Amazon has announced a substantial increase in the annual price of its Kids+ service for Prime members, raising questions about its value amidst expanding features and rising costs for families.
Amazon is set to raise the annual price of Kids+ for Prime members from £38 to £59.99, an increase of £21.99, or almost 58 per cent. The company has been emailing subscribers to say the new rate will apply at their next renewal and that no further action is needed unless they want to change or cancel the plan.
Kids+ is Amazon’s paid children’s content service, aimed at 3 to 12-year-olds. According to Amazon, it gives families access to thousands of ad-free books, games, videos, music, apps and Alexa features across compatible devices, including Fire tablets, Fire TV, Kindle and Echo products. Amazon also says families can set up to four child profiles in one Household, with separate age filters, time limits and content controls.
The increase comes as Amazon continues to broaden the service. In June, the company unveiled Sleep Studio for Echo and Echo Kids devices, combining bedtime stories, meditations and ambient sounds from brands including Calm, Headspace and Moshi. Amazon said that feature is included at no extra cost for devices that already have an active Kids+ profile.
For parents, the change sharpens the value question around a subscription that can be useful but is not essential. The service is designed to reduce unwanted content and prevent in-app purchases, but its appeal depends on how often children use it and whether the household is getting enough out of the library to justify another recurring bill.
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