Amazon is discontinuing its ad-supported streaming service Freevee. This decision follows the introduction of advertising on Prime Video, making Freevee redundant as a standalone platform. Amazon Freevee was also launched in Germany in August 2022, and there were already rumors at the beginning of 2024 that the free streaming service would be discontinued.
- Availability: Freevee content will remain available on Prime Video, even for non-Prime customers.
- Background: Freevee started in 2019 as IMDb Freedive/TV and was renamed in 2022.
- Formats: In-house productions such as “Bosch: Legacy” found an audience via Freevee.
Background and reasons for the end
Originally launched as an alternative to Prime Video with commercial breaks, Freevee was able to occupy a niche, particularly in the USA and the UK. However, the service was recently undermined by Amazon’s strategic decision to integrate advertising into Prime Video itself.
The new framework conditions made it more profitable for Amazon to bundle all content under Prime Video and offer advertising centrally instead of maintaining separate platforms. This is intended to strengthen Prime Video as the main platform for Amazon’s video content, while Freevee will soon be fully integrated into the Prime ecosystem.
Amazon has now announced this to Deadline. “In order to provide customers with a simpler viewing experience, we have decided to phase out the Freevee branding. The content available to Prime members will not change, and a wide range of free streaming content will continue to be available to non-Prime members,” an Amazon spokesperson told Deadline.
Although the independent functions will no longer be available, users will still be able to enjoy the existing offer. Some Freevee productions, such as “Bosch: Legacy”, will continue to be available via Prime Video without requiring a Prime membership. This means that customers can still watch ad-financed content, but directly on the established platform.
Conclusion
The end of Freevee marks a trend towards centralized offerings where ad funding and premium content are bundled together. Prime Video will now serve as Amazon’s single video platform, giving users access to ad-supported content through a familiar interface.
