Amazon is now rolling out its AI voice assistant , Alexa+, for free to all compatible Fire TV devices in the U.S., with no Prime membership or additional costs required. The update installs automatically; no additional app or sign-up is needed. If you already own a Fire TV Stick or a Fire TV Cube, the smarter version of Alexa will simply be included with your device.
TL;DR: Amazon is making Alexa+ available to Fire TV users in the U.S. completely free of charge; previously, the AI assistant cost non-Prime customers about $20 per month. Alexa+ understands natural language, remembers the context of conversations, and controls smart home devices directly through the TV. A free trial has been underway in Germany since May; a date for the permanent free Fire TV version has not yet been set.
What is Alexa+ and what’s changing on Fire TV?
Alexa+ is Amazon’s revamped voice assistant based on its own generative language model. Unlike the classic Alexa, Alexa+ can carry on coherent conversations, remember previous questions, and respond to follow-up inquiries, rather than starting from scratch after every command. On the TV, this means, above all, that users can search for movies without knowing the exact title—for example, using descriptions like “that thriller with the time-travel twist that everyone saw last year.”
Until now, Alexa+ on Fire TV was free only for Prime members; everyone else paid the equivalent of just under $20 per month, according to Amazon. This barrier has now been completely removed in the U.S.
Which devices get Alexa+ for free?
The update is rolling out automatically to a wide range of devices. Amazon lists the following compatible devices in its official blog post:
| Device category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Amazon Fire TV Sticks | Current generations, e.g., Fire TV Stick 4K Max |
| Fire TV Cube | All supported models |
| Amazon Ember Smart TVs | Amazon’s own line of TVs |
| Third-party smart TVs | Select models from Hisense and Panasonic |
No instructions or separate download are required: Eligible devices will be automatically activated via an update.
Here’s what Alexa+ can do on your TV
Find movies and TV shows by voice
Instead of exact titles, descriptions of the plot, mood, or actors are sufficient. Alexa+ also understands follow-up questions such as “show me something similar, but shorter.”
Control your smart home right from the couch
If you own Ring cameras or smart lighting, you can view live camera feeds on your TV, set lighting scenes, or control door locks with voice commands—all without a separate app.
Everyday assistance on the side
Weather, recipes, sports scores, or a timer for popcorn: Alexa+ continues to cover the classic Alexa features, now embedded in more natural conversations.
Usage is rising significantly: here’s what Amazon’s own numbers say
Amazon itself provides usage data on this: According to the company, customers are having nearly twice as many conversations with Alexa+ on Fire TV as they did previously with the classic Alexa. When it comes to search suggestions, users are also selecting the first result suggested by Alexa over 40 percent more often. Amazon sees this as proof that conversational search actually saves time when browsing. Still, when it comes to figures from the company’s own blog, a healthy dose of skepticism is warranted.
When is the free Alexa+ coming to Germany?
For German users, the situation remains unchanged for the time being. Alexa+ has been running here in a closed, free trial phase since May 2026. Once this phase ends, the current plan calls for a subscription fee of 22.99 euros per month for non-Prime customers. The company has not yet confirmed whether or when it will extend the free Fire TV policy from the U.S. to Germany and other European markets. In any case, competitive pressure is mounting: Google is bringing its Gemini model to Google TV, and Roku is also upgrading its voice assistant with AI features. A similar move in Europe would come as no great surprise.
Points of Criticism: Advertising and Data Privacy
The free rollout isn’t entirely altruistic: Amazon plans to eventually include sponsored recommendations in Alexa+ responses when users ask about movies or products, for example. Added to this are the privacy concerns—already noted in earlier reports—that arise with a voice assistant that stores conversation histories in order to provide context-aware responses. Anyone who feels uncomfortable with this should check Alexa+’s privacy settings before using it for the first time.
Conclusion
With the free rollout of Alexa+ on Fire TV, Amazon is drastically lowering the barrier to entry for its own AI assistant—at least in the U.S. Anyone who already owns a Fire TV Stick or a Fire TV Cube will enjoy noticeably smarter voice control without having to spend a cent or sign up for a Prime membership. In Germany, the service remains in a free trial phase for now, with an uncertain outlook regarding a future subscription price of 22.99 euros per month. Whether Amazon will replicate its U.S. strategy here will likely depend heavily on how competition with Google and Roku develops in the coming months.
Sources: About Amazon
