Do I need Amazon DSP to use AMC?

No. Since 16 September 2025, advertisers running Sponsored Ads (Sponsored Products, Brands, Display, TV) can use AMC directly via the Amazon Ads console in self-service mode - no DSP contract and no partner handoff required.

How much does AMC cost without DSP?

AMC self-service is included with your Sponsored Ads setup at no extra AMC license fee - only your regular Sponsored Ads media spend applies. 1P Paid Features are free through 2026-12-31. 3P add-ons (e.g. Experian) are separate paid subscriptions.

What is not possible or only limited without DSP?

DSP-native event signals (programmatic display / video / audio) are missing as a data source, and activating audiences in DSP campaigns requires a DSP account. 3P add-ons (Experian, NCS Beta) stay paid. Data latency is hours-based - not suitable for intraday bid optimisation.

In which countries is self-service AMC available for Sponsored-Ads sellers?

Live product FAQ (as of 2026-07-11): North America (US, CA, MX), South America (BR), Europe (BE, DE, ES, FR, IT, NL, PL, SE, TR, UK), Middle East (KSA, UAE), and APAC (AU, IN, JP, SG).

How long does the setup take?

MVP without DSP and without an in-house SQL team: about one week to first steerable insights and one activated AMC audience (activate AMC instance + roles + terms in 0.5 to 1 day, no-code first analyses 1 to 2 days, first custom audience 1 to 2 days). Full build with first-party data and custom SQL: about two to three weeks.

AMC without DSP - Self-service for Sponsored-Ads advertisers

Updated: 2026-07-11 Self-service since 16 Sept 2025

What changed on 16 September 2025?

On 16 September 2025, Amazon opened direct self-service access to Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC) for every advertiser running Sponsored Ads (Sponsored Products, Brands, Display and TV). Requirement: only an active Sponsored Ads account. No DSP contract, no partner handoff.

Advertisers find AMC in the Amazon Ads console under "Measurement & Reporting" and can create AMC instances, use no-code templates and build rule-based audiences that activate daily on SP/SB/SD campaigns.

Eligibility timeline

2025-09-16 Direct access to AMC for sponsored-ads advertisers
Since 16 September 2025, advertisers running Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, Sponsored Display and Sponsored TV can use AMC directly via the Ads console under "Measurement & Reporting". No DSP contract and no partner required. Sponsored-Ads-only advertisers reach AMC without a DSP spend or partner handoff - the central Amazon Ads console is sufficient.
2024-10-15 AMC eligibility expanded to advertisers and partners
Stage 1 (unBoxed 2024) let Sponsored-Ads-only advertisers reach AMC only through a registered Amazon Ads partner. Stage 2 (2025-09-16) replaces that partner handoff with direct self-service via the Amazon Ads console.

What works without DSP?

Status as of 2026-07-11. A detailed breakdown with sources follows in the Sources section.

Capability	Without DSP	Note
Create AMC instance self-service	Works without DSP	Ads console - Measurement & Reporting - AMC. No DSP account, no partner needed.
Analyze SP/SB/SD signals	Works without DSP	Full Sponsored signals: impressions, clicks, detail-page views, purchases (also Sponsored TV).
Build and activate audiences on SP/SB/SD	Works without DSP	Rule-based AMC audiences, daily activation on Sponsored campaigns.
1P Paid Features free (until 2026-12-31)	Works without DSP	FSI, ASI, ARP and other 1P signals are usable without DSP in the free 1P phase.
Run DSP media via Amazon DSP	Limited without DSP	Audience build: yes. Serving via DSP requires a DSP account (separate media buy).
3P paid add-ons (Experian, NCS)	Not without DSP	Separate paid subscription and not included in base AMC. Paid even with a DSP account.

Three steps to your first AMC instance

Open AMC: Ads console -> Measurement & Reporting -> Amazon Marketing Cloud -> create instance.
Assign role & accept terms: your account admin grants the AMC admin role; terms are accepted once in the console.
Build your first audience: use a no-code template or the SQL editor to define a rule-based audience and activate it daily on Sponsored campaigns (SP/SB/SD).

Frequently asked questions

Do I need Amazon DSP to use AMC?: No. Since 16 September 2025, advertisers running Sponsored Ads (Sponsored Products, Brands, Display, TV) can use AMC directly via the Amazon Ads console in self-service mode - no DSP contract and no partner handoff required.
How much does AMC cost without DSP?: AMC self-service is included with your Sponsored Ads setup at no extra AMC license fee - only your regular Sponsored Ads media spend applies. 1P Paid Features are free through 2026-12-31. 3P add-ons (e.g. Experian) are separate paid subscriptions.
What is not possible or only limited without DSP?: DSP-native event signals (programmatic display / video / audio) are missing as a data source, and activating audiences in DSP campaigns requires a DSP account. 3P add-ons (Experian, NCS Beta) stay paid. Data latency is hours-based - not suitable for intraday bid optimisation.
In which countries is self-service AMC available for Sponsored-Ads sellers?: Live product FAQ (as of 2026-07-11): North America (US, CA, MX), South America (BR), Europe (BE, DE, ES, FR, IT, NL, PL, SE, TR, UK), Middle East (KSA, UAE), and APAC (AU, IN, JP, SG).
How long does the setup take?: MVP without DSP and without an in-house SQL team: about one week to first steerable insights and one activated AMC audience (activate AMC instance + roles + terms in 0.5 to 1 day, no-code first analyses 1 to 2 days, first custom audience 1 to 2 days). Full build with first-party data and custom SQL: about two to three weeks.

Sources

https://advertising.amazon.com/resources/whats-new/direct-access-to-amc-for-sponsored-ads-advertiser published 2025-09-16 , updated 2026-07-11 - Direct access to AMC for sponsored-ads advertisers
https://advertising.amazon.com/resources/whats-new/expanding-amc-eligibility-to-advertisers-and-partners published 2024-10-15 - AMC eligibility expanded to advertisers and partners

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