You can cancel Amazon Prime through your account settings in three steps, and your access ends when ready
To cancel Amazon Prime, sign into your Amazon account, go to Your Account, select the Prime membership section, and choose to end your membership. Amazon stops your access right away. If you paid for a full year upfront, you can request a refund for the unused portion if you cancel within a certain window — Amazon's policy on refund timing varies, so check your specific situation when you cancel. You will keep any digital content you purchased separately, but you lose access to Prime Video, Prime Music, free shipping, and other Prime benefits the moment the cancellation takes effect.
The entire process takes fewer than five minutes and requires no phone call or email to Amazon. You will receive a confirmation email once the cancellation is complete, and that email will include details about any refund you may receive.
Key Takeaways
- Cancellation happens through Your Account settings on Amazon.com, not through the Prime Video app or a phone call.
- Your Prime membership ends when ready after you confirm cancellation, even if you paid for a full year.
- Amazon may offer you a discounted rate to keep your membership — you can accept or decline this offer before finalizing the cancellation.
- If you paid annually and cancel early, you can request a refund for the remaining months, though the refund window and amount depend on how long you have been a member.
- Cancelling Prime does not delete your Amazon account or affect your ability to shop on Amazon without Prime benefits.
Step-by-step cancellation process
Start by going to Amazon.com and signing into your account. Click on the account icon in the top right corner and select "Your Account" from the dropdown menu. Look for the "Prime membership" section — this is usually near the top of the page. Click on "Manage Prime membership" or a similar option, depending on your account layout.
Once you are in the Prime membership section, you will see a button or link that says "End membership" or "Cancel Prime." Click this button. Amazon will ask you to confirm your reason for cancellation — you can choose from a list of reasons or skip this step. After you confirm, Amazon will show you a final summary of what you are losing and may offer you a discounted renewal rate to stay. You can accept this offer or proceed to cancel. Click the final confirmation button to complete the cancellation.
Your Prime membership ends when ready. You will receive a confirmation email from Amazon with the cancellation details. Check this email for information about any refund you may receive if you paid for an annual membership.
What happens to your account and benefits after cancellation
Cancelling Prime does not close your Amazon account. You can still shop on Amazon.com, but you lose free two-day shipping and other Prime-exclusive benefits. Standard shipping will explore to your orders, and you will pay the regular shipping cost unless you may have access to for free shipping through other promotions or reach a minimum order amount.
If you have an active Prime Video membership bundled with Prime, you lose access to Prime Video content when ready. However, if you subscribed to Prime Video as a standalone service separate from Prime, that subscription continues unless you cancel it separately. Any books you purchased for your Kindle, movies you bought, or music you purchased through Amazon Music remain in your account — cancelling Prime does not delete digital content you own.
If you have a Prime credit card, you keep the card and can continue using it, but you lose any Prime-specific rewards or benefits tied to your membership status.
Refunds for annual Prime memberships
If you paid for a full year of Prime upfront and cancel before the year ends, you may receive a refund for the unused months. The refund amount and may be able to access depend on how long you have been a member and when you cancel. Amazon typically refunds a prorated amount — meaning you get back a portion of your annual fee based on how many months remain.
The refund window varies. If you are a new member (within your first few months), Amazon is more likely to issue a full or substantial refund. If you have been a member for longer, the refund may be smaller or may not be offered at all. When you cancel, Amazon will tell you whether you are may have access to to a refund and the amount before you finalize the cancellation. Refunds typically appear in your original payment method within 3 to 5 business days, though this can vary depending on your bank or credit card company.
Cancelling Prime from the Prime Video app or mobile device
You cannot cancel Prime directly through the Prime Video app or the Amazon mobile app. You must use a web browser and go to Amazon.com to access your account settings. This is intentional — Amazon requires you to use the full website to prevent accidental cancellations through the app.
If you are using a mobile device, open a web browser (Safari, Chrome, or Firefox), go to Amazon.com, and follow the same steps listed above. Make sure you are signed into your account before you navigate to Your Account and the Prime membership section. The process is identical on mobile and desktop.
What to do if you cannot find the cancellation option
If you cannot locate the "End membership" button in your Prime membership section, your account may have a restriction or a different membership type. Some accounts have Prime memberships through a family plan, a student discount, or a trial period, and these have different cancellation processes.
If you are part of a family plan, only the account holder can cancel the entire membership. Other family members can remove themselves from the plan but cannot cancel it outright. If you are on a student Prime membership through Prime Student, the cancellation process is the same, but your membership may auto-renew at a different rate after the discount period ends. If you still cannot find the option after checking these scenarios, contact Amazon Customer Service through the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of any Amazon page. Have your account email and order history ready when you reach out.
Reactivating Prime after cancellation
If you cancel Prime and later want to rejoin, you can restart your membership at any time through the same Your Account section. Amazon will not automatically charge you — you must actively choose to restart. Depending on how long you have been away, Amazon may offer you a discounted rate to return, or you may pay the standard monthly or annual price.
If you cancelled during a promotional period or trial, restarting your membership will not restore that same promotion. You will be offered current pricing and promotions available at the time you restart. There is no penalty for cancelling and restarting later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I get a refund if I cancel Prime mid-month?
If you pay monthly, you will not receive a refund for the current month — your membership straightforward ends at the end of that billing cycle. If you pay annually and cancel before the year is up, you may receive a prorated refund for the unused months, but this depends on how long you have been a member. Amazon will show you the refund amount (if any) before you confirm the cancellation.
Can I cancel Prime without contacting Amazon?
Yes. You can cancel entirely through your account settings on Amazon.com without calling or emailing Amazon. The cancellation is final once you confirm it on the website. You will receive a confirmation email, but no phone call or additional contact is required.
Does cancelling Prime affect my Amazon shopping account?
No. Your Amazon account remains active, and you can continue to shop. You straightforward lose Prime benefits like free two-day shipping. You can still use your Amazon account, save items to your cart, and make purchases — you just pay regular shipping costs.
What if Amazon offers me a discount to keep Prime?
During the cancellation process, Amazon often shows a discounted rate to encourage you to stay. You can accept this offer and keep your membership at the lower price, or you can decline and proceed with the cancellation. There is no penalty for declining — you straightforward cancel as planned.
Can I cancel Prime if I am in the middle of a free trial?
Yes. If you are in a free trial period, you can cancel before the trial ends and you will not be charged. Your access ends when ready after you cancel, even though the trial period had time remaining. Make sure you cancel before the trial period ends if you do not want to be charged.