Amazon Prime is vital for anyone who shops online often.
AP/Patrick Semansky
Amazon Prime offers a host of exclusive perks, including free two-day shipping and Prime Video.
Amazon Prime costs $139 per year for a standard membership or $14.99 per month.
You can share Prime benefits with another member by splitting the bill in half through Amazon Household.
When Amazon launched Amazon Prime back in 2005, it was a membership that guaranteed free two-day shipping on all sorts of different products, from cat litter to candy; books to beach towels.
Many argue that if that’s all Prime ever was — a fast, free shipping plan — it would be worth the $139 annual fee (or less, depending on your circumstances) based on how much that can be saved in shipping costs.
But today, Amazon Prime is much more than just a two-day shipping membership. Over the years, it’s become a one-stop shop for entertainment, groceries, apparel, parenting products, and so much more.
To help you decide if an Amazon Prime membership is right for you, let’s go over the basics.
What does Amazon Prime include?
Amazon Prime has always and will always be all about fast shipping. Members living in the continental United States (and in many other countries) get free two-day shipping on countless Prime products. In some zip codes, members can get free one-day delivery or even same-day delivery on orders over $35.
Quick tip: If you’re not a Prime member you must order at least $25 of eligible items to get free shipping.
Beyond conveniently fast shipping, Prime members can take advantage of a whole host of perks, including:
Free two-hour grocery delivery: When members purchase groceries and other essential items from Amazon Fresh or Whole Foods, they can have them delivered to their doorstep in less than two hours. However, the availability of this service depends on a number of factors, including the city they live in and if their purchase meets the minimum spending requirement. Release date deliveries: Members get select pre-ordered items delivered to their doorstep – for free – on the day of release instead of waiting for them to be shipped when they’re made available to the public.Earn rewards with No-Rush Shipping: Members can select No-Rushing Shipping to delay their order by a few days in exchange for rewards they can redeem when making future purchases.Unlimited movie and TV streaming: You can stream thousands of movies, TVs, and Amazon Originals with Prime Video. Unlimited music streaming: Members can access 2 million, ad-free songs through Prime Music, plus a discounted price on Amazon Music Unlimited, which offers a bigger library of roughly 60 million songs.Free unlimited reading: With Prime Reading, members can choose from thousands of books, magazines, and comics to read for free. Access to Prime Day: Prime members get access to Amazon’s annual two-day mega sale. Early access to Lightning Deals: Prime Early Access gives members a 30-minute head start on Amazon’s many Lightning Deals, which are exclusive discounts promoted only for a short period. Free gaming: Prime Gaming (formerly known as Twitch Prime) gives members a host of free games and expansions for popular titles to try every month, plus a free subscription on Twitch.Free cloud storage: Members get unlimited photo storage included with their membership, along with an additional 5 GB of free storage for video files. Amazon also offers annual cloud storage plans. These cost $19.99 a year for 100 GB and $59.99 a year for 1 TB.Exclusive discounts for families: Amazon Family helps parents save money on several of the items that are essential for childcare, from diapers to baby food and child-proofing gear — all for free.
The benefits outlined above only scratch the surface. For more, check out our favorite Amazon Prime benefits that go beyond free two-day shipping.
How much does Amazon Prime cost?
You can try Amazon Free for 30 days. Beyond that, the cost of Amazon Prime depends on what plan you choose:
Amazon Prime standard subscription: If you opt for a full year, you’ll pay an annual fee of $139. You can also pay $14.99 a month.Amazon Prime Student subscription: If you’re a student with a valid school email address, you can get a discount on your Prime membership and pay $69 a year or $7.49 per month.Prime subscription discount for EBT and Medicaid cardholders. If you’re a holder of an EBT or Medicaid card, you can pay a discounted price of $6.99 per month for your Prime membership.
These plans give you full access to Amazon Prime. But if, say, you’re only interested in Prime Video as a standalone membership, you’ll have to pay $8.99 a month.
Keep in mind that when you try Amazon Prime free for 30 days, the trial automatically renews, meaning the credit card you put on file will be charged. Of course, you can avoid unwanted fees by canceling your Amazon Prime account on time.
Quick tip: To sign up for the Amazon Prime one month free trial, go to Amazon.com and sign in. Then place your mouse pointer over Prime in the top menu and click Try Prime FREE for 30 days.
How to share Amazon Prime benefits
It’s worth noting that Amazon Prime members can share their benefits at no additional cost.
Two adults with separate Amazon accounts can split the monthly or yearly bill in half by signing up for Amazon Household.
Because the accounts are linked by address and payment methods, it’s best to do this with someone you’re close with, like a partner or roommate.
Is Amazon Prime worth it?
The question of whether an Amazon Prime membership is worth it depends on your shopping habits, whether you’re buying for yourself or a full household, and how much use you get out of the aforementioned perks.
For many people, the allure of free shipping is enough to justify the value. If you spend more than $139 a year on shipping alone, that could be enough to sign up.
If you’re still wondering whether Amazon Prime is worth your money, you should take into account the streaming options. Amazon Video, Amazon Music, and Amazon Gaming are all offerings in the Amazon universe that continue to expand.
At the end of the day, an Amazon membership might not be for everyone, but for those who decide it’s worth it, it’ll most likely come down to convenience, potential savings, and entertainment preferences.