Amazon Prime membership costs $14.99 per month or $139 per year

Amazon Prime's standard membership runs $14.99 monthly if you pay month-to-month, or $139 annually if you pay once a year. The annual option saves you about $40 compared to paying monthly. Both give you the same membership benefits — free two-day shipping on may be able to access items, access to Prime Video, Prime Music, and Prime Reading.

Amazon also offers a discounted Prime membership for students, people receiving government information, and people aged 60 and older. Each of these has a different cost and different may be able to access rules.

Key Takeaways

  • Standard Amazon Prime costs $14.99 per month or $139 per year, with the annual plan saving approximately $40 over 12 months.
  • Prime Student membership costs $7.49 per month or $69 per year and requires a valid .edu email address or enrollment verification.
  • Prime for people aged 60 and older costs $7.99 per month or $79 per year and requires proof of age.
  • Prime for people receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Temporary information for Needy Families (TANF) costs $5.99 per month with no annual option.
  • All memberships renew automatically, and you can cancel anytime through your Amazon account settings.

Prime Student: Half price for college students

Prime Student costs $7.49 per month or $69 per year — roughly half the standard price. To join, you need a valid .edu email address or proof of current enrollment at an accredited college or university. Amazon verifies your status through SheerID, a third-party verification service.

Prime Student includes all the same benefits as standard Prime: free two-day shipping, Prime Video, Prime Music, and Prime Reading. The membership lasts for four years from the date you join, then converts to standard Prime pricing unless you cancel.

Prime for seniors: $7.99 per month

Amazon offers Prime membership to people aged 60 and older for $7.99 per month or $79 per year. You must provide proof of age — typically a government-issued ID — when you sign up. This membership includes the same shipping and digital benefits as standard Prime.

Unlike Prime Student, the senior membership does not expire after a set time. It continues at the discounted rate as long as you remain a member and your age remains 60 or older.

Prime for people receiving government information: $5.99 per month

Amazon offers Prime for $5.99 per month (no annual option) to people who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Temporary information for Needy Families (TANF). This is the lowest-cost Prime membership available.

To join, you must provide proof of current SSI or TANF enrollment. Amazon verifies this through your Social Security number and state records. The membership includes free two-day shipping and access to Prime Video, Prime Music, and Prime Reading, the same as other Prime tiers.

What's included in every Prime membership

All Amazon Prime memberships — regardless of price tier — include free two-day shipping on may be able to access items sold by Amazon or Amazon-fulfilled merchants. Some items ship faster (one-day or same-day in certain areas), and some items do not may have access to for free shipping at all. The product page shows shipping speed before you buy.

Prime Video is included with every membership. This is Amazon's streaming service with movies, TV shows, and original series. Prime Music gives you access to a library of over two million songs. Prime Reading lets you borrow books, magazines, and newspapers from a rotating collection.

Prime members also get exclusive deals during Amazon sales events like Prime Day, and discounts at Whole Foods Market if you have a Whole Foods account linked to your Prime membership.

How billing works and when to expect charges

Monthly memberships charge your payment method on the same day each month. Annual memberships charge once per year on the anniversary of your sign-up date. Amazon sends a reminder email a few days before each charge.

If your payment method fails, Amazon will retry the charge several times over a few days. If all attempts fail, your membership pauses until you update your payment information. You do not lose your membership during this time — it straightforward suspends.

You can change your payment method, switch between monthly and annual billing, or cancel your membership anytime through the "Manage Your Prime Membership" section of your Amazon account. Cancellations take effect when ready, and you lose access to Prime benefits right away. If you paid for a full year, Amazon does not refund the unused portion.

Price changes and when Amazon adjusts membership cost

Amazon raises Prime prices periodically. The most recent increase for standard Prime was in September 2023, when the annual price rose from $119 to $139 and the monthly price rose from $12.99 to $14.99. Price changes do not happen every year — they occur when Amazon decides to adjust the membership.

When a price increase takes effect, Amazon notifies existing members by email 30 days in advance. The new price applies to your next renewal date. If you have an annual membership, you keep your current price until your membership renews. If you have a monthly membership, the new price takes effect on your next billing date.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a free trial of Amazon Prime?

Amazon occasionally offers free trial periods for new members, typically 30 days. The availability and length of free trials vary by region and change over time. You can check whether a trial is currently available by visiting the Prime sign-up page on Amazon's website.

What happens if I cancel Prime in the middle of a billing cycle?

Your membership ends when ready when you cancel, and you lose access to Prime benefits right away. If you paid for an annual membership, Amazon does not refund the unused portion. If you have a monthly membership, you are not charged again after cancellation.

Can I share my Prime membership with family members?

Amazon offers Amazon Household, which 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 and use Prime benefits. Children have limited access to certain features. You set this up in your Amazon account settings.

Do I have to use Prime Video if I don't want to?

No. Prime Video is included with your membership, but you do not have to use it. You pay the same price whether you use all the benefits or only the free shipping. You cannot purchase Prime without Prime Video included.

Is there a way to pause my Prime membership instead of canceling?

Amazon does not offer an official pause feature. Your options are to keep your membership active or cancel it. If you cancel and want to rejoin later, you can sign up again at any time, though you would pay the current membership price.