Forget free shipping, Prime Video is Amazon Prime’s best feature
Forget free shipping, Prime Video is Amazon Prime’s best feature
While Prime Video was once almost considered an easily overlooked benefit of Prime membership, now it is Amazon’s most reliable feature.
When most people think of Amazon Prime, free shipping is usually the first thing that comes to mind. And while the convenience of fast, free deliveries is hard to argue with, Prime Video has steadily improved in both value and quality, and is now one of the biggest reasons to maintain a Prime membership.
As someone who has subscribed to Amazon Prime since 2011, and has tested nearly every major streaming platform, I’ve found myself turning to Prime Video more often than expected in recent months and years. Between the platform’s growing slate of originals, wide device support, and useful features like offline downloads, Prime Video has quietly become one of the most robust streaming services available today.
Prime Video offers a strong catalog backed by original content
Amazon has invested heavily in Prime Video’s original programming over the past several years. Critically acclaimed series like “The Boys,” “Jack Ryan,” and “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” have not only attracted large audiences but also helped differentiate the service from competitors like Netflix and Hulu.
More recently, Amazon partnered with YouTube juggernaut MrBeast for “Beast Games,” a large-scale competition series built around the YouTuber’s high-production stunts. The show blends the massive spectacle of MrBeast’s content with the production quality of a premium platform, signaling Amazon’s commitment to both younger audiences and internet-native formats. From the very first episode of the show, I was completely hooked. I haven’t fallen for a new show like this in a long time, but each week I really looked forward to seeing what craziness was on the horizon and how the contestants would handle it all.
According to Amazon, the company spent over $7 billion on content in 2024, including sports rights and global originals. That investment has translated into a content library that balances mainstream hits with niche programming, making Prime Video a viable primary service for many households.
Prime Video supports families and shared viewing
One of Prime Video’s underrated strengths is its focus on family-friendly content. With separate user profiles, a dedicated kids’ section, and adjustable parental controls, the platform supports shared use in a way that is intuitive and safe. For families with younger children, this makes Prime Video a reliable option, offering everything from “Peppa Pig” to “Paddington” in one place.
Prime Video also integrates with Amazon Kids+, further extending its reach into the educational and entertainment space for children. These features, combined with a sizable catalog of PG-rated titles, position the platform as more than just a hub for adult binge-watching.
Prime Video is easy to access and works offline
Prime Video is available on a wide range of devices, including smart TVs, gaming consoles, mobile apps, and web browsers. One of its standout features is offline viewing, which allows users to download content to watch when they know that they won’t be able to connect to the internet, which is a useful tool for flights, road trips, or when camping and the little ones get tired of the great outdoors.
In my experience, this feature has been essential on trips, especially when flying without access to great Wi-Fi. It is a simple but impactful feature that not every major service executes equally well. It’s great that you can download entire seasons in a single tap, instead of having to spend extra time clicking on each individual episode.
Prime Video may offer more consistent value than shipping
While free shipping was once the main value driver of an Amazon Prime subscription, recent reports and user feedback suggest that delivery consistency has slipped in some areas. Personally, I’ve had way more missed delivery dates and longer wait times lately. I used to be able to order things and have them delivered in the next day or two, but recently I’ve noticed times when the soonest delivery for items was four to five days out. In contrast, Prime Video is always available, does not fluctuate in performance, and continues to add new content regularly.
At $15 per month or $139 per year, Amazon Prime includes Prime Video at no extra cost. Depending on how often you stream compared to how often you shop, the streamer may end up providing more consistent value, even with the recent change that brought ads to the platform. For users who stream regularly, the inclusion of Prime Video makes Amazon’s subscription more competitive with standalone services that charge $10 to $20 per month for streaming alone.
Final takeaway
Prime Video is no longer just a bonus feature of Amazon Prime, in my opinion. With strong original content, broad device support, and thoughtful features like offline viewing and family controls, it has become one of the most compelling reasons for my family to continue with our subscription.
If you have been underutilizing Prime Video, it might be worth a second look. For many Prime members, it is more than just a perk. It is the main attraction.
Prime Video
Prime Video is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 10,000+ movies, TV shows, and Prime Originals like “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” “Jack Ryan,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “The Boys,” and more. Subscribers can also add third-party services like Max, Showtime, STARZ, and dozens more with Prime Video Channels. Prime Video also offers exclusive live access to NFL Thursday Night Football.