How to Stop Prime Video Subscription: Cancel, Avoid Charges, and Switch Smart

When you want to stop Prime Video subscription, it’s not just about hitting cancel. Amazon bundles Prime Video with Prime membership, so ending one often means dealing with the other. Many people don’t realize they’re still paying after canceling the video part—because they didn’t cancel the whole Prime account. That’s why knowing the difference between canceling Prime Video and canceling Amazon Prime matters. Prime Video subscription, a video streaming service included with Amazon Prime membership. Also known as Amazon Prime Video, it’s not sold as a standalone product in most countries, which makes cancellation trickier than it looks.

Most users think they’re just unsubscribing from movies and shows, but Amazon treats Prime Video as a feature of Amazon Prime membership, a paid subscription that includes fast shipping, music, cloud storage, and video streaming. Also known as Amazon Prime, it’s designed to keep you locked in with bundled perks. If you cancel only Prime Video through the app, you’re not canceling anything—because you never signed up for it separately. The real target is your Prime membership. And if you don’t cancel that, you’ll keep getting charged every month or year. Even if you never watch a single show, your card keeps getting hit.

There’s also the issue of Prime billing cycles, the automatic renewal schedule tied to your Amazon account. Also known as auto-renewal, it’s set by default and rarely gets reviewed after the first sign-up. People forget they signed up, especially if they used a free trial. Amazon sends reminders, sure—but if you’re not checking your email or account activity, you’ll miss them. And if you’ve got multiple devices or family members using the account, someone else might have turned on auto-renewal without telling you. That’s why checking your billing history is step one. Look for "Amazon Prime" or "Prime Video" on your bank statement. If it’s there, you’re still paying.

And here’s the thing: canceling doesn’t mean losing everything right away. You keep access until the end of your current billing period. So if you’re halfway through your annual plan, you still get the full year. That’s your right. But don’t wait too long—if you wait until after the renewal date, you’ll get charged again, and then you’ll have to request a refund. Amazon doesn’t always give those out, especially if you’ve watched content after the renewal. Better to cancel before the clock ticks over.

Some people try to avoid the hassle by just not using Prime Video. That doesn’t work. You’re still paying. Others think they can pause it. Amazon doesn’t offer pausing. Only canceling. And if you’re thinking of switching to another service—Hulu, Paramount+, or even free options like Tubi—you need to know what you’re giving up. Prime Video has exclusive shows, early access to new movies, and live sports in some regions. But if you’re not using those, you’re just funding a service you don’t need.

What you’ll find below are real, tested ways to stop paying for Prime Video without surprises. We cover how to cancel through the website, the app, and even what to do if you’re stuck in a loop with customer service. We’ll show you how to check for hidden charges, how to avoid getting re-enrolled, and how to use your remaining time wisely before the end of your term. No fluff. No upsells. Just what you need to do, step by step, so you never get charged again.