It’s common knowledge that a Prime membership gets you free two-day shipping. But there are Amazon Prime perks that make the service more worthwhile—and considering the cost of a yearly membership, you're doing yourself a disservice if you aren't taking advantage of all of them. Below, we've listed some of the perks you should be using as an Amazon Prime member. Arguably, these incentives alone aren't worth the cost of a membership, but chances are at least one of them will come in handy.
Amazon has had more than its fair share of debacles over the years. Still, there are more than 200 million Prime members around the world, with over 180 million members in the United States. Some sources report as many as 220 million members globally. If you're one of them, these perks are worth checking out—especially during the retailer's member-exclusive Prime Day sales events, which usually fall during July and October.
Updated June 2025: We've ensured coverage is accurate, removing old benefits and adding new information on Alexa+ and fuel savings.
What’s Amazon Prime, and How Much Does It Cost?
Amazon Prime is a premium membership to Amazon.com. If you're a brand-new member, you can try it free for 30 days. This trial automatically renews, so set a reminder on your phone to reassess and make sure you cancel, if that's your plan.
Amazon Prime costs $139 per year. You can pay $15 per month instead, but that raises the cost of the membership to $180 per year. You'll save more money by paying once. Eighteen- to 24-year-olds can get Prime for Young Adults (formerly Prime Student), which is $69 annually or $7 per month, and there's a longer six-month free trial before you have to start paying.
Finally, some customers are eligible for Prime Access, a discounted Prime membership. If you verify that you receive qualifying SNAP benefits or other government assistance, you can get Amazon Prime for $7 per month.
Basic Amazon Prime Benefits
Prime members are eligible for free next-day shipping on millions of items and free two-day shipping on millions more. Depending on where you live, you may also be eligible for free same-day delivery or free Amazon Locker pickup. Other Amazon-owned stores also offer free shipping to Prime members, including ShopBop, Woot, and Zappos.
Prime members get free (and commercial-free) Prime Music streaming, which pulls playlists and podcasts from a selection of 100 million songs and serves them ad-free. Members are also eligible for discounted subscriptions to Amazon Music Unlimited, a separate pick-and-play service like Apple Music or Spotify that offers on-demand access to 70 million songs. Normally it costs $11 per month, but Prime members can get it for $10 monthly.
... continue reading