It seems like every year, the streaming landscape shifts just a little more—and 2025 is no exception.
This time, it’s Amazon’s Freevee that’s on the chopping block.
After a few years of trying to carve out its niche in the ad-supported streaming space, Freevee is officially being phased out.
So if you’ve been watching shows like Jury Duty, Bosch: Legacy, or Judy Justice on Freevee, it’s time to prepare for the change.
Freevee Content Is Moving to Prime Video
Starting in August, Freevee will be discontinued, with Amazon moving all its shows and original content over to the Prime Video platform.
The company confirmed the shift, saying that the content will still be accessible even if you don’t have a Prime membership—it’ll just live in the “Watch for Free” section on Prime Video.
This change is part of Amazon’s broader strategy to consolidate its entertainment offerings.
By doing away with Freevee, Amazon is simplifying the user experience and pushing more people toward its main streaming hub.
The Writing Was on the Wall for Freevee
If this announcement feels sudden, it really isn’t.
Amazon began laying the groundwork to sunset Freevee last year when it rolled out advertisements across Prime Video.
While Prime members pay $14.99 monthly (or $8.99 for just Prime Video), they now have to fork out an extra $2.99 per month if they want an ad-free experience.
For many users, this marked a turning point.
The once-premium viewing experience started to feel a little too crowded with commercials, especially for those already paying for the service.
From IMDB Freedive to Freevee—A Short Life
Freevee had a bit of an identity crisis from the start.
It originally launched back in 2019 as IMDB Freedive, then became IMDB TV, and eventually rebranded to Amazon Freevee in 2022.
While it managed to build a respectable library of original shows and attract non-Prime users, it struggled to keep up with the giants like Netflix and Hulu.
By late 2024, around 44% of Freevee’s U.S. viewers didn’t have Prime accounts, according to Ampere Analysis.
That gap between the two audiences may have made it harder for Amazon to justify keeping the platform alive as a separate entity.
Frustrations Over Amazon’s Pricing and Perks
The news comes at a time when Amazon customers have already been vocal about rising costs and shrinking perks.
The Prime membership price hike in 2022—from $119 to $139 annually—rubbed many the wrong way.
And the frustration didn’t stop there. Users were already irritated by the number of ads flooding their shows and movies.
Add in other discontinued features like same-day delivery perks, the Try Before You Buy fashion program, and the increased price of Amazon Music Unlimited, and it’s no surprise that some customers have threatened to cancel their Amazon accounts altogether.
Amazon’s New Delivery Expansion Effort
Despite the backlash, Amazon is trying to smooth things over.
The company is now expanding same-day and next-day delivery services to over 4,000 smaller cities, towns, and rural areas.
The move is aimed at helping shoppers who typically don’t have many delivery options—and may be part of Amazon’s effort to win back a little goodwill.
And let’s not forget—Amazon’s gearing up for Prime Day.
The now four-day shopping event is already offering early perks, including gas discounts of $1 per gallon.
Freevee Joins a Long List of Shuttered Streaming Services
Freevee isn’t the first streaming service to call it quits, and it probably won’t be the last.
Remember Quibi? It lasted just eight months after launching in 2020, despite flashy reboots like Punk’d and big-name deals (including $6 million paid to Reese Witherspoon to narrate a show).
Then there was Crackle, which finally shut down in 2024 after a two-decade run.
At the time, it was owned by Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment—the same company behind Redbox, which later filed for bankruptcy.
Streaming Competition Is Only Getting Tougher
With Freevee gone, Prime Video will now stand more directly against its heavyweight competitors: Netflix, Hulu, Peacock, and HBO Max.
And with every platform fighting for viewers’ attention and wallets, the streaming wars are far from over.
So as Freevee fades out, it’s just another reminder of how quickly things change in the world of digital entertainment.
