Amazon Prime increases its membership fee by 40 percent in Australia: this is how much the streaming service will cost you now
Popular streaming service Amazon Prime has announced that it will increase its monthly and annual membership fees.
Monthly subscription users will see their subscription increase from $6.99 to $9.99, while the annual membership goes up from $59.99 to $79.99.
These price increases are the first time Amazon Prime has increased its rates since its launch in Australia in 2018.
The new prices will take effect from May 24 for new members, while existing customers will take the brunt from June 28.
Despite the price increase, Amazon Prime is still cheaper than Netflix’s basic plan ($16.99 per month), Binge ($16 per month), and Disney+ ($13.99 per month).
Popular streaming service Amazon Prime has announced that it will increase its membership fees by 40 percent. (Pictured: A scene from the Amazon Prime Video series The Power)
Amazon Prime members also benefit from free delivery on items purchased on Amazon and access to Amazon Prime deals on Prime Day sales.
The new fees come after the streaming platform recently released its new spy thriller series Citadel, starring Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Richard Madden.
Citadel is the second most expensive TV series ever made, with the six-episode first season costing a total of $300 million, or $50 million per episode.
The big-budget show would be a passion project for Jennifer Salke, the head of Amazon Studios.
Part of the reason for the high cost is the fact that Citadel was renewed for a second season before the first season even ended.
Amazon Prime Video wants to expand Citadel into a spin-off franchise.
Monthly subscription users will see their subscription increase from $6.99 to $9.99, while the annual membership goes up from $59.99 to $79.99. (Pictured: A scene from the Amazon Prime Video series Daisy Jones and the Six)
Other factors also drove up costs, including the production stoppage caused by Covid-19 and the high cost of pandemic protocols, which were not budgeted when the series was greenlit.
Priyanka also fought for equal pay with her male co-star Madden.
“If your contribution, time and what you bring to the table is the same as your male counterpart, there’s a very serious conversation to be had about compensation,” she said.
“It wasn’t a conversation I was encouraged to have for very long because it was just a given when I started in movies that your male counterpart would have a significantly higher salary.”
“I think my generation of female actors really stood up for themselves,” she added.
The Indian actress, who is married to Nick Jonas, plays the character of Nadia Sinh.
The new fees come after the streaming platform recently released its new spy thriller series Citadel, starring Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Richard Madden (both pictured)
Citadel is the second most expensive TV series ever made, with the six-episode first season costing a total of $300 million, or $50 million per episode