Amazon Prime Raises Australian Membership Prices

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Amazon Prime has revealed it is increasing the membership prices of its platform in Australia.

In an email to customers on Wednesday, the streaming giant explained that as its “range of products and benefits available through Prime has continued to grow,” supporting this will come with a price change.

Monthly membership will go from $9.99 to $12.99 a month. Meanwhile, annual plans will jump from $79 to $99 per year.

Current Prime subscribers have a few weeks before the new pricing will become effective from their first membership renewal date on or after November 25th. New Prime members, however, can expect these new prices to kick in from today.

Amazon said that only the pricing is changing. “All other parts of the Prime membership stay the same, including free delivery as fast as same-day on eligible orders, Prime Video, Amazon Music Prime, Prime Reading, games with Amazon Luna, and member events such as Prime Day and Prime Big Deal Days,” the email noted.

This announcement comes after the ACCC launched action against Amazon in the Federal Court earlier this year. Australia’s consumer watchdog alleged Amazon relied on unfair contract terms to add advertising to Prime Video while leaving annual subscribers unable to recover part of their prepaid fees.

The case, filed in the Victorian District Registry on June 29th, centres on contracts held by more than one million annual Prime subscribers between November 1st, 2023 and August 18th, 2025. The ACCC alleges five terms in those standard-form contracts allowed Amazon Australia to unilaterally degrade services or alter contract conditions, with no obligation to provide pro rata refunds or other redress.

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The crux of the enforcement action concerns events from mid-2024. Amazon Australia announced in September 2023 it would introduce advertising to Prime Video in Australia. On May 21st, 2024, subscribers were notified the change would take effect from July 2nd, 2024 – and that maintaining an ad-free experience would require an additional $2.99 per month.

The ACCC alleges Amazon Australia relied on the disputed variation terms to implement the change, in contravention of section 23(2C) of the Australian Consumer Law (ACL).

It further alleges Amazon US – which it says made the global decision to introduce advertising and assisted in its Australian implementation – was knowingly involved in the contraventions and is also liable for pecuniary penalties.