PSA: Amazon Launches Prime Video Channels in Australia

PSA: Amazon Launches Prime Video Channels in Australia
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Amazon has announced the Aussie launch of Prime Video Channels, which is basically a way to combine a bunch of your streaming services into the one place (meaning one log in, too – heck yes).

An extension of Prime Video, Amazon touts Channels as a way to simplify your entertainment experience.

Prime Video Channels already launched (obviously) in the U.S. and Australia now joins them, as well as UK, Germany, Brazil, Austria, India, Italy, Japan, Canada, Mexico, France and Spain.

Amazon says it has over 300 channel subscriptions, but that’s global, not here in Australia.

Prime Video Channels in Australia will launch with an initial 12 subscriptions. In alphabetical order, these are:

  • Acorn TV
  • AMC+
  • DocPlay 
  • The Great Courses
  • Hayu
  • iwonder
  • Love Nature
  • MGM
  • OUTtv
  • Paramount+
  • Shudder
  • Starzplay

What subscriptions can I get and for how much?

Acorn TV specialises in TV shows and launched in Australia last December for $6.99 a month. With an Amazon Prime Video Channels subscription, the price is the same.

AMC+ is now a service Aussies can access (yay). For $8.99 a month you can add the previously North America-exclusive AMC+ via Amazon Prime Video Channels, with a tailored version for an Aussie audience.

Standalone service from Madman Entertainment, DocPlay, is, as you guessed, focused on documentaries. Signing up directly through DocPlay will cost the same as through Channels at $7.99 a month.

The Great Courses comprises a series of audio and video courses produced and distributed by The Teaching Company. It costs $7.99 a month on Channels but they currently have a bunch of content on sale right now.

Hayu is the streaming service owned by NBCUniversal. It’s been in Australia for a while (we like it mostly for its reality TV and crime show catalogue). On Prime Video Channels, Hayu will set you back $6.99 a month, which is the same directly through Hayu.

Current affairs-focused iwonder was slated to be added to Optus’ SubHub (the telco’s version of Prime Video Channels) earlier this year. But you can now access iWonder for $6.99 a month through Prime Video Channels.

If you love nature, Love Nature will set you back $3.99 a month through Amazon Prime Video Channels. The animal content will have you nawwwwing.

Amazon actually owns MGM (it paid a whopping $11.4 billion for it back in May). The MGM streaming service offers titles like The Rocky Collection, Legally Blonde and Fargo. It will cost you $4.99 a month on Prime Video Channels.

OUTtv is only available to viewers in the U.S., UK and Ireland and New Zealand (with the latter two through partners). But now Australians can access the world’s first LGBTQ+ television network and streaming service through Amazon Prime Video Channels for $3.99 a month.

ViacomCBS’ video streaming service Paramount+ launched in Australia back in August. As part of an Amazon Prime Video Channels subscription, it will set you back $8.99 a month. This is the same price if you were to sign up for Paramount+ without Amazon Prime Video Channels.

Making its official debut in Australia in August 2020, Shudder is now also available through Amazon Prime Video Channels. For a cost of $6.99 a month – the same as via Shudder – you can add the horror platform to your streaming list.

Starzplay launched in Australia in 2018 under a deal with Stan. It’s the official app of the US cable and satellite TV network Starz. As part of a Prime Video Channel subscription, you can access the Starzplay library for $3.99 a month.

How can I access Amazon Prime Video Channels?

To access Amazon Prime Video Channels you need a Prime membership. If you don’t have one, signing up for a Prime membership is super easy.

At the end of the Amazon Prime free trial, your card will be charged $59 for an annual membership or $6.99 a month with a monthly membership.

As an Amazon Prime member, you get free delivery on tonnes of items bought through Amazon, Prime Video, Amazon Music Prime, Prime Reading and Prime Gaming.

Prime Video Channels will be available via the existing Prime Video app to watch on devices such as supported smart TVs, Android mobile devices, Amazon Fire TV and Amazon Fire TV Stick. Here’s the full list of Amazon Prime Channels-capable devices,