Amazon's Alexa+ assistant, the generative AI version of Alexa that Amazon launched in 2025, now comes bundled with an Amazon Prime subscription, giving Prime members full access to the chatbot through Alexa-enabled devices, the Alexa app and the website. The arrangement matters for US households deciding between Prime and a standalone Alexa+ plan, because Prime costs $14.99 per month or $139 per year while the separate Alexa+ subscription runs $19.99 per month. Amazon Prime Video or Free Shipping memberships do not include Alexa+, according to the company, and those customers would need to move to the full Prime plan to get it.
Amazon built Alexa+ on large language models from Anthropic along with its own AI suite, Amazon Nova, and markets it as more conversational and better at complex interactions than earlier versions. The company says the assistant can coordinate across tens of thousands of services and devices, a scale it claims has not been achieved before. Amazon organized the system around what it calls experts, described as groups of systems, capabilities, APIs and instructions that handle specific kinds of tasks for customers.
In an interview with TechRadar, Daniel Rausch, Amazon's VP of Alexa and Echo, said those experts gather information, illustrating the point with how Alexa+ handles his interest in the New York Yankees. Users can adjust the tone of conversations through four personality styles: Brief, Chill, Sweet and Sassy. Amazon is also adding agentic features that let the assistant browse the internet, complete tasks and work in the background, with third-party integrations including Ticketmaster, Uber, Grubhub and OpenTable extending it beyond music, weather and Amazon apps.
Early adopters have reported that Alexa+ falls short of Amazon's claims. The chatbot shows consistency problems common to AI systems, requiring users to verify its work, and some have criticized its conversational style as overly talkative. Others have cited functional memory issues, lag times and hearing problems. Cherlynn Low, an Engadget colleague, previewed the chatbot last year and found it useful but frustratingly inconsistent.
Full Alexa+ access is currently limited to the United States and Canada, with early access programs in Mexico, the UK, Brazil, Italy, Germany, Austria, France, Australia, Spain and India. Capabilities can vary by region, and Amazon says it is working to expand availability. A free text-based version is offered through the website and the Alexa app, though Amazon says that access will be limited based on use.
In August 2026, Amazon said owners of select Alexa-compatible devices, including Fire TV, Fire TV sticks, Amazon Ember televisions and Fire TV Cube, can use the assistant at no extra cost, and it is also reachable through the Amazon Music app. Users can upgrade by saying "Alexa, upgrade to Alexa plus," or by signing in with an Amazon account at www.alexa.com. Amazon also offers a 30-day trial for eligible customers.
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