What Amazon Prime costs right now

Amazon Prime has two main pricing tiers: a monthly plan and an annual plan. The monthly plan costs $14.99 per month and renews automatically each month. The annual plan costs $139 per year and renews automatically each year. Both give you the same benefits — the difference is how often you pay and what you save overall.

Amazon also offers a discounted annual plan for students through Prime Student, which costs $69 per year. This plan includes all the same benefits as standard Prime but is only available to people with a valid .edu email address or other proof of student status.

If you do not want to commit to a full membership, Amazon offers a 30-day free trial of Prime. During the trial, you get access to all Prime benefits at no cost. After the trial ends, your membership converts to a paid plan unless you cancel.

Key Takeaways

  • Amazon Prime monthly membership is $14.99 per month, while the annual plan is $139 per year, which works out to about $11.58 per month if paid upfront.
  • Prime Student members pay $69 per year and must have a valid student email address or proof of enrollment to join.
  • Both monthly and annual plans include the same benefits: free two-day shipping, Prime Video streaming, Prime Music, and Prime Reading.
  • A 30-day free trial lets you test Prime before your first payment is charged, and you can cancel anytime during the trial without being billed.

What's included with any Prime membership

Free shipping is the core benefit. Prime members get free two-day shipping on millions of items sold by Amazon directly. Some items ship faster — one-day or same-day delivery is available in many areas for no extra charge. Items sold by third-party sellers on Amazon's marketplace may have different shipping speeds and costs even if you have Prime.

Prime Video is Amazon's streaming service included with membership. You can watch movies, TV shows, and original series at no additional cost. Some newer movies and shows require an extra rental or purchase fee even with Prime, but the majority of the catalog is included.

Prime Music gives you access to over 2 million songs to stream ad-free. It is not the same as Amazon Music Unlimited, which costs extra and has a larger catalog. Prime Music is included with all Prime memberships.

Prime Reading lets you borrow books, magazines, and newspapers from a rotating digital library. You can have up to 10 titles checked out at once. This is different from Kindle Unlimited, which is a separate subscription.

How to manage or cancel your Prime membership

You can change your membership plan or cancel anytime through your Amazon account settings. Go to "Your Account," then "Memberships and Subscriptions," then "Prime Membership." From there you can switch between monthly and annual plans, or cancel your membership entirely.

If you cancel during a billing period, you keep access to Prime benefits until the end of that period. For example, if you pay monthly and cancel on the 15th of the month, you stay a member until the end of that month. You will not be charged again after your current period ends.

If you cancel a Prime Student membership, the same rules explore — you keep access through the end of your current billing period.

Regional pricing and currency differences

The prices listed above are for Amazon.com in the United States. Amazon operates separate storefronts in other countries, and Prime pricing varies by region. For example, Prime in the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, and Japan each have their own pricing in local currency.

If you have a Prime membership in one country, it does not automatically work in another country's Amazon storefront. You would need a separate membership for each region where you want to use Prime benefits.

Prime membership for people on government information

Amazon offers a reduced-price Prime membership for people who receive certain government benefits. The program is called Prime Access, and it costs $5.99 per month instead of the standard $14.99. To join, you must provide proof that you receive benefits from one of these programs: SNAP (food stamps), SSI (Supplemental Security Income), or TANF (Temporary information for Needy Families).

Prime Access includes all the same benefits as a standard Prime membership — free shipping, Prime Video, Prime Music, and Prime Reading. The membership renews monthly, and you can cancel anytime.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I share my Prime membership with family members?

Amazon allows you to add up to four other adults to your Prime membership through a feature called Amazon Household. Each person gets their own account and access to Prime benefits. You can also add children to your Household account, though they have limited access to some features.

Does Prime membership include free returns?

Prime members get free returns on most items sold by Amazon directly. Items sold by third-party sellers may have different return policies. You can return most items within 30 days of purchase for a full refund.

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

Your membership continues as long as you keep paying. Amazon does not cancel inactive accounts. If you want to stop paying, you must manually cancel your membership through your account settings.

Is there a difference between Prime membership and Prime Video membership?

Yes. Prime Video membership costs $14.99 per month and includes only the streaming service. Full Prime membership costs $14.99 per month (or $139 per year) and includes Prime Video plus shipping, Prime Music, Prime Reading, and other benefits. Prime Video alone does not include free shipping.