Australian Amazon Prime subscribers will pay up to 30 per cent more for their memberships from 25 November as the online retail and streaming giant hikes its subscription fees.

The price of an annual Prime membership will jump from $79 to $99, an increase of 25 per cent, while those on monthly plans will be charged $12.99, up from $9.99, a 30 per cent hike.

The new rates take effect immediately for new subscribers, while existing members will be slugged the increase from 25 November 2026.

An Amazon spokesperson has defended the increase, citing an expansion of Prime membership benefits over the past six months, although it has not identified any major new services accompanying the latest price rise.

“Prime members in Australia love the combined value Prime gives them, including shopping, delivery, savings, deals and entertainment benefits in a single membership.”

Amazon Prime offers bundled retail and digital media access, pairing free expedited shipping on eligible items with streaming entertainment, cloud gaming, and member-only retail sales for a recurring fee.

The price rises come just months after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) launched Federal Court action against Amazon, alleging the company breached Australian Consumer Law.

In June, the regulator alleged more than 850,000 Prime Video subscribers had paid $79 upfront for an annual subscription before Amazon introduced ads in July 2024, without providing subscribers with “any contractual entitlement to a pro rata refund or other meaningful redress”.

Users who wanted ad-free viewing were told to pay an additional $2.99 per month.

Streaming costs climb as Australians juggle subscriptions

The increase comes as Australian households contend with a growing number of entertainment subscriptions during a cost-of-living crisis, prompting questions about how much consumers are willing to spend on streaming and bundled services.

Australian technology analyst firm Telsyte found that Australians were spending more on multiple subscriptions, according to its 2025 Australian Subscription Entertainment Study.

The study found Australia’s subscription entertainment market grew by 5 per cent to nearly 54.6 million services in the 12 months to June 2025.

The average monthly budget for streaming services rose by 18 per cent to $42.

The study found Netflix had 6.4 million subscribers, followed by 5.1 million for Amazon Prime Video.

Prices up across the board

According to The Guardian, most major sports streaming and digital services in Australia have also raised their prices.

It found six of Australia’s eight major sports streamers had increased their base pricing since the start of 2025.

Amazon Prime’s price was unchanged, and Disney+ had decreased its base price but had introduced an ad-supported tier.

Nevertheless, whether the price rise will have a significant impact on subscriber numbers remains unclear.

Findings from the 2025 Television and Media Survey, prepared for the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts, found 65 per cent of Australians had watched streaming services in the seven days prior to responding to the survey.

The 2024 report found 63 per cent of respondents had watched content via a subscription service in the week prior.

Content preferences and value for money were driving both sign-up and retention of accounts, the study found.

Netflix dominated with 57 per cent of viewership, followed by Amazon Prime Video at 23 per cent – down from 34 per cent in 2024.