Verdict
Rufus sits in the corner of the Amazon app for every UK customer and answers questions like which kettle is quietest, or whether a deal is really a deal, using up to 365 days of price history. It is free, and Amazon says 300 million people used it in 2025. It only recommends Amazon listings, sponsored products are being added to its answers, and Business Insider found it had barely improved after a year.
Privacy note. Chats personalise answers and feed an ad-funded assistant, training may include personal data with no Rufus opt-out found (Amazon disclosure); CMA fake-review undertakings 2025 and a GDPR breach finding upheld in 2026
Best for
Amazon shoppers checking whether a discount is real
Skip if
Anyone comparing prices across shops or wanting advice free of ads
Key facts
- Category
- Money, bills & shopping
- Made by
- Amazon.com, Inc.
- Based in
- United States
- Launched
- 2024
- Works on
- iPhone, Android, Web
- In the UK
- Yes
- Free plan
- Free for anyone signed in to an Amazon account, in the Amazon Shopping app and on Amazon.co.uk
What it does
- answers shopping questions in the Amazon app and on Amazon.co.uk
- gives product details such as battery life
- explains product types before buying
- checks the status of orders
- shows 30- and 90-day price history graphs
Ratings
What people say
Price-history checks get the warmest mentions. individual reviewers mostly complain that the assistant is pushed on them, rambles, steers towards Amazon's own picks and gets in the way of reaching a human. Store ratings are for the whole Amazon Shopping app, not Rufus, and most user posts are from US users.
“rufus actually kind-of worked. It suggested products with actual links.”
Individual user review, 1 June 2026 · source
“The closest I come to using it is typing in a question so that it will pop up with the actual customer Q&As—and then read those and not the AI crap.”
Individual user review, 28 May 2026 · source
“never have I encountered one that refuses to actually connect me with a human agent.”
Individual user review, 24 September 2026 · source
“The shopping assistant feels biased”
Individual user review, 23 February 2026 · source
Press reviews
- Business Insider 2025-07-08
'Amazon's AI bot Rufus is a year old. It hasn't improved much'; better on specs like battery life, but odd answers such as replying to a Prime Day question with a link about Prime membership.
- WCPO / Don't Waste Your Money (Scripps) 2025-10-06
Recommends asking Rufus for price history; it showed a '41% off' dog treat had never sold at its list price in 90 days.
- PPC Land 2026-05-03
Reports 365-day price history rolling out in the US, UK and India, and notes sponsored products and Brand Prompts now appear inside Rufus answers.
Privacy
- Trains on your data
- Amazon's Generative AI Development Disclosure says training data may include 'personal information or aggregate consumer information'; Rufus chats are processed under the Amazon.co.uk Privacy Notice and used to personalise answers
- Opt-out
- Chat history can be cleared in the app (three-dot menu, Manage chat); no Rufus-specific training opt-out found on amazon.co.uk
- Retention
- Chats used as context for up to 28 days or until cleared (amazon.co.uk Rufus FAQ); other personal data kept as long as needed for the stated purposes
- Incidents
- Luxembourg CNPD €746M GDPR fine over ad targeting (2021) upheld in Mar 2025, then annulled on appeal on 13 Mar 2026 with the breach findings kept and the case sent back; CMA accepted Amazon undertakings on fake reviews (6 Jun 2025), relevant because Rufus summarises reviews; Amazon is adding paid ads into Rufus answers (PPC Land, 2026)
- Age limit
- Under-18s may use Amazon services only with a parent or guardian (Amazon.co.uk Privacy Notice)
Official videos
FAQ
Is Rufus available in the UK?
Yes. Amazon says Rufus works in the Amazon Shopping app for all UK customers, and on desktop for some customers, with more to follow.
Is Amazon Rufus free?
Yes. It needs only a signed-in Amazon account. Automatic buying at a target price is limited to Prime members.
How do I check price history on Amazon?
Open a product and ask Rufus for the price history. It shows 30, 90 and, from May 2026 in the UK, up to 365 days of prices.
How do I clear my Rufus chat history?
In the app, tap the Rufus button, then the three-dot menu, Manage chat and Clear chat history. Amazon says chats are otherwise used as context for up to 28 days.
What happened to Rufus in the US?
On 13 May 2026 Amazon merged Rufus into Alexa for Shopping in the US. The UK site still calls it Rufus.
Scores are based on published evidence, not lab tests. How we score.
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