Amazon Prime membership costs and what's included

Amazon Prime is a paid membership that gives you faster shipping on purchases from Amazon, access to video streaming, music streaming, and other services. The cost depends on how you pay: a monthly plan runs about $14.99 per month, or you can pay for a full year upfront at a lower per-month rate. Amazon also offers a discounted monthly rate for people who receive certain government benefits.

When you pay for Prime, you get free two-day shipping on most items sold by Amazon directly (not all third-party sellers). You also get access to Prime Video, which includes movies and TV shows; Prime Music, a music streaming service; Prime Reading, which lets you read certain books and magazines; and Photo Storage, where you can store unlimited photos in the cloud. Some of these services have limits — Prime Reading rotates its selection monthly, and Photo Storage compresses photos to save space.

The membership is tied to your Amazon account, so anyone in your household can use the same Prime benefits if they have access to that account. Amazon also offers Prime Video as a standalone subscription if you only want the video service without the full membership.

Key Takeaways

  • Amazon Prime costs about $14.99 per month on a monthly plan, or less per month if you pay for a full year upfront.
  • The membership includes two-day shipping on most Amazon-sold items, Prime Video streaming, Prime Music, Prime Reading, and cloud photo storage.
  • If you receive certain government benefits, you may be able to get Prime at a reduced monthly rate through Amazon's program for benefit recipients.
  • Prime benefits apply to your entire household if they use the same Amazon account, but each person needs their own account to access some services like Prime Video.
  • You can cancel Prime at any time, and if you cancel within the first month of an annual plan, Amazon will refund the full amount.

How to start and stop a Prime membership

To start a Prime membership, go to Amazon.com, sign into your account, and look for the Prime membership option. You can choose monthly or annual billing. Amazon will ask for a payment method — a credit card, debit card, or other payment option linked to your account. Your membership begins immediately after payment goes through.

To cancel, go to your Amazon account settings, find "Memberships and Subscriptions," and select Prime. You'll see an option to end the membership. If you cancel during an annual plan within the first month, Amazon refunds the full amount. If you cancel after the first month of an annual plan, you keep access until your renewal date but don't get a refund for the unused portion. Monthly memberships end at the end of your current billing cycle.

Amazon sometimes offers free trial periods for new members — usually 30 days. During a trial, you get full Prime benefits at no cost. The trial converts to a paid membership unless you cancel before it ends.

Reduced-cost Prime for people receiving government benefits

Amazon offers Prime at a lower monthly rate for people who receive certain government benefits. This program is called Prime for Government Assistance Recipients. The reduced rate is currently about half the standard monthly price, though the exact amount can change.

To use this program, you need to prove you receive benefits from one of these programs: SNAP (food assistance), SSI (Supplemental Security Income), or TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families). You'll need to verify your benefit status through your Amazon account. The verification process asks you to confirm your benefit type and may require you to provide documentation or connect to a government database.

Once you're approved, the reduced rate applies to your account. You still get all the same Prime benefits as a regular member. The reduced membership can be cancelled the same way as a standard membership.

What Prime Video, Music, and Reading include

Prime Video is a streaming service with movies, TV shows, and original series produced by Amazon. The library changes regularly — some titles are included with Prime, while others are available to rent or buy separately. You can watch on your phone, tablet, computer, or TV using the Prime Video app or website. You can create separate profiles within your account so different household members see their own watch history and recommendations.

Prime Music gives you access to a catalog of millions of songs. You can create playlists, listen on-demand, and download songs to listen offline. It's not as large as some other music streaming services, and some artists or albums may not be available. Prime Music works on phones, computers, and some smart speakers.

Prime Reading lets you read a rotating selection of books, magazines, and newspapers at no extra cost. The selection changes monthly, so the titles available today may not be available next month. You can read on your phone, tablet, computer, or Kindle device. This is different from Kindle Unlimited, which is a separate subscription with a larger library.

Shipping benefits and what's not covered

Prime members get free two-day shipping on most items sold directly by Amazon. "Two-day" means the item ships within two business days and arrives within two days after that — not necessarily a calendar week. Some items may have access to for one-day or same-day shipping at no extra cost, depending on your location and the item's availability.

Not everything on Amazon qualifies for Prime shipping. Items sold by third-party sellers sometimes have Prime shipping, but not always — the product page shows whether Prime shipping is available. Oversized items like furniture or large appliances may have different shipping terms. Grocery items from Amazon Fresh or Whole Foods have their own shipping policies separate from Prime.

International shipping is not included with Prime. If you order from Amazon's international sites, you pay shipping separately. Some items cannot be shipped to certain addresses due to weight, size, or local regulations.

Prime membership and household sharing

Everyone in your household can use Prime benefits if they have access to your Amazon account. This means they can use your Prime shipping, watch Prime Video, listen to Prime Music, and read Prime Reading content. However, each person should have their own Amazon account to keep their shopping history, wishlists, and video recommendations separate.

Amazon also offers Amazon Household, a feature that lets you link multiple adult accounts and share Prime benefits without sharing passwords. With Household, you can set up separate payment methods, manage permissions for different family members, and keep your accounts independent while still sharing Prime. This is useful if you live with a partner, roommate, or adult family member and want to share Prime without giving them access to your full account.

Comparing Prime to other subscription services

Prime Video competes with Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, and other streaming services, but Prime Video is bundled with shipping and other services rather than sold alone. If you only want video streaming, you can buy Prime Video separately for less than a full Prime membership. Netflix and Disney+ typically have larger libraries of movies and shows, while Prime Video includes original series and some exclusive content.

Prime Music is smaller than Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube Music. Those services have larger catalogs and more features, but they're also standalone subscriptions. If music is your main interest, a dedicated music service may be better value than Prime.

For shipping, Prime's two-day standard is faster than most retailers' free shipping, but not all items may have access to. Some retailers offer free shipping on orders over a certain amount, which may be better if you don't order frequently enough to justify a membership.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I share my Prime membership with someone who doesn't live with me?

Technically, anyone with access to your Amazon account can use Prime, but Amazon's terms say Prime is for household members. If you want to share with someone outside your home, Amazon Household is the official way to do it — you link separate accounts and share Prime benefits without sharing passwords or payment information.

Do I have to buy Prime Video separately or does it come with Prime?

Prime Video is included with a full Prime membership at no extra cost. You can also buy Prime Video alone for a lower monthly rate if you only want video streaming and don't want the shipping or other benefits.

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

Your membership continues until you cancel it. Amazon doesn't automatically end memberships for inactivity. You'll keep being charged each month or year unless you go into your account settings and cancel.

Can I get a refund if I change my mind about Prime?

If you cancel within the first month of an annual plan, you get a full refund. If you cancel after the first month of an annual plan, you keep access until your renewal date but don't get a refund. Monthly memberships end at the end of your billing cycle with no refund for unused time.

Does Prime shipping apply to items from third-party sellers?

Some third-party sellers offer Prime shipping on their items, but not all. The product page shows whether Prime shipping is available. Items fulfilled by Amazon (stored in Amazon's warehouse) usually have Prime shipping, while items shipped directly from the seller may not.