Free Guide to Canceling Amazon Prime Video

Understanding Your Amazon Prime Video Subscription

Amazon Prime Video is a streaming service that allows you to watch movies, TV shows, and original content on demand. The service is offered both as a standalone subscription and as part of an Amazon Prime membership. Understanding the difference between these options is important before you decide to cancel.

If you have an Amazon Prime membership, Prime Video is included as one of the benefits. Prime memberships cost $139 per year or $14.99 per month and include free shipping on Amazon purchases, access to Prime Music, Prime Photos, and other services beyond just video streaming. If you cancel your entire Prime membership, you will lose access to all of these benefits, not just Prime Video.

Alternatively, you can subscribe to Prime Video as a standalone service for $14.99 per month or $139 per year. This option gives you access to Prime Video content without paying for other Prime benefits. Some people find this option useful if they only want video streaming without the shipping benefits or other Prime features.

You may also have Prime Video access through a different arrangement. For example, if someone else in your household has a Prime membership and you use their account, or if you have access through a promotion or trial period, the cancellation process might differ slightly. Additionally, if you subscribed to Prime Video through a third-party platform like Apple, Google Play, or a wireless carrier, you would need to cancel through that platform rather than through Amazon directly.

Takeaway: Before canceling, determine whether you have a standalone Prime Video subscription or if Prime Video is bundled with your Amazon Prime membership, and confirm where you originally signed up for the service.

How to Cancel Prime Video on Amazon.com

Canceling a standalone Prime Video subscription or downgrading from a full Prime membership can be done through your Amazon account settings. The process takes only a few minutes and can be completed from any device with internet access, including computers, tablets, and smartphones.

First, visit Amazon.com and sign into your account using your email address and password. Navigate to "Account & Lists" in the top right corner of the page, then select "Your Account." From the Your Account page, look for the section labeled "Prime Membership" or "Subscriptions." The exact location of this section may vary slightly depending on your device and the current layout of Amazon's website, but it should be in the main account settings area.

Once you locate your Prime Membership or Subscriptions section, click on "Manage Membership" or "Manage Prime Video." This will show you details about your current subscription, including the renewal date and the amount you are being charged. You should see a button or link that says "Cancel Membership" or "Cancel Subscription."

When you click to cancel, Amazon will present you with a confirmation screen. This screen may show you offers to keep your subscription, such as a discounted rate or a temporary pause. You can review these options, but you are not required to accept them. To proceed with cancellation, click the confirmation button that says something like "Yes, cancel my subscription" or "Confirm cancellation."

After you confirm the cancellation, Amazon will send you a confirmation email to the address associated with your account. This email serves as proof that your subscription has been canceled. Your access to Prime Video will continue until the end of your current billing period. If you are in the middle of a monthly subscription cycle, you will retain access until that month ends. If you are on an annual plan, you will retain access until the anniversary date of your subscription.

Takeaway: You can cancel Prime Video directly through your Amazon account settings by navigating to your subscriptions, selecting your Prime Video subscription, and confirming the cancellation.

Canceling Prime Video Purchased Through Third-Party Platforms

If you subscribed to Prime Video through an external platform rather than directly through Amazon.com, you must cancel through that same platform. This is an important distinction because attempting to cancel through your Amazon account settings may not work in these situations.

Common third-party platforms through which people subscribe to Prime Video include Apple's App Store, Google Play Store, Amazon's Alexa app, and wireless carriers such as Verizon, AT&T, or other providers. You may also have subscribed through a device-specific app on a Roku, Fire TV, or other streaming device. Additionally, some people have Prime Video access through a promotional offer from their internet or cable provider.

For Apple App Store subscriptions, open the Apple App Store on your iPhone or iPad. Go to your account settings (usually accessible by tapping your profile picture or account icon in the top right). Select "Subscriptions" and find Prime Video in the list. Tap on Prime Video and then tap "Cancel Subscription." Confirm the cancellation when prompted. On a Mac computer, open the App Store, click your account name in the bottom left, and follow similar steps to find and cancel the subscription.

For Google Play Store subscriptions on Android devices, open the Google Play Store app and tap your profile icon in the top right. Select "Payments and subscriptions," then "Subscriptions." Find Prime Video and tap on it. Select "Cancel subscription" and confirm. You can also manage Google subscriptions through the website play.google.com by signing into your Google account and navigating to the subscriptions section.

For wireless carrier subscriptions, contact your carrier directly. You can visit their website, call customer service, or visit a physical store location. Ask about canceling your Prime Video add-on or promotional offer. Some carriers allow you to manage subscriptions through their online account portal, while others require a phone call or in-person visit.

Takeaway: Always cancel through the same platform where you originally subscribed; if you signed up through Apple, Google, or another third party, you must go back to that service to cancel rather than attempting to cancel directly through Amazon.

What Happens After You Cancel

Understanding what changes after you cancel Prime Video helps you plan your transition and prepare for the loss of access. The timing of when you lose access depends on whether you cancel during a billing cycle or before one begins.

If you cancel a monthly subscription, you will typically retain access to Prime Video through the end of your current billing month. For example, if you pay on the 15th of each month and cancel on the 20th, you will maintain your Prime Video access through the end of that month. After the final day of your billing cycle, you will no longer be able to watch content or access your watchlist and saved items. You will not be charged again for Prime Video.

If you cancel an annual subscription, you will keep your access through the end of your subscription year. Your annual renewal date is typically one year after your original sign-up date, unless you switched to a monthly plan at some point. After your annual subscription ends, access will be removed and you will not be charged for renewal.

Once your subscription ends and access is removed, your Prime Video profile, watchlist, and viewing history remain stored in Amazon's system. If you ever decide to resubscribe in the future, you will be able to log back into the same account and your previous watchlist and recommendations will be waiting for you. Resubscribing involves signing back into your Amazon account and going through the subscription process again, which is the same as setting up the service for the first time.

If you had a full Prime membership (not just Prime Video) and you canceled the entire membership, you will lose all Prime benefits on the date your membership ends. This means you will no longer receive free shipping on Amazon purchases, and you will lose access to Prime Music, Prime Photos, and other Prime features. You can cancel just Prime Video while keeping your Prime membership for shipping and other benefits; these are separate cancellation options in your account settings.

Your payment method will no longer be charged for Prime Video after your final billing date. However, other Amazon charges (such as regular purchases) will continue to be billed normally if you keep your regular Amazon account active.

Takeaway: You will retain access to Prime Video through the end of your current billing period, your watchlist will be preserved if you resubscribe later, and you can choose to cancel just Prime Video while keeping your Prime membership for other benefits.

Reasons People Cancel and Alternatives to Consider

Understanding why people cancel and what alternatives are available may inform your own decision about whether cancellation is the right choice for you. Cost is one of the most common reasons for cancellation. Some people find that streaming services have become expensive when combined together, and