Is CraveTV Free With Amazon Prime Video in 2022? Here‘s the Lowdown as a Streaming Pro
Hey there! As an ecommerce guru who‘s evaluated pretty much every streaming service out there, I get asked this question a lot:
"Does CraveTV come free with my Amazon Prime membership?"
The short answer is no, Unfortunately CraveTV is not included with Amazon Prime Video. You‘ll need to sign up and pay for it separately.
But what exactly is CraveTV? Is it worth adding on? And how can you access and watch it on devices like Fire Stick or Smart TVs?
I‘ve got you covered. Below I‘ll break down everything you need to know about CraveTV from pricing, shows/movies, how to watch, and whether it‘s really worth it compared to just subscribing to other popular services like Netflix or Hulu.
Let‘s dive in!
A Quick Primer: What is CraveTV?
For those unfamiliar, CraveTV is a Canadian streaming service owned by media company Bell. It‘s been around since 2014 and has steadily grown its content library of TV shows, movies, documentaries, and more.
Crave positions itself as an alternative to giant U.S. platforms like Netflix or Hulu. It carries a lot of popular shows from American cable networks and studios, including:
- HBO – Game of Thrones, Sopranos, Sex and the City
- Showtime – Dexter, Ray Donovan, Billions
- Starz – Outlander, Power, American Gods
- Comedy Central – South Park, Daily Show
- MTV – Jersey Shore, Teen Mom, The Hills
In 2021, analysts estimated CraveTV had around 2.3 million subscribers in Canada. Solid growth, but still dwarfed by Netflix‘s roughly 7 million Canadian subs.
This smaller customer base does give CraveTV some advantages though. For example, as a Canadian platform, it‘s able to negotiate rights to certain local shows and films that the big U.S. players can‘t always access.
But does it have enough must-see content to compete and justify the subscription fee? Let‘s break down exactly what Crave offers…
CraveTV Plans, Pricing and Content Offerings
CraveTV gives you two main plans to choose from:
Crave Mobile
- $9.99 per month
- Video quality up to 480p
- Stream on 1 device at a time
- No downloads
Crave Total
- $19.99 per month
- Video quality up to 1080p
- Stream on 5 devices simultaneously
- Download shows/movies for offline viewing
There‘s also discounted annual plans if you prepay for the whole year:
- Crave Mobile: $99.90/year (save $20)
- Crave Total: $199.90/year (save $40)
One tip: Paying annually scores you two free months of service!
For hardcore streamers like myself, I always spring for the highest video quality and multiple device options. But casual viewers can probably get by with the mobile plan just fine and pocket the $10 monthly savings.
Now for the shows and movies…
The specific catalog varies a bit by region, but in Canada, Crave provides:
- HBO hits – Sopranos, Game of Thrones, Westworld, Sex and the City
- Showtime favorites – Shameless, Dexter, Billions
- Starz offerings – Outlander, Power, American Gods
- Comedy Central classics – South Park, Daily Show, Nathan For You
- MTV reality – Jersey Shore, The Hills, Teen Mom
- Crave Originals – Letterkenny, New Eden, Canada‘s Drag Race
It‘s a solid lineup, especially for fans of HBO-style premium dramas and edgier comedies. Personally, I think they could expand the movie selection a bit more to take on Netflix in that department. But no major complaints overall.
Accessing CraveTV on Amazon Fire Stick and Other Devices
Now, onto the key question – how the heck can you actually watch CraveTV on Amazon Fire Stick or other streaming platforms?
Well, CraveTV offers apps for all major mobile and TV devices, including:
- Fire TV Stick
- Roku
- Apple TV
- iOS and Android mobile
- Game consoles like Xbox and PlayStation
For Amazon Fire Stick specifically, you simply:
- Open the Amazon App Store on your Fire Stick
- Search for "Crave"
- Download and install the CraveTV app
- Login with your Crave account credentials
- Start streaming your favorite shows!
It‘s that easy. The app gives you access to all of Crave‘s content, both on-demand and live.
However, you do still need an active CraveTV subscription to sign in and watch anything. It does not come included with Amazon Prime Video. Consider it an add-on service.
Pro tip: For best performance, I recommend the Fire Stick 4K model which supports all HD and 4K streams. Pair it with a solid internet connection of at least 25mbps speeds for smooth video playback.
Does CraveTV Offer a Free Trial?
Want to test drive Crave before committing? They do provide a 7-day free trial for new users.
To take it for a spin:
- Visit CraveTV.ca and click "Start Your Free Trial"
- Select your plan – Mobile or Total
- Enter payment details (don‘t worry, it won‘t charge you)
- Download the app and start watching!
If you don‘t cancel within 7 days, your card on file will be charged monthly fees per your selected plan.
The free trial lets you explore the content library, streaming quality, user interface etc. I always recommend taking advantage of trials from any streaming service when available.
Sizing Up CraveTV vs. Other Streaming Services
Now for the big question – is CraveTV actually worth it compared to just using services like Netflix or Amazon Prime Video?
Here‘s a quick rundown of how Crave stacks up:
Netflix: Much bigger selection of originals and movies. But doesn‘t have many major network and cable shows. Pricing starts lower at $9.99 month.
Amazon Prime Video: Included with Prime membership which also gets free shipping etc. Solid on-demand catalog. Add-on channels available too.
Hulu: Includes next-day access to network and cable shows. Live TV option available. Starts at just $7.99 per month.
Disney+: Great choice for families/kids. Massive collection of Disney, Marvel, Star Wars content.
My take? CraveTV is a solid supplemental option for access to HBO, Showtime, and Starz libraries. But Netflix still reigns king in my book for its originals and overall breadth.
Amazon Prime Video gives you the free two-day shipping perks. And Hulu wins for network TV replays and its low entry pricing.
For American streamers, I don‘t know if CraveTV alone moves the needle too much. But Canadians who want HBO hits along with CanCon will find it provides nice added value.
I like to combine 2-3 services to get the best of all worlds – usually Netflix plus either Hulu or Prime Video supplemented by rotating Others like Crave. This maximizes variety while also optimizing my costs year-round as a cord-cutting pro.
The Bottom Line on CraveTV and Amazon Prime
So at the end of the day – is CraveTV free with your Amazon Prime subscription?
Unfortunately no. Crave remains a completely separate add-on service. Think of it like buying extra toppings on a frozen yogurt. Yummy added flavor, but not included in the base price.
You‘ll need to spend an additional $9.99+/month to unlock Crave‘s full catalog on Prime Video, Fire Stick, and other devices.
But for Canadians seeking that premium HBO-style content fix along with domestic picks, CraveTV can provide nice complementary value – especially for drama buffs and comedy connoisseurs alike.
The 7-day free trial is a nice perk to take it for a test run. Just be sure to cancel before the 7 days is up if it‘s not your cup of tea, so you avoid surprise charges.
And be sure to check back often as I‘ll be reviewing the latest and greatest streaming services as they emerge! Chat soon.