Most people paying full price don’t know they qualify for 53% off. This guide covers every plan, what changed recently, who pays less, and the add-on costs that sneak onto your bill after you sign up.
Amazon Prime has more pricing layers than most people realize. These takeaways answer the questions that save money immediately — before you renew at a price you could have avoided.
1 What does Amazon Prime actually cost per month right now? $14.99/month if you pay month-to-month. $11.58/month effective rate if you pay $139/year. $7.49/month for students and adults 18–24. $6.99/month for EBT, SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, WIC, and LIHEAP recipients. ▼
2 I’m on Medicaid or SNAP — am I really eligible for the $6.99 rate? Yes. Prime Access is available to anyone currently receiving SNAP, EBT food benefits, Medicaid, SSI, WIC, TANF, or LIHEAP. It includes every Prime benefit. You verify by entering your EBT card number or uploading an eligibility letter. Re-verify once a year to keep the rate. ▼
3 Does Amazon Prime Video still have ads, and how do I get rid of them? Yes. Standard Prime Video now shows ads on most content. Removing them requires the Prime Video Ultra add-on at $4.99/month — up from $2.99 in a 67% price hike in April 2026. It is not included in the base membership at any price tier. ▼
4 Is the annual plan always worth it over monthly? For most consistent users, yes — you save $40.88 per year for the same service. The only reason to stay monthly: if you plan to cancel within the next 12 months or use Prime seasonally. If you use Prime year-round, the annual plan pays for itself in fewer than 3 months. ▼
5 Can I share my Amazon Prime with someone else in my household? Yes — one other adult at the same primary address through Amazon Family. They get full Prime benefits including shipping and streaming at no extra cost. Sharing with someone at a different address is no longer permitted since Amazon ended the Prime Invitee Program in October 2025. ▼
6 What happens to my Prime benefits if I cancel mid-year? On an annual plan, you keep all benefits through the end of your paid year — then access ends. Amazon does not automatically refund unused months if you cancel early, though they may offer a prorated refund if you haven’t used the membership meaningfully since renewal. ▼
7 What is the Prime Video Only plan and who should use it? $8.99/month for streaming only — no shipping benefits, no Whole Foods discount, no Music. Worth it for cord-cutters who want Amazon’s streaming library but rarely order physical goods from Amazon. Costs less than standard Prime but delivers only a fraction of the full value. ▼
All plans give you the same core Prime benefits — the differences are price, eligibility, and payment flexibility. Here is every option available right now.
The standard Prime membership has been $139 per year since February 2022. J.P. Morgan analysts have flagged a potential increase to $159 per year by late 2026 or early 2027 — which would be the first base-price increase in nearly five years. Amazon has not officially announced this. If a price increase concerns you, paying for an annual plan now at $139 locks in that rate for another 12 months regardless of any mid-year or late-year price change. Separately, the Prime Video Ultra (ad-free) add-on already jumped 67% in April 2026, from $2.99 to $4.99. Amazon has a consistent pattern of incremental add-on price increases before adjusting the base membership rate.
Two completely legitimate ways exist to cut the standard Prime price in half. Neither requires any trick or workaround — just eligibility that millions of people have and never use.
Prime Access is available to anyone currently receiving benefits from any of these programs: SNAP food benefits (the program that issues an EBT card), Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Women Infants and Children nutrition program (WIC), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). You do not need to be on all of them — one qualifying program is enough.
Prime Access at $6.99/month costs $83.88 per year. The standard monthly plan at $14.99 costs $179.88 per year. The annual savings is $96 — and that is compared to the standard monthly plan. Compared to the annual plan at $139, Prime Access saves $55.12 per year. These are not small differences on a fixed income. The re-verification process takes about three minutes and Amazon sends a reminder when it is due. If your eligible benefits end, your rate automatically adjusts to the standard price — you do not need to take any action when benefits stop.
Amazon rebranded the old Prime Student plan as Prime for Young Adults and expanded eligibility: you now qualify if you are between 18 and 24 years old regardless of whether you are enrolled in school. Students with a valid .edu email address also qualify at the same $7.49 per month or $69 per year rate. The 6-month free trial is the longest trial period Amazon offers on any plan — and it applies to the student/young adult tier specifically. After the trial, the plan converts to paid billing at $7.49 per month or $69 per year unless you cancel or switch.
Prime for Young Adults ends at age 25 — Amazon transitions the account to standard Prime pricing automatically. If you are approaching 25 and want to keep Prime, you have three options: switch to the annual plan at $139 to lock in that price for another year, check whether you qualify for Prime Access based on any government assistance, or cancel and decide whether standard pricing is worth it for your actual usage. There is no grace period after age 25 — the rate change occurs at the next billing cycle after the birthday that moves you out of eligibility.
Prime has grown well beyond shipping. Some of these benefits alone would cost more than the membership fee if purchased separately.
Amazon has exclusive streaming rights to NFL Thursday Night Football games — all season, at no extra charge beyond standard Prime membership. This alone makes Prime compelling for football fans who do not have cable or satellite TV. All TNF games are available in the Prime Video app on smart TVs, phones, tablets, Fire TV, and web browsers. No additional sports package or add-on is required. This is one of the few live sports streaming packages bundled into an all-purpose subscription — comparable rights elsewhere cost significantly more as a standalone purchase.
Prime’s base membership is only the beginning of what Amazon charges. These add-ons are optional — but they are aggressively promoted and easy to accidentally activate.
Standard Prime Video includes ads on most content. Removing ads requires the Prime Video Ultra add-on, which jumped from $2.99 to $4.99 per month in April 2026 — a 67% increase with little advance notice. On a standard monthly Prime plan, adding Ultra brings your total to $19.98/month or $239.76/year. Workaround: Amazon Originals and many new Prime series run without ads even on the base plan. Check whether the specific shows you watch include ads before paying the upgrade.
Amazon Music Prime (included with membership) lets you stream on shuffle mode, ad-free, from a massive library. On-demand song selection — the ability to play any specific song whenever you want — requires Amazon Music Unlimited at $8.99/month for Prime members ($10.99 without Prime). If shuffle listening is enough for your habits, the included Music Prime covers most casual listening needs without this add-on.
Amazon Channels lets you add streaming services directly to your Prime Video account — Paramount+, Max, Showtime, Starz, Discovery+, and many others — billed through Amazon rather than directly. Prices match or closely mirror direct subscriptions. The convenience of a single billing location comes at no Amazon markup, but these channels are commonly added and forgotten, accruing charges month after month. Review your active Amazon Channels subscriptions at amazon.com/channels periodically — they appear on your Amazon account, not always on streaming app interfaces where you might notice them.
Amazon Fresh grocery delivery is not free with Prime above a certain order size in most markets. Orders under $150 incur delivery fees that vary by location — typically $3.95 to $9.95 per order. A $35 delivery charge cap was implemented in some markets. Prime members receive discounted fees but not universally free delivery. Always check the delivery fee before completing a Fresh order — it is shown at checkout before payment is processed.
Use this table to find your situation at a glance. Scroll right on smaller screens for the full comparison.
← Scroll to see full table →
| Plan | Monthly Cost | Annual Cost | Eligibility | Free Trial | Full Benefits? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Monthly | $14.99/mo | $179.88/yr | Anyone — no requirements | 30 days | Yes ✓ |
| Standard Annual | $11.58 effective | $139/yr ✓ Best | Anyone — no requirements | 30 days | Yes ✓ |
| Prime Access (EBT) | $6.99/mo ✓ | $83.88/yr ✓ | SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, WIC, TANF, LIHEAP | 30 days | Yes ✓ |
| Young Adults / Students | $7.49/mo | $69/yr | Ages 18–24 or valid .edu email | 6 months ✓ | Yes + extras |
| Prime Video Only | $8.99/mo | $107.88/yr | Anyone — no requirements | 30 days | Streaming only |
| + Prime Video Ultra (add-on) | +$4.99/mo | +$59.88/yr | Any Prime plan — optional upgrade | No | Removes ads from Video |
| + Music Unlimited (add-on) | +$8.99/mo | +$107.88/yr | Prime member rate (non-Prime: $10.99) | Sometimes | Adds on-demand music |
Prices shown do not include applicable sales tax, which varies by state. Add-on prices are subject to change. Prime Access requires annual eligibility re-verification. Student/Young Adult plan ends at age 25 or upon graduation in some configurations — confirm terms at signup. Annual cost for Standard Monthly is calculated as $14.99 × 12 months.
Canceling must be done through a web browser — not through any app on your phone or TV. Amazon’s cancellation flow includes several “are you sure?” screens designed to slow you down. Here is the direct path.
- Go to amazon.com in a web browser and sign in
- Hover over “Returns & Orders” in the top right, then click Account
- Under “Memberships & Subscriptions,” click Prime Membership
- Click Manage Membership, then Cancel Prime
- Work through the confirmation screens — Amazon will show your remaining benefits and try to offer a pause instead
- Select Cancel My Benefits or End Membership to complete
- You will receive a confirmation email — save it
Amazon offers a Pause Membership option that suspends Prime billing for one month at a time, up to three months maximum. During a pause, shipping and streaming benefits are suspended. Pausing is appropriate for members who use Prime heavily during peak shopping seasons (like October through January) but rarely need it otherwise. Access the pause option in the same Membership management screen — look for “Pause your Prime membership” during the cancellation flow. After the pause period ends, billing resumes automatically.
For annual plan members who cancel early: Amazon does not automatically refund unused months. However, if you have not placed any Prime-eligible orders or streamed any content since your renewal charge processed, contacting customer service within a few days of the charge and requesting a cancellation refund has historically resulted in a prorated refund. This is handled case by case. Monthly members who cancel do not receive refunds for the current month — benefits run through the end of the period already paid, then stop. The clearest path to avoiding this entirely: set a calendar reminder one week before your renewal date and decide then.
Switch to Prime Access immediately — you are likely paying $8.01 too much per month. Go to amazon.com/primeaccess, select your qualifying program (SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, WIC, TANF, or LIHEAP), and verify with your EBT card number or an eligibility letter. The rate drops to $6.99 that same billing cycle. Re-verification is required once per year. If you have been overpaying for months, there is no retroactive refund for the difference — but starting the discount now stops further overpayment. If you are on the annual plan and want to switch to Prime Access, contact Amazon customer service to discuss the transition — the process varies depending on where you are in your billing cycle.
Switch to annual billing right now if you use Prime consistently. Go to Amazon account settings, select Manage Prime Membership, and choose to switch to an annual plan. You save $40.88 immediately — no change in benefits, no waiting period. The annual charge processes at your next billing date (not immediately in most cases). If your renewal date is coming up soon and you are currently on monthly billing, switching before that date converts you to the annual plan at the lower rate. There is genuinely no downside to this switch for a consistent Prime user.
It depends on two things: how often you order from Amazon, and whether you qualify for Prime Access. If you receive Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, or another qualifying benefit, Prime Access at $6.99/month reduces the cost question significantly. At that price, the membership pays for itself with just one or two avoided shipping charges per month. If you do not qualify for Prime Access and are on the standard $14.99/month plan, consider whether you order frequently enough that the shipping savings plus any Grubhub+ or Whole Foods use justifies the cost. If you use Amazon primarily for the occasional purchase and mostly watch Prime Video, the $8.99 Video-Only plan may serve your actual needs at a lower cost — though you would lose shipping benefits.
You are almost certainly eligible for Prime for Young Adults at $7.49/month or $69/year — roughly half the standard monthly price. Go to amazon.com/prime/student and verify your age or .edu email. If you have never had a Prime membership, you also qualify for the 6-month free trial — the longest trial Amazon offers on any plan. The Young Adult rate continues until your 25th birthday, at which point it converts to standard pricing. The plan also includes 5% cash back on select categories at checkout — worth noting if you spend regularly in those areas.
You are paying for the same benefits twice. Set up Amazon Family and consolidate to one membership — the added adult gets full Prime benefits (shipping, streaming, Music, Grubhub+, Whole Foods discounts) from the same account. Both people keep separate logins and purchase histories remain private. You will need to agree to share payment methods as a security verification step. After setup, the adult without their own paid membership can cancel their subscription (if they are paying separately) — their access continues through your shared Amazon Family arrangement. Effectively halving a $139 annual fee to $69.50 each is a straightforward savings with no reduction in service.
Compare honestly before downgrading. The Video-Only plan at $8.99/month saves $6/month versus standard monthly, or about $72/year. But if you place even one or two Amazon orders per month that would incur $5 to $8 in shipping fees without Prime, those fees quickly erase the $6 monthly savings. Add any Whole Foods shopping, Grubhub orders, or other Prime perks and the math often favors keeping the full membership. The Video-Only plan genuinely makes financial sense only if you almost never order physical goods from Amazon and have no use for any non-streaming Prime benefit. Most people who think they “only use Prime for streaming” are not accounting for the shipping benefits they use without thinking.
Yes. You can switch from monthly to annual at any time — the annual plan activates at your next billing cycle. Switching from annual to monthly is trickier: you can set your plan to convert to monthly at the end of your current annual period, but you cannot immediately drop to monthly mid-year without canceling the annual plan first. For most people, the right move is simply to switch from monthly to annual as soon as they know they will continue using Prime — the savings are immediate at the next renewal.
Amazon charges your payment method the full membership fee at the moment the trial expires — either $14.99 for monthly or $139 for annual, depending on which you selected when starting the trial. This charge is not automatically refunded. Contact Amazon Customer Service at 1-888-280-4331 or through the live chat at amazon.com/help within a day or two of the charge, and explain you forgot to cancel. Amazon is relatively accommodating with first-time trial-to-paid conversion refunds if you have not placed orders or streamed content since the charge. The practical prevention: set a phone calendar reminder for day 25 of your 30-day trial, or day 5 months 6 of a student trial.
Yes — in most states. Amazon collects sales tax on Prime membership fees in states that tax digital services and subscriptions. The tax amount varies by state and appears as a separate line item at checkout and on your billing receipt. It is not included in the published $14.99, $139, $6.99, or $7.49 prices. Check your billing receipt in Amazon account settings under Order History to see the exact tax amount charged in your state.
Amazon raised the standard Prime membership price from $119 to $139 per year in February 2022 — its first increase since 2018. Before that, the price had gone from $79 in 2014 to $99 in 2015 to $119 in 2018. The pattern suggests increases every three to four years of approximately $15 to $20 at a time. J.P. Morgan analysts flagged a potential increase to $159 annually in late 2026 or 2027, though Amazon has not confirmed any planned change. Locking in an annual plan now at $139 protects against any mid-year increase — annual pricing does not change until your renewal date.
Amazon does not allow subscription management — cancellations, upgrades, plan changes — through the iOS or Android app because Apple and Google charge platform fees on in-app purchases and subscription transactions. To avoid those fees (which would effectively raise prices or reduce margins), Amazon routes all subscription management through its website. On a phone, open any browser (Safari, Chrome, Firefox), go to amazon.com, sign in, and navigate to Account → Manage Prime Membership. Everything you cannot do in the app is available in the browser version of the site.
This guide is for informational purposes only. Amazon Prime pricing, plan availability, eligibility requirements, add-on costs, and features are set by Amazon and subject to change at any time without notice. Prime Access eligibility is determined by Amazon based on verified enrollment in qualifying government assistance programs — BudgetSeniors.com™ is not affiliated with Amazon or any government assistance program. All prices shown do not include applicable sales tax. Free trial terms vary — always confirm current trial length at amazon.com before enrolling. Amazon Family sharing requires same primary residential address verification. Verify all current pricing and terms directly at amazon.com/prime before making membership decisions.