Memberships / Streaming
Prime Video, Channels and Amazon Music, compared
Some of this is included with Prime and some of it is billed separately. The difference is where most of the confusion, and most of the surprise charges, come from.
| Service | Free trial | After the trial | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prime Video | 30 days with Prime | £8.99 a month for Prime, or £95 a year | Thousands of films and shows, Amazon Originals, offline downloads, and the rest of Prime alongside it. |
| Prime Video Channels | Varies by channel | Free | Add-on subscriptions such as ITVX Premium, Discovery, MGM, hayu, BFI Player and Shudder, watched inside the Prime Video app. |
| Amazon Music Unlimited | Promotional free period for new subscribers | £12.99 a month | The full catalogue of around 100 million tracks, ad free, with offline downloads and Alexa control. |
| Amazon Music Prime | Included with Prime | Included with Prime | Ad-free listening to a large but limited selection of playlists and stations, included once you have Prime. |
Prices are Amazon's own, checked on 26 September 2026.
What comes with Prime and what does not
Prime Video and Amazon Music Prime are parts of Prime. You cannot buy them separately, and when you start a Prime Video trial you are starting a Prime trial with everything else attached.
Prime Video Channels and Amazon Music Unlimited are different animals. They sit on top of Prime, they are billed separately, and each one renews on its own schedule. That is where the surprise charges come from: people cancel Prime and forget that a channel subscription carries on.
Channels are separate subscriptions wearing the Prime Video badge
A channel such as ITVX Premium, hayu, Discovery, MGM, BFI Player or Shudder is bought inside Prime Video and watched inside the same app, which makes it feel like part of the package. It is not. Each channel has its own monthly fee, its own free trial and its own renewal date.
The practical consequence is that three channel trials started in the same week end on three different dates, each one renewing quietly. If you are sampling channels for a specific series, note the end dates somewhere other than your own memory.
Music Prime and Music Unlimited are not the same service
Music Prime comes with Prime and gives you a broad but curated selection: plenty of playlists and stations, ad free, but not every album on demand. Music Unlimited is the full catalogue of around 100 million tracks, and it is a separate subscription.
Prime members pay less for Unlimited than non-members, and the promotional free periods are for new subscribers only. Before you sign up, check which of the two prices the page is quoting you, because the difference is not small.
Before you start a streaming trial
Check whether the show you are signing up for is on Prime Video itself or behind a channel, because the two look identical in search results until you reach the play button. Check whether Amazon is showing you a price that includes an ad-free upgrade, which is charged separately from the subscription itself.
And treat the end of the trial as the decision point rather than the start. Everything here renews automatically, and cancelling on the last day still leaves you with the full trial.
The offers, and the catch in each
Prime Video
30 days with Prime, then £8.99 a month for Prime, or £95 a year
Thousands of films and shows, Amazon Originals, offline downloads, and the rest of Prime alongside it.
Worth knowing: It is not sold on its own. You are buying Prime, so judge it on delivery, music, photos and reading as well.
Start the 30-day Prime Video trial →Prime Video Channels
Varies by channel
Add-on subscriptions such as ITVX Premium, Discovery, MGM, hayu, BFI Player and Shudder, watched inside the Prime Video app.
Worth knowing: Each channel is billed separately on top of Prime and renews on its own. Trials are per channel, so they start and end on different dates.
Browse the channels →Amazon Music Unlimited
Promotional free period for new subscribers, then £12.99 a month
The full catalogue of around 100 million tracks, ad free, with offline downloads and Alexa control.
Worth knowing: Prime members pay a lower rate, and the promotional free period is for new subscribers only. Check which price you are being shown before you sign up.
See the Music Unlimited offer →Amazon Music Prime
Included with Prime
Ad-free listening to a large but limited selection of playlists and stations, included once you have Prime.
Worth knowing: It is not the full catalogue. If you want a specific album on demand, this is the version that will frustrate you.
Start the 30-day Prime trial →Frequently asked questions
Can I get Prime Video without Prime?
In the UK it comes as part of Prime rather than as a standalone subscription, so a Prime Video trial is a Prime trial.
Do Prime Video Channels cost extra?
Yes. Each channel is a separate subscription billed on top of Prime, with its own trial and its own renewal date.
What is the difference between Amazon Music Prime and Music Unlimited?
Music Prime is included with Prime and gives you a limited selection. Music Unlimited is a paid upgrade to the full catalogue with on-demand playback.
If I cancel Prime, do my channels stop too?
Channel subscriptions are bought through Prime Video, so check each one when you cancel rather than assuming they end with the membership.
Does Prime Video show adverts?
Amazon sells an ad-free option as a separate extra in the UK, so check what the signup page is offering you before you subscribe.
ChoiceTally earns a fee when someone starts a trial or creates a list through these links. You pay the same either way. See our affiliate disclosure.
Also in this section: Reading and listening · Family and gift lists · everything in one table