What you pay for Amazon Prime each month

Amazon Prime costs $14.99 per month if you pay monthly, or $139 per year if you pay annually. The annual option works out to about $11.58 per month, so it saves money if you plan to keep the membership for the full year. You can cancel anytime without penalty.

Amazon also offers a discounted Prime membership for students (called Prime Student) at $7.49 per month or $69 per year. If you receive certain government benefits — Supplemental Security Income (SSI), SNAP, or TANF — you may be able to get Prime for $5.99 per month through the Prime Access program, though availability varies by state and enrollment is limited.

The price you see when you sign up is the price you pay for your first billing period. After that, Amazon charges you on the same date each month (or year) until you cancel. If the price changes, Amazon will notify you before the next charge.

Key Takeaways

  • Monthly Prime costs $14.99, while annual Prime costs $139 and saves money over the course of a year.
  • Prime Student members pay $7.49 per month or $69 per year if they have a valid .edu email address.
  • People receiving SSI, SNAP, or TANF may may have access to for Prime Access at $5.99 per month in participating states.
  • You can cancel your subscription at any time through your Amazon account settings without losing access until your next billing date.

What's included in your monthly Prime membership

Prime membership includes free two-day shipping on millions of items sold by Amazon directly (not all third-party sellers). Some items ship the same day or next day in certain areas. Prime Video, Amazon's streaming service, is included and offers movies, TV shows, and original series. Prime Music provides ad-free music streaming from a catalog of over two million songs.

You also get Prime Reading, which lets you borrow books, magazines, and newspapers at no extra cost. Prime Gaming (formerly Twitch Prime) gives you a free monthly subscription to any Twitch channel and access to exclusive games and in-game content. Amazon Photos provides unlimited photo storage and 100 GB of video storage.

Prime members also receive exclusive deals during Amazon sales events like Prime Day, early access to Lightning Deals, and discounts on select items year-round. Whole Foods Market, which Amazon owns, offers Prime member discounts on certain products.

How to start or stop your monthly subscription

To start a Prime membership, go to amazon.com, sign in to your account, and navigate to the Prime membership page. Select the monthly or annual plan, enter your payment method, and confirm. Your membership begins immediately, and you can use all Prime benefits right away.

To cancel, sign in to your Amazon account, go to "Manage Prime Membership," and select "End Membership." Amazon will ask you to confirm and may offer you a discount to stay. If you cancel before your next billing date, you keep access to Prime benefits until that date arrives. If you cancel after being charged, you cannot get a refund, but you can restart your membership later.

If you signed up for a free trial and want to cancel before it ends, you must do so through the same "Manage Prime Membership" page. Free trials last 30 days for most people, though some offers vary.

Payment methods and billing

Amazon accepts credit cards, debit cards, and prepaid cards as payment for Prime. You can also use your Amazon account balance if you have one. Some people use gift cards to load their account balance and then use that to pay for Prime.

Your billing date is the same each month (or year). Amazon sends you an email receipt after each charge. If a payment fails, Amazon will retry it a few times before suspending your membership. You can update your payment method anytime through your account settings.

If you have multiple Amazon accounts, each one needs its own Prime membership. You cannot share a single Prime membership across accounts, though household members can use Prime benefits if they have access to the same account.

Prime membership for households and families

Amazon Household lets you share Prime benefits with up to two adults and up to four children on the same account. Both adults can manage the household, add or remove members, and use Prime shipping and video. Children have their own profiles with parental controls.

To set up a household, the primary account holder goes to "Manage Your Household" in account settings and invites other adults or children by email. The invited person must accept the invitation. Each person in the household can use Prime Video, Prime Music, and Prime shipping from a single membership.

If you live alone or want your own separate membership, you pay for your own monthly or annual subscription. There is no discount for buying multiple memberships.

Comparing monthly versus annual payment

Paying monthly costs $14.99 × 12 = $179.88 per year. Paying annually costs $139 per year. The annual plan saves you $40.88 per year, or about $3.41 per month. The annual plan makes sense if you know you will use Prime for the full year.

The monthly plan is better if you are unsure whether you will keep the membership or if you only need it for a few months. You can switch from monthly to annual (or vice versa) anytime by going to "Manage Prime Membership" and selecting a different plan. The change takes effect on your next billing date.

Some people use Prime for specific seasons — for example, during the holiday shopping season or before a move — and then cancel. If that matches your needs, monthly is the more flexible choice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a refund if I cancel Prime mid-month?

No. Amazon does not issue refunds for partial months. If you cancel after being charged, you keep access to Prime until your next billing date, but you cannot get money back. If you cancel before your first charge posts, you will not be charged at all.

What happens to my Prime membership if I don't use it?

Nothing. Your membership stays active and you keep being charged each month (or year) until you cancel. Amazon does not automatically cancel inactive memberships. You must cancel manually through your account settings if you no longer want it.

Can I use Prime on multiple devices at the same time?

Yes. Prime Video allows multiple people to stream at the same time if they are on the same account. Prime shipping works on any device where you are signed into your Amazon account. There is no limit to how many devices can use your membership.

Is there a free trial for Prime?

Amazon offers a 30-day free trial for new members in most cases. You must provide a payment method to start the trial, and you will be charged after 30 days unless you cancel. Some promotional offers provide longer trials or discounts on the first month.

What's the difference between Prime and Prime Video?

Prime is the full membership that includes shipping, video, music, photos, and other benefits. Prime Video is just the streaming service and can be purchased separately for $14.99 per month without the other Prime benefits. If you only want to stream, Prime Video alone is cheaper than full Prime.