Amazon Prime Video on mobile: the app is still solid, but it has lost some of its charm

Amazon Prime Video is one of those apps you install almost automatically as soon as you have a Prime account. It does not have the “premium” feel of Apple TV+, nor the polished interface of Netflix, but it has one huge advantage: it is everywhere. iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Android, tablets, Chromebooks, Fire TV, Chromecast… Amazon’s ecosystem clearly bets on availability.

On the App Store, the Amazon Prime Video app is listed as free with in-app purchases, with a rating of 4.7/5 from more than 216,000 reviews, a 13+ age rating, and a place in the Entertainment category. On Google Play, Prime Video shows a 4.4-star rating, more than 5.37 million reviews, and over 500 million downloads. These are massive numbers, and they say something quite simple: even with its flaws, the app remains one of the benchmarks for mobile streaming.

Download Amazon Prime Video

You can download Amazon Prime Video from the official stores:

For iPhone and iPad
App Store: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/amazon-prime-video/id545519333

For Android
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.amazon.avod.thirdpartyclient&hl=en_GB&gl=GB

An app designed to watch content anywhere, without too much fuss

Prime Video’s real strength is its versatility. The app lets users watch movies, TV series, live shows and sports, with Amazon MGM Studios productions such as Fallout, The Boys, Reacher and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power playing a major role in the service’s official communication.

On iPhone and iPad, the expected features are all there: offline downloads, multiple profiles, casting to TV via Chromecast, movie rentals or purchases where available, and above all X-Ray, one of Amazon’s best ideas. Powered by IMDb, this feature lets viewers quickly see actors, songs and production trivia while watching. It is not essential, of course, but it is one of those small touches that shows when an app has also been designed for people who actually watch series and movies, not just for those trying to sell them.

Interface: effective, but not always elegant

Prime Video is not a bad app. In most cases, it is smooth, content starts quickly, profiles are useful and downloads work well. Where it stumbles is clarity.

The interface sometimes feels like three different services mixed into the same storefront: content included with Prime, titles to rent or buy, add-on channels, ad-supported content, sports events and sponsored recommendations.

This mix can become tiring. You open the app to watch an episode and end up trying to understand whether that movie is included, paid, available through an extra channel or simply highlighted because Amazon wants to promote something new. It is not a disaster, but compared with Netflix or Disney+, the experience feels less immediate.

Some user reviews on Google Play point in exactly this direction: playback is generally smooth, but the layout is not always ergonomic and the included catalogue is not always convincing. Other users criticise slow language switching or the quality of certain titles. These are not universal truths, but they confirm a fairly common feeling: Prime Video works, but it still lacks a little refinement in everyday use.

The catalogue: excellent at times, uneven the rest of the time

Prime Video has a peculiar catalogue. At certain times, it feels essential: a major Amazon series, a recent movie, a sports event, an interesting documentary. Then there are quieter periods when you spend too much time scrolling without finding anything truly compelling.

The Originals remain its strongest argument. The Boys, Fallout, Reacher, Jack Ryan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and The Rings of Power give the service a clear identity. The problem is that the app also often highlights paid content or secondary titles, making the overall value less obvious.

This is probably the biggest difference between Prime Video and some of its competitors: Amazon thinks like a commercial platform, while other streaming services give more of an impression of offering a closed, curated and controlled catalogue. This choice may appeal to those who want everything in one place. It can also annoy those who simply want to open the app, choose a series and press play.

Advertising: the real weak point

The topic that changes the judgement on the app quite a bit is advertising. Amazon officially states that Prime Video movies and series now include limited ads, with the option for Prime users to activate Prime Video Ad Free from the Prime Video website. The option is also available in France and other European markets as a monthly subscription.

Even with the ad-free option, some content may still show ads: free ad-supported programmes, live TV, sports or additional subscriptions. Amazon also specifies that ads in Prime movies and series cannot be skipped unless the user switches to the ad-free plan where available.

This is where Prime Video loses part of its charm. For years, its strongest point was that it felt almost like a “bonus” included with Prime: you paid for Prime delivery, and the video service felt like a very generous gift. Today, the app feels much more like a traditional streaming service, with subscriptions, options, paid content and ad breaks.

The value for money is still good, but that original feeling of generosity has faded a little.

Compatibility and performance: strong in the Apple ecosystem

On Apple devices, the app is regularly maintained. The App Store listing indicates compatibility with iOS 17.0 or later, iPadOS 17.0 or later, macOS 14.0 or later, visionOS 1.0 or later and tvOS 18.2 or later. The listed size is around 312.9 MB, which is reasonable for such a complete streaming app.

Updates are frequent, although release notes are often very generic: “bug fixes and performance improvements” is the phrase that appears most often. It is reassuring from a maintenance point of view, less so in terms of transparency. Sometimes it would be useful to know what has really changed, especially when the video experience, advertising or navigation are modified.

Personal data: an app deeply tied to the Amazon ecosystem

Prime Video is not a small standalone app. It lives inside the Amazon universe, with accounts, history, recommendations, purchases, profiles, advertising and usage data.

On the App Store, the privacy section indicates that data linked to the user may include purchases, financial information, location, contact details, user content, search history, identifiers, usage data and diagnostics.

On Google Play, the safety section states that the app may share some categories of data with third parties, collect location, personal information and other types of data, with encryption in transit and the option to request data deletion.

This is not surprising for a modern streaming app, but it fits Amazon’s model perfectly: strong personalisation, recommendations, advertising, rental and purchase. Prime Video never really feels like a minimalist app. It feels more like the entrance to a large video shopping mall.

Prime Video pros and cons

Strengths

• Very solid Amazon Originals catalogue, with several highly recognisable series.
• Offline downloads, convenient on smartphones and tablets.
• X-Ray with IMDb, still an excellent feature.
• Wide compatibility on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV and Android.
• Personalised profiles, useful for families.
• High ratings on the App Store and Google Play, a sign of a generally reliable app.

Weaknesses

• Sometimes confusing interface, especially between included content, paid titles and extra channels.
• Advertising has become central to the standard experience.
• The ad-free option complicates Prime Video’s original promise.
• Uneven catalogue, strong on exclusives but less convincing in the background selection.
• Update notes lack detail, despite frequent updates.
• Broad data collection, understandable for Amazon but still worth noting.

My opinion on Amazon Prime Video

Prime Video remains a very good streaming app, but it is no longer the quiet, almost too-convenient deal it once seemed to be. It has gained catalogue depth, ambition and international presence. In return, it has also gained complexity, advertising and a stronger commercial logic.

Its best side appears when you start a well-produced Amazon series, maybe downloaded on your iPhone, with X-Ray available and stable playback. In those moments, the app does exactly what you expect.

Its weaker side appears when the home screen pushes paid content, channels, ads, secondary titles and various recommendations, forcing the user to understand the offer before even watching anything.

Prime Video is not the most elegant app on the market. Nor is it the simplest. But it probably remains one of the most convenient options in the streaming ecosystem, especially for those who already use Amazon Prime. Its real problem, in my view, is no longer the catalogue: it is readability. The app has content, features and power. What it lacks is a cleaner, calmer and less commercial experience.

Final thoughts

Amazon Prime Video on mobile deserves a good rating, but not a perfect one. The app is robust, complete and well suited to modern viewing habits: watching an episode on the train, continuing playback on TV, downloading a season, creating multiple profiles, exploring details and trivia with X-Ray. From this point of view, Amazon has done a good job.

The problem is that the app sometimes feels like it wants to sell everything at the same time. Included streaming, rental, purchase, channels, advertising, ad-free option, sports, live content, recommendations: everything exists, everything coexists, but not everything has room to breathe.

Prime Video remains a powerful app. It would be much better with less noise around the most important thing: pressing play and enjoying the content.

Frequently asked questions about the Amazon Prime Video app

Is Amazon Prime Video free?

The Amazon Prime Video app can be downloaded for free on iPhone, iPad and Android. However, to watch most of the movies, series and shows included in the catalogue, you need an Amazon Prime subscription or active Prime Video access. Some content may also be available to rent, buy or watch through paid add-on channels.

What can you watch on Amazon Prime Video?

Prime Video offers movies, TV series, documentaries, children’s content, sports events, live programmes and Amazon Originals. Some of the best-known titles include The Boys, Fallout, Reacher and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. The catalogue varies by country and changes over time.

Can you download movies and series on Prime Video?

Yes, the app lets users download selected movies and episodes to watch offline. It is one of the most useful features, especially when travelling, commuting by train, flying or dealing with an unstable internet connection. Not every title can be downloaded, but many contents included with Prime Video support offline viewing.

Does Prime Video have ads?

Yes, in several countries, movies and series included with Prime Video may show limited ads. Amazon also offers a paid option to watch most Prime Video content without ads. Even with this option, some content such as sports, live TV, add-on channels or free ad-supported programmes may still include advertising.

Does the Prime Video app work on iPhone and Android?

Yes, Prime Video is available on iPhone, iPad and Android. It also works on many other devices, including Smart TVs, Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, game consoles and web browsers. Broad compatibility is one of the app’s main strengths.

Can you use multiple profiles on Amazon Prime Video?

Yes, Prime Video allows users to create multiple profiles within the same account. This is useful for families or shared households, as each profile can have its own recommendations, watch history and followed content. Child-friendly profiles are also available.

What is X-Ray on Prime Video?

X-Ray is one of Prime Video’s most interesting features. It shows information about actors, music, scenes and trivia related to the content being watched. It is powered by IMDb and adds real value during playback, especially with movies and series featuring many characters or production details.

Why are some Prime Video titles paid?

Prime Video mixes different types of content: titles included with the Prime subscription, titles available to rent or buy, and content offered through add-on channels. For this reason, not every title shown in the app is included in the basic subscription. This is one of the aspects that can make the interface feel less clear.

Is Prime Video better than Netflix or Disney+?

It depends on how you use it. Prime Video is very interesting for those who already have Amazon Prime, because it adds value to the subscription. Netflix is often simpler in terms of interface, while Disney+ feels clearer for family content, franchises and Disney, Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars titles. Prime Video stands out for some Originals, its value for money and its wide compatibility, but it can feel more confusing.

Is the Amazon Prime Video app still worth it?

Yes, the app is still worth it, especially for those already subscribed to Amazon Prime. It offers a good catalogue, offline downloads, multiple profiles, broad compatibility and some excellent original series. Its main limits are an interface that can feel crowded, the growing presence of ads and the amount of paid content displayed inside the app. Prime Video remains solid, but it would benefit from more clarity.