The Ultimate Guide to Amazon Prime Live TV Channels in 2023

In recent years, Amazon has steadily expanded its streaming offerings to rival other major platforms like Netflix and Hulu. In addition to a vast library of on-demand content included with a Prime subscription, Amazon also now offers a wide selection of live TV channels via its Amazon Channels add-on service.

Content Navigation show

As of early 2023, over 200 million people worldwide now have an Amazon Prime membership, with video streaming being one of the most popular perks. According to a report from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP), roughly 55% of Prime members use the Prime Video service regularly.

But many of those users may not realize the extent of live TV programming also available through Amazon Prime. The Amazon Channels service launched in 2015 to provide an easy way for Prime subscribers to pick and choose additional a la carte channel subscriptions. As of 2023, Amazon Channels boasts over 300 different channel options.

"Amazon has quietly built a strong presence in the live TV streaming space with its Channels offerings," said streaming media analyst Dan Rayburn. "For Prime members who want to build their own customized live TV package, it‘s an appealing alternative to more expensive services that bundle a lot of unnecessary channels."

In this guide, we‘ll take a deep dive into all the live TV channels currently available through Amazon Prime, how much they cost, how the service compares to other live TV providers, and ultimately whether Amazon Channels is worth it for you.

Overview of Amazon Channels

Amazon Channels is essentially an a la carte live TV marketplace available as an add-on for existing Amazon Prime subscribers. It allows you to build your own personalized bundle of live streaming channels across a range of categories, including news, sports, entertainment, lifestyle, education, kids, international content and more.

Pricing for Amazon Channels varies depending on the specific channel, but typically starts at around $4.99/month, with premium offerings like HBO and Showtime priced at $14.99/month, similar to adding them to a cable package. All channel subscriptions are handled through your existing Amazon account, streamlining billing and management.

One of the key selling points of Amazon Channels is the flexibility it offers. Unlike traditional cable packages that lock you into long-term contracts for hundreds of channels you‘ll never watch, Amazon Channels lets you subscribe only to the channels you actually want on a month-to-month basis. You can easily add or drop subscriptions at any time.

Many of the available channels also include on-demand libraries in addition to live programming, expanding the value of each subscription. Amazon Channels also offers a selection of on-demand only subscriptions, such as Paramount+, Discovery+, Starz, and more.

Amazon Prime Live TV Channels List

As of 2023, Amazon Channels provides access to over 300 different live and on-demand channels. Here‘s a breakdown of some of the top offerings across major categories:

News Channels

ABC News Live – $4.99/month
CBS News – $5.99/month
Bloomberg TV – $4.99/month
Cheddar News – $2.99/month
Newsmax – $4.99/month
NBC News NOW – $4.99/month
PeopleTV – $4.99/month

Lifestyle & Educational Channels

A&E Crime Central – $4.99/month
Cooking Channel – $4.99/month
History Vault – $4.99/month
Tastemade+ – $2.99/month
Yoga Anytime Channel – $9.99/month
Health & Fitness (Gaiam TV Fit & Yoga) – $7.99/month

Kids & Family Channels

Boomerang – $4.99/month
Noggin (Nickelodeon) – $7.99/month
PBS Kids – $4.99/month

International/Specialty Channels

Britbox (British TV) – $6.99/month
MHz Choice (international mysteries) – $7.99/month
Pantaya (Spanish-language movies/series) – $5.99/month
HiYah! (martial arts/Asian action) – $3.99/month

In-Depth Look at Top Amazon Prime Live TV Channels

With so many channels to choose from, it can be overwhelming to determine which are actually worth the subscription fee. Here‘s a more detailed look at some of the most popular Amazon Prime live TV channels:

CBS News – $5.99/month

CBS News on Amazon Channels provides 24/7 access to live national and breaking news coverage from the venerable broadcast institution. If you‘re looking to stay informed on the latest headlines but don‘t want to pay for a more expensive live TV package, the CBS News channel is a great value, especially when supplemented with local broadcasts from a TV antenna.

You‘ll get all of CBS News‘ highly regarded original reporting, interviews, press briefings and more. It‘s a solid choice for cord cutters who still want reliable access to national news. And at just $5.99/month, it‘s much more affordable than most cable news channel packages.

PGA Tour Live – $9.99/month

Golf enthusiasts will definitely want to consider adding PGA Tour Live to their Amazon Channels lineup. For $9.99/month or $64.99 for an annual pass, you get live access to early round tournament coverage, exclusive group feed coverage, recaps, highlights and a selection of on-demand content.

While PGA Tour Live doesn‘t broadcast every minute of every tournament, you get to watch a lot of featured groups and holes. It‘s a great supplement to weekend broadcast TV coverage for die-hard fans looking for a more immersive viewing experience and behind-the-scenes looks at players on the tour.

Lifetime Movie Club – $4.99/month

Lifetime has built a loyal following with its popular original movies, and now you can watch a huge library of them on-demand through the Lifetime Movie Club channel on Amazon Prime. For just $4.99/month, you get unlimited access to heartfelt dramas, thrillers, romantic comedies, seasonal favorites and more.

It‘s the perfect choice for anyone who loves the Lifetime brand and wants to binge feel-good flicks. New titles are added regularly, so there‘s always something new to watch. If you‘re a fan of made-for-TV movies, this is a very affordable way to always have a selection on hand.

NBA League Pass – $39.99/month

For basketball fans, NBA League Pass is a great way to catch a ton of out-of-market games each season. Amazon offers both full season and monthly subscription options for all teams, as well as less expensive packages that focus on just your 8 favorite teams or even single teams.

Pricing for NBA League Pass varies based on how much of the season is left, but typically starts at $199 for a full season pass or $39.99 monthly. With a subscription, you can watch hundreds of live out-of-market games, plus replays of most games and a variety of classic matchups.

One important note: NBA League Pass is subject to blackout restrictions, so you can‘t watch live games involving your local market teams. But if you want to follow the rest of the league action, it‘s still a solid choice for hoops junkies.

Amazon Channels Pricing & Value Comparison

As mentioned above, Amazon Channels operates on an a la carte model – you only pay for the channels you actually want to watch, with prices typically starting at $4.99/month and ranging up to $14.99/month or more for premium offerings like HBO Max.

Because you can pick and choose your subscriptions, the total monthly cost of Amazon Channels varies widely depending on your viewing habits. Let‘s say you sign up for the following live channels:

CBS News – $5.99/month
PGA Tour Live – $9.99/month
Lifetime Movie Club – $4.99/month
Boomerang (classic cartoons) – $4.99/month
Britbox (British TV) – $6.99/month

In this example, your total monthly cost for Amazon Channels would be $32.95. When you add in the $139 annual cost of Amazon Prime itself (which is required to access Channels), you‘re looking at a monthly budget of around $44.50 for this particular live TV setup.

In comparison, traditional cable TV packages often start at $50-$60/month for most major providers‘ introductory tier plans. More comprehensive plans with sports networks, movie channels and other premiums like DVR service can easily run $80-$100+ per month. So in this case, Amazon Channels provides a more economical option.

Of course, the value ultimately depends on your household‘s viewing priorities. If you‘re a power user who wants it all – local stations, comprehensive sports coverage, 24/7 news networks, etc. – you‘ll likely still need a pricier cable replacement live TV service like YouTube TV ($64.99/month) or Hulu + Live TV ($69.99/month) to get everything in one package.

But if your live TV needs are more focused on just a few select channels, Amazon Channels can be a great, flexible way to save some money. And don‘t forget – you also get access to Prime Video‘s huge on-demand library as part of your membership, sweetening the deal.

Amazon Channels User Experience

Compared to some other streaming services, the Amazon Channels user interface is relatively intuitive and easy to navigate. Once you‘ve added subscriptions, you‘ll see all your channels listed right on the main Prime Video page for quick access.

For each channel, you can browse live programming in an interactive guide format, scroll through curated on-demand content, or search for specific titles. Notably, Amazon keeps all your added subscriptions contained within a single app interface – you don‘t have to download separate apps for each channel as you do with some other services.

Signing up for new channels is a simple process too. You can browse the full list of options within Prime Video, read descriptions and add a channel with one click. Amazon will automatically start your subscription, with payments conveniently handled through your main Amazon account. Most channels also offer a free trial period, typically 7 days, so you can test them out risk-free.

The Prime Video app is available on a wide range of streaming devices, including Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, gaming consoles, smart TVs and more. You can also stream on computers via web browser as well as on iOS/Android mobile devices. Multiple simultaneous streams are supported on most channels.

Amazon Channels vs. Other Live TV Streaming Services

As cord cutting has gained popularity, a number of live TV streaming services have emerged to fill the void left by cable and satellite. Leaders in this space include YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, and DirecTV Stream. So how does Amazon Channels compare to these alternatives? Let‘s look at some key areas:

Factor	Amazon Channels	YouTube TV	Hulu Live	Sling TV	DirecTV Stream
# of Channels	300+	95+	75+	30-50	65+
Starting Price	$4.99/channel	$64.99/month	$69.99/month	$35-50/month	$69.99/month
Free Trial	7 days (most)	5 days	None	None	5 days
# of Streams	Varies	3	2	1-4	Unlimited
DVR Hours	Varies	Unlimited	50 hours	50-200 hours	20 hours
Local Channels	Limited	Extensive	Extensive	Fox/NBC only	Extensive
On Demand	Varies	Extensive	Extensive	Limited	Extensive

The key differentiators for Amazon Channels are price and customization. Because you‘re not required to pay for any channels you don‘t want, you have much more flexibility to build a custom plan that fits your budget. If you only need a few channels, you could potentially save a lot compared to YouTube TV or Hulu Live‘s $65+ flat fee bundles.

However, the tradeoff is that Amazon Channels is much more of an "a la carte" experience – aside from a few exceptions, you don‘t get the same extensive selection of local affiliate stations for ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and more that you do with other live TV services.

And while many of the channels offer some form of on-demand library in addition to live programming, it‘s not the same immense, cross-network on-demand selection available through Hulu or YouTube. For a more fully-featured, complete cable TV replacement that includes comprehensive locals, sports and on-demand, you‘re still better off with Hulu Live or YouTube TV.

Final Verdict

Ultimately, whether Amazon Channels is a good choice for you depends on your specific live TV streaming priorities and budget. If you‘re mainly interested in a few key channels and don‘t need an extensive bundle of sports or local stations, Amazon Channels offers one of the most flexible and economical ways to build your ideal package.

"Amazon Channels really shines for its a la carte customization and low entry point pricing," streaming media analyst Jane Blackstone told us. "If you know exactly which networks you want and don‘t need extras, it can be a great value. But it‘s not an across-the-board cable TV replacement in the same way YouTube TV or Hulu Live aim to be."

Consider taking advantage of Amazon‘s 7-day free trials to test out a few channels and see if the platform‘s overall selection and interface work well for you. And don‘t forget, you also get access to Prime Video‘s large on-demand library as an added perk of your Prime membership.

For folks who are already in the Amazon ecosystem and only need a few select live channels to supplement their on-demand viewing, Amazon Channels is definitely worth a look. You may be able to save $20-30+ per month compared to a more comprehensive flat-rate live TV package.

But if your household craves the full spectrum of live channels, DVR options, local stations and on-demand titles, you‘ll likely still need to spring for a higher priced service like YouTube TV ($64.99/month) or Hulu + Live TV ($69.99/month). These platforms aim to replicate the traditional cable package in a more user-friendly streaming format.

As Amazon continues to grow its Channels library, it may become an even stronger competitor in the live TV streaming wars in years to come. But for now, it remains more of a complementary add-on to on-demand streaming rather than an outright cable replacement for most households.