Amazon has taken Alexa Plus out of early access and opened the AI-enhanced assistant to everyone in the US. The company now offers three distinct ways to use it, ranging from a paid unlimited tier to free options that let you try the new experience without opening your wallet. And if you prefer the classic Alexa, you can simply keep using it as-is.
What’s New in Alexa Plus and What It Costs in the US
Alexa Plus layers generative AI and more natural conversation on top of the familiar voice assistant. Non-Prime customers can get unlimited access for $19.99 per month, positioning the service alongside other premium AI subscriptions, including ChatGPT Plus, Gemini Advanced, and Copilot Pro, which sit at a similar price point.
- What’s New in Alexa Plus and What It Costs in the US
- Three Paths to Alexa Plus: Prime, Paid, and Free Chat
- You Can Stick With Classic Alexa If You Prefer It
- Why This Move Matters for Amazon, Alexa, and AI
- Early Use Cases and Practical Gains with Alexa Plus
- How to Try Alexa Plus on Echo Devices and the App
Prime members, meanwhile, receive unlimited access to Alexa Plus at no additional cost. For anyone who isn’t a Prime subscriber but wants to sample the experience, Amazon is also making Alexa Plus Chat available for free on Alexa.com and inside the Alexa app, offering a low-friction way to test the new capabilities before committing.
The rollout follows a year of staged previews. After announcing the upgraded Alexa in February, Amazon steadily expanded access and even began automatically enabling the experience for Prime users in mid-January. General availability now removes the waitlist and broadens the on-ramp for all US customers.
Three Paths to Alexa Plus: Prime, Paid, and Free Chat
First, Prime members get the full Alexa Plus experience as part of their membership. This includes unrestricted use across supported Echo devices and the Alexa app, with conversational features that handle multi-step requests and follow-ups more smoothly than the classic assistant.
Second, non-Prime users can pay $19.99 per month for the same unlimited access. This mirrors the broader AI market’s subscription model and gives those outside the Prime ecosystem a straightforward way to unlock everything Alexa Plus can do.
Third, anyone can try Alexa Plus Chat for free via Alexa.com or the Alexa app. This chat-focused option offers a taste of the upgraded assistant without requiring Prime or a monthly fee, though full device-wide features are reserved for the unlimited tiers.
Activation is simple regardless of the path you choose. You can say “Alexa, upgrade to Alexa Plus,” sign in at Alexa.com, or visit Amazon’s dedicated Alexa Plus page to enable the service on your account.
You Can Stick With Classic Alexa If You Prefer It
Not ready to make the jump? You don’t have to. Timers, music, smart home control, skills, shopping lists, and other everyday features remain in the standard Alexa experience. If you prefer familiar workflows or want to weigh privacy and data settings before enabling new AI features, nothing forces an immediate switch.
Why This Move Matters for Amazon, Alexa, and AI
Amazon’s strategy blends monetization with reach. By bundling Alexa Plus into Prime and offering a free chat option, the company broadens exposure while still establishing a clear paid tier. That’s notable given the competition: OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft have all tied advanced AI capabilities to a roughly $20 monthly plan.
It also leverages Amazon’s massive installed base. Echo devices lead the US smart speaker market, according to long-running analyses from firms such as Strategy Analytics and Insider Intelligence. And with CIRP estimating well over 160 million Prime members in the US, including Alexa Plus in Prime instantly places the upgraded assistant in front of a huge audience.
Early Use Cases and Practical Gains with Alexa Plus
Alexa Plus is built to handle longer, more conversational prompts and to follow context across back-and-forth exchanges. In practice, that can mean refining a shopping list as you talk through recipes, asking for a bedtime routine that dims lights, locks doors, and queues white noise, or brainstorming travel ideas and then setting reminders or calendar holds as plans crystallize.
The chat option is useful for quick creative tasks and planning on your phone or laptop, while the unlimited tier makes the most sense for households that already rely on Echo devices for hands-free control and want the assistant to manage multi-step requests more fluidly.
How to Try Alexa Plus on Echo Devices and the App
Prime members can simply say “Alexa, upgrade to Alexa Plus” on an Echo device to enable it, or turn it on from Alexa.com. Non-Prime users can start with Alexa Plus Chat for free in the Alexa app or on Alexa.com, and upgrade to the $19.99 monthly plan if they want full access across devices. Either way, you’re free to keep classic Alexa if you prefer.
