Amazon’s Alexa+ comes with a $20 fee, Prime subscribers get it for free

With the rise of AI-powered digital assistants, alternatives like Alexa have slowly retreated to the shadows. However, Amazon is now fighting back, finally announcing the Alexa AI upgrade that users have long been waiting for.

Aptly dubbed Alexa+, the new generative AI assistant was announced at the e-commerce giant’s ‘February 2025 Devices & Services live event,’ highlighting the upgrades that are poised to help Alexa users stay organized and have their queries answered — all through natural conversation.

The upgrade comes soon after reports about the AI upgrade hitting speed bumps. However, with its official unveiling today, it is safe to say that Alexa could be ready to take on the likes of Google’s Gemini and Apple’s Siri sooner than the reported March 31 deadline, at least when it comes to smart home assistants.

Amazon emphasized that Alexa+ extends the digital assistant’s capabilities far beyond basic voice commands. For starters, Alexa+ is conversational, and can engage in natural and flowing conversations “that feel genuine.” With personalized intelligence, the digital assistant learns your preferences over time, including the likes of dietary restrictions, allergies, your favorite TV shows and movies, weekly traditions, and a lot more.

Amazon highlighted that Alexa+ will be available on all devices that already support the digital assistant, including the Alexa mobile app and a new web-based browser experience. However, during its initial release window, Alexa+ will only be available on Echo Show 8, 10, 15, and 21. “Alexa+ will start rolling out in the U.S. in the next few weeks, and subsequently in waves in the coming months,” wrote the e-commerce giant.

“Alexa, what’s that movie where Bradley Cooper sings a duet? Jump to that scene”

If you didn’t find those commands above funny, you’ll definitely chuckle at Amazon’s pricing strategy. The e-retailer has somehow decided to charge $20/month for access to Alexa+ (the same price as Gemini Advanced), all while offering the upgraded AI assistant for free to Prime subscribers. Prime costs $15 per month and offers a range of other benefits on top — go figure.

To justify the price, Amazon highlighted future capabilities that are poised to land on Alexa+, including an option to create and generate intelligent grocery lists with conversational language, adding ingredients to an Amazon Fresh order, and ultimately placing the order with partners like Whole Foods and Grubhub. The e-commerce giant also highlighted examples where Alexa’s integration with Amazon’s range of smart devices and services will truly shine. These include:

• Functionality to create personalized automations/routines with voice requests.
• Functionality to help you find songs and/or discover new music within your favorite genre.
• Functionality to jump to a specific scene within your movies and shows. For example, you’ll be able to say “what’s that movie where Bradley Cooper sings a duet? Jump to that scene…” and the digital assistant will be able to find and play that exact scene on a supported device.
• Functionality to help you get an overview of what’s happening/happened around your home. Users that pair Alexa+ with a Ring subscription will be able to as the AI assistant for a summary of detected camera events, complete with relevant footage for those events. For example, you’ll be able to ask Alexa+ questions like “Did someone take out the garbage bins?” or “When was the last time the dog went out for a walk?”

Expect our detailed thoughts about the new AI assistant shortly after it goes live in the US in the coming weeks. As of right now, just the fact that it is bundled with a Prime subscription is enough to rate it as a truly solid upgrade.