Let‘s get right to the main question – no, BritBox does not come free with an Amazon Prime subscription. To access BritBox, you‘ll need to sign up and pay its separate monthly or yearly fee.
I know that‘s disappointing to hear as a Prime member looking forward to more streaming options. But don‘t worry – I‘ll explain everything you need to know about how BritBox works with Amazon Prime and whether it‘s worth adding on.
Here‘s a quick rundown of what we‘ll cover:
- Comparing Prime Video vs. BritBox pricing and content
- The shows and movies available on BritBox
- How many people actually use BritBox
- Troubleshooting BritBox glitches and issues
- Breaking down Amazon Prime Video‘s costs
- Overview of extra Prime Video channels you can add
Let‘s get to it! This will be a comprehensive guide examining BritBox from every angle as a Prime member.
Prime Video vs. BritBox: How Do They Compare?
To start, it helps to understand how Prime Video and BritBox differ in their content libraries and pricing. That will give you a better sense of their value as a subscriber.
Content Comparison
Prime Video gives you access to thousands of movies and shows included with your Prime membership. But the content is more focused on American and international programming across genres.
BritBox, on the other hand, specializes exclusively in British television. So you get iconic and current shows from top UK networks like BBC, ITV, and Channel 4. If you love British entertainment, BritBox is a treasure trove.
To give you a sense of what you find on each, here are some examples:
Prime Video Popular Shows and Movies:
- The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
- Jack Ryan
- The Boys
- Thursday Night Football
- The Lord of the Rings
- Good Omens
- The Expanse
- Hanna
BritBox Popular Shows:
- Downton Abbey
- Doctor Who
- Fawlty Towers
- Sherlock
- Red Dwarf
- Absolutely Fabulous
- The Office
- Love Island
So as you can see, there is definitely some crossover appeal. But BritBox goes much deeper into quintessentially British programs, new and old.
Pricing Comparison
Next let‘s look at how much each service costs:
-
Amazon Prime Video: Included with a $14.99/month or $139/year Amazon Prime membership.
-
BritBox: $6.99/month or $69.99/year when added to Amazon Prime Video.
The major difference is Prime Video comes bundled at no extra cost as part of your overall Prime membership. BritBox is an additional fee you pay each month or year for the British TV content.
There are no discounts for Prime members. Although the annual BritBox plan does save you about $14 compared to paying monthly.
So weighing costs, Prime Video offers popular movies and shows for just the base Prime fee. BritBox provides an extra charge for its specialty British catalog. It comes down to your budget and preferences!
What TV Shows and Movies Are on BritBox?
Alright, now that we‘ve compared the basics, let‘s dive deeper into BritBox‘s content library.
With over 500 classic BBC and ITV series, BritBox claims to offer the largest collection of British TV in the US and Canada.
Below are some of the hit shows and genres included:
Iconic Comedies
If you love British humor, BritBox is comedy heaven:
- Fawlty Towers
- Keeping Up Appearances
- Absolutely Fabulous
- Are You Being Served?
- The IT Crowd
- Gavin & Stacey
I don‘t know about you, but I could watch episodes of Fawlty Towers and Absolutely Fabulous on repeat forever!
Long-Running Soaps
Get your fill of continuing dramas and love affairs:
- Coronation Street (over 10,000 episodes)
- EastEnders
- Emmerdale
- Holby City
- Casualty
BritBox has entire decades worth of episodes from the major soaps. Perfect for times you want extended binge watching!
Classic Sci-Fi Hits
Relive favorites like:
- Doctor Who
- Red Dwarf
- Blake‘s 7
- The Hitchhiker‘s Guide to the Galaxy
- Torchwood
- Primeval
I‘ve already got my sonic screwdriver ready to watch all the classic Doctor Who episodes available!
Critically Acclaimed Dramas
High quality and gripping shows like:
- Sherlock
- Broadchurch
- Brideshead Revisited
- A Suitable Boy
- The Bletchley Circle
- Foyle‘s War
- Downton Abbey
If you‘re a fan of British mystery, costume drama, or slice of life, BritBox delivers.
Beloved Reality & Competition Shows
Guilty pleasures like:
- Love Island UK
- The Great British Baking Show
- The Great British Sewing Bee
- Made in Chelsea
- The Only Way Is Essex
Be prepared to get sucked into hours of bingeable reality TV!
There‘s really something for everyone based on your British TV tastes – sitcoms, sci-fi, soaps, competition shows, and much more.
Beyond the classics, BritBox invests in new original exclusives too like The Befrienders comedy and There She Goes drama.
Suffice to say, as a Britophile, you’ll always have your next show queued up and ready to go on BritBox!
How Many Subscribers Does BritBox Have?
BritBox has not revealed their total subscriber count. However, we can piece together estimates based on the limited data they‘ve provided:
- Over 1 million subscribers in North America alone as of 2021
- Over 500,000 subscribers in the UK as of 2020
- Tens of thousands of subscribers in the smaller markets like Australia and South Africa
Combining these figures, industry analysts estimate BritBox has around 2 million global subscribers across all regions currently.
How does that compare to the competition?
- Netflix has over 220 million subscribers worldwide
- Amazon Prime Video has over 200 million subscribers
- Hulu has around 40 million subscribers in the US
So while still a smaller niche streaming service, BritBox has managed to carve out a nice worldwide audience in the roughly 5 years since launch.
Especially considering its laser focus on just British TV, 2 million subscribers is pretty impressive! With more investment into originals and content, they certainly have room to keep growing.
BritBox Troubleshooting: How to Fix Playback Issues
Like any streaming app, BritBox isn’t 100% glitch-proof. You might occasionally run into playback errors, loading issues, or content not available notices.
Here are some troubleshooting tips from a streaming veteran if you experience hiccups:
Check Your Internet Connection
The most common cause of streaming issues is an unstable internet connection. Try these basic steps:
- Restart your WiFi router and modem
- Check for internet or cable outages with your provider
- Connect your streaming device directly to the modem
- Test internet speeds to confirm sufficient bandwidth
This stabilizes the network which typically resolves most buffering or errors.
Update Your Apps and Devices
Outdated software can trigger tech hiccups.
- Update the BritBox app to the latest version
- Update your phone, tablet, streaming box, or TV OS if needed
- Update browser if streaming directly through the web
Keeping apps and systems updated prevents bugs.
Reboot and Reset Your Devices
If all else fails, a good old fashioned reboot fixes many odd glitches:
- Force close and restart the BritBox app
- Power cycle your streaming device (Roku, Fire stick, Apple TV) by unplugging and replugging
- For smart TVs, unplug TV from power, wait 30 seconds, then restart
- For mobile devices, power down completely then restart
Rebooting gives a fresh slate, often resolving inexplicable technical quirks.
Contact BritBox Customer Support
After trying the usual troubleshooting tips, reach out to the BritBox support team through chat or by submitting a ticket.
They can look into the issue on their end, confirm if others are affected, and hopefully get you streaming again smoothly.
Breaking Down Amazon Prime Video Pricing
Alright, let‘s switch gears and talk about Amazon Prime Video‘s pricing model and options.
The standard way to get Prime Video is through an Amazon Prime membership. Here are the current costs:
Amazon Prime Membership:
- $14.99 per month
- $139 per year
A Prime membership includes:
- Free shipping on Amazon orders
- Prime Video
- Prime Music
- Prime Reading ebooks
- Cloud storage
- Exclusive deals
- Other benefits
Now alternatively, you can pay just for Prime Video by itself without the other Prime perks:
Prime Video Monthly:
- $8.99 per month
Prime Video Annual:
- $108 per year
However, most people find it‘s a better value to pay a little more for the full Prime membership. You just get so much extra for a few bucks more.
Tip: Amazon offers a free 30-day Prime trial if you want to evaluate the benefits before paying. Or you can get discounted Amazon Prime pricing if you have certain qualifying government assistance benefits.
So in summary, regular Prime remains the best way for most folks to get Prime Video along with all the other great benefits.
How Many Extra Prime Video Channels Are There?
Within your Prime Video app and account, you also have the option to subscribe to over 100 additional "Prime Video Channels".
These are premium networks and streaming services you can access through Prime Video by paying an extra monthly fee, similar to how BritBox works.
Some of the most popular channels you can add on include:
- HBO Max
- Showtime
- Paramount+
- Starz
- AMC+
- PBS Masterpiece
- Noggin
- Pantaya
- Lifetime Movie Club
There‘s a channel for virtually any interest like movies, TV, fitness, kids, horror and more.
Channels make it easy to manage all your streaming in one place. And you can cancel individual ones anytime.
So explore all the channel options to potentially find more content you love at a reasonable price!
The Verdict: Is BritBox Worth It for You?
Okay, we‘ve covered a whole lot of ground here! Let‘s bring it home…
While BritBox doesn‘t come included with Prime Video, it may still be worth paying for if you really love classic and current British television.
The choice ultimately depends on:
Your budget – Can you afford $6.99 or $69.99 per year for BritBox on top of your Prime membership?
Your tastes – Are you a huge Angophile who will watch British TV for hours daily? Or are you content with Prime Video‘s selection?
Your priorities – Would you rather put the money toward other streaming services instead?
Take some time to consider these factors and whether BritBox will get used enough to justify the costs for you.
If you‘re still on the fence, take advantage of the free 7-day BritBox trial available. This lets you preview the shows and experience the service firsthand.
That way you can make a more informed decision before spending any cash.
I hope this comprehensive overview helped explain everything you need to know about BritBox‘s relationship with Amazon Prime Video. Let me know if you have any other questions!
