Prime Video launched all the way back in 2006, originally called Amazon Unbox. At launch, it offered a way to store TV series and movies purchased from Amazon, with an instant video subscription added in 2011 with 5,000 movies and TV shows available to watch.
Unlike Netflix and other video streaming services, Prime Video was offered as part of the Amazon’s Prime subscription. The goal was to incentivise customers to stick with Prime, by bundling services together and making it hard to untangle from them.
As Prime grew, so did Amazon’s ambitions for Prime Video. In 2012, it signed a deal with Epix to feature movies exclusively on the Prime Video platform. It would follow Netflix in launching original programming in 2013 and kick it into high gear in 2015 with the launch of Man in the High Castle, Sneaky Pete and The Expanse.
By 2020, Amazon was spending $10 billion on content for Prime Video. Most of the budget was going to original content for the video streaming platform, with Amazon executives and CEO Jeff Bezos reportedly eager to get an oscar.
In 2024, Prime Video introduced ads to its platform, and shifted all Prime subscribers to the ad-supported tier. This followed the launch of Netflix’s own ad-tier. To remove the ads, Prime subscribers have to pay an additional $2.99 per month.
We have collected data and statistics on Prime Video. Read on below to find out more. Want to learn more about the video streaming app market? Check out our in-depth report.
Prime Video Key Statistics
- Prime Video made approximately $14 billion revenue in 2023
- Prime Video had 210 million users, most of which pay for the video streaming app through their Prime account
- Content spend for Prime Video increased in 2023 to $18.9 billion, higher than Netflix
- Prime Video and Netflix are tied in first place for market share in the US video streaming market
Want to learn more about the video streaming app industry? In our Video Streaming App report, we cover financials, forecasts, usage, downloads, demographics and benchmarking data.
Video Streaming App Report
Prime Video Overview
| Title | Title 2 |
|---|---|
| Launch date | September 2006 |
| HQ | Seattle, Washington |
| People | Mike Hopkins (head, Prime Video and MGM), Jennifer Salke (head, MGM Studios), Andy Jassy (CEO, Amazon) |
| Business type | Subsidiary |
| Industry | Video streaming |
Prime Video Revenue
Prime Video generated an estimated $14 billion in 2023, a 12% increase on the previous year.
Prime Video revenue 2018 to 2023 ($bn)
| Year | Revenue ($bn) |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 4.4 |
| 2019 | 5.4 |
| 2020 | 7.8 |
| 2021 | 11.3 |
| 2022 | 12.5 |
| 2023 | 14 |
Note: This is an estimate. Sources: Company data, eMarketer, Variety
Prime Video Users
Prime Video had 210 million users in 2023, an increase of 20 million on the year prior. Most Prime Video users are based in North America and West Europe.
Prime Video users 2019 to 2023 (mm)
| Year | Users (mm) |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 90 |
| 2020 | 125 |
| 2021 | 175 |
| 2022 | 190 |
| 2023 | 210 |
Source: Video Streaming App Report
Prime Video Content Spend
Amazon increased its content spend on Prime Video to $18.9 billion in 2023, a 13.8% increase on the previous year.
Prime Video content spend 2015 to 2023 ($bn)
| Year | Content spend ($bn) |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 2.6 |
| 2016 | 3.3 |
| 2017 | 4.5 |
| 2018 | 5.5 |
| 2019 | 7.8 |
| 2020 | 11 |
| 2021 | 13 |
| 2022 | 16.6 |
| 2023 | 18.9 |
US Video Streaming App Market Share
Amazon Prime Video and Netflix are neck-and-neck in market share in the US market.
US video streaming app market share 2021 to 2024 (%)
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