent or buy movies and series. This separation still exists today and was implemented worldwide after the global launch of streaming services.
offer
Amazon’s catalog has grown significantly in recent years, in part due to its acquisition of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) movie studio and a multi-year deal with Universal Pictures. This gives you access to top titles through Amazon services, like movies from the Fast and Furious-, Jurassic Park– in bourneseries.
Recent Amazon Originals have garnered a lot of attention, with examples such as Boys in the rings of power. Many of these come from the United States, but European countries can also have original series. For example, the first Dutch-language Amazon Original was released in 2022, called Modern Love Amsterdam.
In addition to movies, series, and shows from its own library, Amazon also has Amazon Channels, which is more akin to offering optional paid channels within a regular TV subscription. Content from other video services is offered within the Amazon platform, such as from Fandor, Shorts TV, Liongate+, Acorn TV and even the Dutch film distributor September Film.
Five of the most famous series on Amazon Prime are:
1. the wheel of time
2. Star Trek: Picard
3. flea bag
4. the peripheral
5. carnival line
Availability
Amazon Video and Prime Video are available in virtually every country in the world. The only exceptions are the People’s Republic of China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Syria. However, the catalog and payment methods may differ by country.
After not offering any service on Apple TVs for a long time, Amazon’s services are now available on virtually all Smart TVs, on all Internet browsers, and through a proprietary Android and Apple app.
Pricing and subscriptions
The purchase or rental prices of Amazon Video movies and series may vary depending on the provider. Please note: Amazon channels require a separate subscription (after the trial period) to view their offers.
Amazon Prime cost €2.99 per month. This gives you access to the exclusive Prime Video catalog. In addition, Prime subscribers receive additional benefits on Amazon’s largest platform, including unlimited free product delivery, compelling gaming perks, and unlimited storage with Amazon Photos.
our advice
It seems strange that Amazon offers its services at such a low price in the Netherlands, because with Amazon and Prime Video consumers have access to an overwhelmingly large selection of movies, series and shows. As a result, it’s worth considering buying the relatively cheap subscription, especially in view of the growing popularity of the Amazon Original series.
One of the reasons for the low prices may be that by bundling video and e-commerce services, Amazon can better introduce its own services to the Dutch market. Just a moment, and all Prime subscribers can ignore our bol.com to buy all their Christmas and Sinterklaas gifts from Amazon. So it seems unrealistic for prices to stay this low forever.