Amazon Prime as we know it will cost an extra $2.99 starting Jan. 29

If you want an ad-free experience, you’re going to have to pay (more) for it.

Credit: Peter Dazeley/Getty Images

Starting January 29, you’re going to have to cough up an additional $2.99 each month to watch Prime Video movies and TV shows without ads. That’s right, the latest innovation in calculated misery comes courtesy of the Bezos bunch over at Amazon HQ, who have realized that they can make even more money off of Prime subscribers, who already shell out $14.99 per month.

If you don’t feel like paying the additional $2.99, no action is required from you at this time, and there is a small silver lining: in an email to subscribers, Amazon said it “aim[ed] to have meaningfully fewer ads than linear TV and other streaming TV providers.”

The email also underscored the value of Prime, noting that Prime shipping, streaming video content, live sports, and a free year of GrubHub+ are included.

With this change, first announced in September, Amazon joins Disney as one of the latest streamers to charge a premium for ad-free viewing. In October, the House of Mouse began charging users $13.99 a month in the U.S. for ad-free Disney+, compared to $7.99 for it’s ad-supported service.

Elizabeth is a digital culture reporter covering the internet’s influence on self-expression, fashion, and fandom. Her work explores how technology shapes our identities, communities, and emotions. Before joining Mashable, Elizabeth spent six years in tech. Her reporting can be found in Rolling Stone, The Guardian, TIME, and Teen Vogue. Follow her on Instagram here.

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