Why is Amazon shutting down Freevee, its ad-supported streaming service?
Amazon is shutting down Freevee, its free, ad-supported streaming service – here's what you need to know.
Amazon has announced that it is officially shutting down Freevee, its ad-supported video streamer, over the next few weeks, as it looks to simplify its streaming offerings.
Freevee was originally launched back in January 2019 under the IMDb Freedive name, before it was rebranded as IMDb TV later that same year.
The service underwent its final name change to Freevee in 2022.
Freevee offered access thousands of films and hundreds of TV series, and had several big hits, including Jury Duty, the rebooted series of the iconic Australian soap Neighbours and Bosch: Legacy.
It also offered free access to original Prime Video series, including Reacher and The Wheel of Time, for anyone willing to put up with ad breaks.
So, why is Freevee being scrapped, and how can viewers watch Freevee shows moving forward? Read on for everything you need to know.
Why is Amazon shutting down Freevee?
Amazon says the decision to scrap Freevee is designed to create a simpler viewing experience for its customers.
The scrapping of Freevee will only affect viewers in the UK, United States, Austria and Germany, where it has been available as a standalone service.
In a statement provided to Variety, a representative for Amazon said: "We have built Prime Video into a first-stop entertainment destination where customers can personalise their viewing experience by streaming exclusive Prime member entertainment produced by Amazon MGM Studios, licensed movies and series, content from other services as an add-on subscription, live sports, blockbuster movies and series to rent or buy, FAST [free, ad-supported streaming TV] channels and the complete Amazon Freevee content offering."
They continued: "To deliver a simpler viewing experience for customers, we have decided to phase out Freevee branding.
"There will be no change to the content available for Prime members, and a vast offering of free streaming content will still be accessible for non-Prime members, including select originals from Amazon MGM Studios, a variety of licensed movies and series, and a broad library of FAST channels — all available on Prime Video."
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When is Freevee shutting down?
An exact date has yet to be revealed, but according to a report from Variety, Freevee is being “phased out over the course of the next several weeks."
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Will I still be able to watch Freevee shows moving forward?
Yes, the content that had been on the service will be moved to Amazon's Prime Video service.
But don't worry: this doesn't mean you'll have to subscribe to the platform to access Freevee content.
Amazon has confirmed that non-Prime members will still be able to access the same content for free, with Freevee content labelled as "Watch for Free" on the Prime Video platform.
This will provide viewers with an identical ad-supported experience to Freevee, albeit within the Prime Video app.
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Authors
Finn Byrne is a Digital Writer for Immediate Media. He works across several brands including The Recommended, RadioTimes.com, MadeforMums and BBC Gardeners’ World. Finn has previously written for publications including MyLondon, The Mirror, The Express, and The Star. When not writing Finn enjoys spending time on the football pitch and getting stuck into a book.
Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.
