You can cancel Amazon Prime at any time through your account settings, and you will keep your benefits through the end of your current billing period

Amazon Prime cancellation happens in your account, not through customer service. You log in, find your membership settings, and choose to end the subscription. The process takes about two minutes. Your access continues until your next billing date — if you pay monthly, you keep Prime for the rest of that month; if you pay yearly, you keep it through the end of that year.

The main reason people cancel is cost. Prime membership costs $14.99 per month or $139 per year as of 2024, though Amazon changes these prices periodically. Some people cancel because they do not use the shipping benefits or video streaming. Others cancel temporarily and rejoin later. Amazon does not penalize you for canceling — you can rejoin whenever you want.

Key Takeaways

  • Cancel Prime through your Amazon account settings under "Memberships and Subscriptions," not by calling customer service.
  • You keep all Prime benefits through the end of your current billing period, whether you pay monthly or yearly.
  • If you cancel a yearly membership partway through, Amazon does not refund the unused portion unless you cancel within 30 days of purchase.
  • You can rejoin Prime at any time after canceling, and there is no penalty for doing so.
  • If you have a Prime Student membership, the cancellation process is the same but the cost structure is different.

How to cancel on a computer or phone

Log into your Amazon account and go to the "Account" menu in the top right corner. Select "Memberships and Subscriptions." You will see a list of all active subscriptions tied to your account. Find "Prime Membership" and click or tap the button next to it that says "Manage Membership" or "Edit."

On the next screen, you will see a button labeled "Cancel Membership" or "End Membership." Click it. Amazon will show you a summary of when your membership ends and ask you to confirm the cancellation. You may also see offers to keep Prime at a reduced price — you can ignore these or consider them if you want to stay. Once you confirm, the cancellation is complete. You will receive a confirmation email.

The exact wording and button placement varies slightly depending on whether you use the Amazon website or the mobile app, but the steps are the same. If you cannot find the Memberships and Subscriptions section, search for "cancel prime" in the Amazon help section and follow the link to your account settings.

What happens to your benefits after cancellation

Your Prime benefits stay active through the end of your current billing cycle. If you are on a monthly plan and cancel on the 15th of the month, you keep Prime through the end of that month. If you are on a yearly plan and cancel in June, you keep Prime through the anniversary date of your yearly purchase.

This means you can still use Prime Video, get free two-day shipping, and access other Prime perks until that date. After your membership ends, you lose access to all Prime benefits. Your Prime Video watchlist and history remain in your account, but you cannot watch Prime Video content unless you rejoin.

Refunds for yearly memberships

Amazon refunds yearly Prime memberships only if you cancel within 30 days of purchase. After 30 days, there is no refund for the unused portion of the year, even if you cancel when ready after the 30-day window closes. This is Amazon's standard policy and does not change based on how much of the year remains.

If you bought a yearly membership and are within 30 days, you can cancel and request a refund through the same "Manage Membership" screen. The refund option will appear if you are may be able to access. If you are past 30 days, the refund button will not appear, and you cannot get one through the standard cancellation process.

Monthly memberships do not have a refund window — you straightforward stop being charged after the current month ends.

Canceling Prime Student membership

Prime Student costs $7.49 per month or $69 per year and is available to students with a valid .edu email address. The cancellation process is identical to regular Prime: go to Account, find Memberships and Subscriptions, select Prime Student, and click "Cancel Membership."

Prime Student memberships also come with a six-month free trial. If you cancel during the trial, you are not charged anything. If you cancel after the trial ends, the same 30-day refund window applies to yearly memberships, and monthly memberships end at the next billing date.

What to do if you want to pause instead of cancel

Amazon does not offer a pause or suspend option for Prime. You either keep the membership or cancel it. However, if you are on a monthly plan and want to reduce spending temporarily, you can cancel now and rejoin in a few months without penalty. Your watchlist, purchase history, and account settings remain unchanged.

If you are on a yearly plan and want to pause, canceling means you lose access when ready after the year ends. You would then rejoin on a monthly plan if you want to return sooner, or wait until you are ready to commit to another year.

Rejoining Prime after cancellation

You can rejoin Prime at any time after your membership ends. Go to the Prime membership page on Amazon and select "Join Prime" or "Start Your Free Trial." If you previously had a monthly membership, you can rejoin on a monthly plan. If you had yearly, you can choose either monthly or yearly when you rejoin.

There is no waiting period, no penalty, and no loss of your account history. Your previous orders, reviews, and saved items remain in your account. Some people cancel and rejoin strategically to take advantage of promotional offers, though Amazon does not always offer new-member deals to returning customers.

Common reasons cancellation fails or gets stuck

If you cannot find the cancel button, check that you are logged into the correct Amazon account. Some people have multiple accounts and cancel the wrong one by mistake. Also verify that you are looking at "Prime Membership" and not another subscription like Prime Video Channel add-ons or Kindle Unlimited, which are separate services with their own cancellation buttons.

If the cancel button does not appear or the page shows an error, try logging out and back in, or use a different browser. Clear your browser cache if you are on a computer. If the problem persists, contact Amazon Customer Service through the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of any Amazon page — they can cancel your membership manually, though the self-service method is faster.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I get a refund if I cancel Prime in the middle of a billing cycle?

No, unless you are within 30 days of purchasing a yearly membership. Monthly memberships do not refund partial months. You keep access through the end of the current month, but you do not get money back for the days you do not use.

Will canceling Prime affect my Amazon account or shopping history?

No. Your account, order history, saved items, and reviews stay exactly as they are. Canceling Prime only removes the membership benefits — it does not delete your account or any data tied to it.

Can I cancel Prime if I have an active Prime Video subscription add-on?

Yes. Prime Video add-ons like HBO Max or Paramount+ are separate from the Prime membership itself. You can cancel Prime and keep the add-ons, or cancel the add-ons and keep Prime. Each one has its own cancellation button in Memberships and Subscriptions.

What happens to my Prime Video watchlist after I cancel?

Your watchlist and viewing history stay in your account. If you rejoin Prime later, everything is still there. However, you cannot watch Prime Video content while your membership is inactive.

How long does it take for the cancellation to go into effect?

The cancellation is when ready — you will receive a confirmation email right away. Your benefits continue through the end of your current billing period as normal. You will not be charged again after that date.