The answer depends almost entirely on where you shop, how many prescriptions you fill, and which assistance programs you receive — not which name sounds more familiar. Here is the plain-English breakdown so you stop guessing and start saving.
Stop searching through a dozen tabs. These are the things that change most people’s minds — answered directly, without the runaround.
Most people only see the headline price and miss the lower options available to them. These are all the ways to pay for each membership, from most to least expensive.
$6.99/month — Prime Access for qualifying government assistance recipients (SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, WIC, TANF, LIHEAP, and others) or households with income at or below 200% of the federal poverty guideline (approximately $31,920/year for a single person in 2026). Full Prime benefits — nothing removed. Apply at amazon.com/primeaccess. Re-verify annually. No AARP connection.
$14.99/month or $139/year — Standard Prime. Annual plan saves about $41 versus monthly billing. J.P. Morgan analysts have flagged a possible price increase to $159/year by late 2026 or early 2027 — Amazon has not confirmed this. Locking in an annual plan protects against mid-year changes.
Optional add-ons: Prime Video Ultra (ad-free streaming) at +$4.99/month · RxPass (unlimited fills of 100+ generic medications) at +$5/month · Amazon Fresh grocery delivery at +$9.99/month (or +$4.99/month for EBT cardholders).
$6.47/month or $49/year — Walmart+ Assist for recipients of SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, WIC, TANF, LIHEAP, Federal Public Housing Assistance, Veterans Pension Benefits, Federal Pell Grants, and others. Verified through SheerID — does not share your data with Walmart or affect your benefits. Re-verify annually. Apply at walmart.com/plus/assist.
~$58/year — AARP member rate ($40 off the standard $98 annual plan). Requires active AARP membership. Cannot be combined with Assist. If you qualify for Assist, Assist is always cheaper by $9/year.
$12.95/month or $98/year — Standard Walmart+. Annual plan saves roughly $57 versus monthly. Includes a 30-day free trial for first-time members. Grocery delivery is included at all tiers with no extra monthly fee on orders over $35.
On SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, or other qualifying program: Walmart+ Assist at $49/yr is the cheapest single membership. Prime Access at $83.88/yr is also discounted — both are worth having if you use both services.
Veterans Pension Benefit recipient: Walmart+ Assist at $49/yr — you cannot get Prime Access through this program.
AARP member, no government assistance: Walmart+ AARP rate at ~$58/yr — Amazon has no AARP deal.
Income under ~$31,920/yr (single), no qualifying program: Try Prime Access income verification. If approved, $83.88/yr versus $98/yr standard Walmart+.
No discounts available: Walmart+ at $98/yr is cheaper than Prime at $139/yr by $41. If you mainly shop online for non-groceries, Prime’s larger catalog may justify the premium.
Neither membership dominates across every category. These are the areas where one genuinely outperforms the other — and why.
Included. No extra monthly fee. Free same-day delivery on $35+ orders from 4,600+ Walmart stores. Over 80% of Americans live within 10 miles of a Walmart. Lower everyday grocery prices than Whole Foods. SNAP/EBT accepted online and in store.
🏆 Clear winnerRequires +$9.99/month add-on for Amazon Fresh or Whole Foods delivery (+$4.99/month for EBT cardholders). Coverage limited to major metro areas. Whole Foods skews toward organic and premium pricing. Much wider non-grocery product range.
No order minimum for free shipping. Two-day and same-day delivery on 100M+ items. Far wider selection — specialty items, medications, mobility aids, parts, anything hard to find in a physical store all in one place.
🏆 Clear winnerFree next-day and two-day shipping with no order minimum on most items. $35 minimum for grocery delivery. Strong for everyday household essentials and Walmart-brand products. Smaller online marketplace overall.
RxPass at $5/month covers unlimited fills of 100+ eligible generics. Best value if you take two or more qualifying medications and pay out of pocket. RxPass cannot be combined with Medicare Part D or Medicaid coverage.
🏆 Wins for 2+ generic meds (no Part D)$4 per 30-day supply of common generics — no membership required. Free same-day Rx delivery with Walmart+ membership. Compatible with Medicare Part D. In-store pharmacist available.
🏆 Wins for 1 medication or Part D usersLargest content library of the two. NFL Thursday Night Football, NBA, WNBA, Amazon Originals, and a massive licensed film catalog. Ads included since April 2026 — optional ad-free upgrade costs +$4.99/month via Prime Video Ultra.
🏆 Wins on content depthYour choice of Peacock Premium or Paramount+ Essential — switch every 90 days. Peacock: NBC, Sunday Night Football, Olympics. Paramount+: CBS, NFL on CBS, UEFA. Each worth $8–$11/month separately — up to $132/year of streaming value at no extra charge.
10¢/gallon off at 13,000+ stations — Exxon, Mobil, Walmart, Murphy, and Sam’s Club fuel centers. Broader rural and suburban station coverage. A driver filling a 15-gallon tank weekly saves about $78/year.
🏆 Wins on station coverage10¢/gallon off at ~7,500 stations — BP, Amoco, and ampm. Same discount amount, fewer locations. Concentrated in metro areas. Also earns 2% cash back on fuel with the Prime Visa card.
Every feature, every cost, and who wins each category — at a glance before you decide.
| Feature | Amazon Prime | Walmart+ | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard monthly | $14.99/month | $12.95/month | 🏆 Walmart+ |
| Standard annual | $139/year | $98/year | 🏆 Walmart+ |
| Govt. assistance rate | $6.99/mo — Prime Access | $6.47/mo · $49/yr — Assist | 🏆 Walmart+ (by 52¢/mo) |
| Veterans Pension | Not eligible | ✔ Eligible for Assist | 🏆 Walmart+ |
| AARP discount | None — no AARP deal | ~$58/yr (save $40) | 🏆 Walmart+ |
| Free trial | 30 days | 30 days | Tie |
| Grocery delivery included? | No — +$9.99/mo add-on | Yes — included, $35 min. | 🏆 Walmart+ |
| Grocery station coverage | Major metros only | 4,600+ stores · 80%+ of U.S. | 🏆 Walmart+ |
| General shipping | 2-day, 100M+ items, no min. | Next/2-day, no min. | 🏆 Amazon (wider selection) |
| Single generic Rx | Up to 80% off at 60,000+ pharmacies | $4 per 30-day fill (no membership needed) | 🏆 Walmart ($4 flat) |
| Multiple generic Rx (no Part D) | RxPass $5/mo — 100+ generics unlimited | Pay per fill at $4 each | 🏆 Amazon (RxPass) |
| Medicare Part D compatible? | RxPass: NOT compatible | $4 list: compatible | 🏆 Walmart+ |
| Rx delivery | Free 2-day — Amazon Pharmacy | Free same-day — Walmart Pharmacy | 🏆 Walmart+ (same-day) |
| Streaming | Prime Video (large library, NFL Thu, NBA, originals) | Peacock OR Paramount+ (switch q90 days) | 🏆 Amazon (depth) |
| Streaming ads | Included since Apr 2026 · +$4.99/mo to remove | Ad-supported (both services) | Both ad-supported |
| Gas savings | 10¢/gal · ~7,500 stations (BP/Amoco) | 10¢/gal · 13,000+ stations (Exxon/Mobil/Walmart/Murphy) | 🏆 Walmart+ (reach) |
| In-store help | Phone/chat/email only | In-person at 4,600+ Walmart stores | 🏆 Walmart+ |
| Photo storage | Unlimited (Amazon Photos) | Not included | 🏆 Amazon |
| Additional perks | Amazon Music, Prime Reading, Grubhub+, Alexa | Burger King 25% off daily + free Whopper q90 days · Scan & Go · Travel discounts via Expedia · Auto care centers | Lifestyle-dependent |
There is no universal winner. The right choice depends on where you shop, how many prescriptions you fill, which programs you receive, and whether you actually use streaming. Here is exactly who should choose what.
Walmart+ is the clear choice. Grocery delivery is included in the base membership — no extra monthly fee. Your local Walmart is almost certainly closer than an Amazon Fresh hub. Prices at Walmart run lower than Whole Foods for everyday staples. And if something goes wrong with your order, you can drive to the store. Start with the free 30-day trial and place your real weekly order through the app. If it runs smoothly, sign up for Walmart+ Assist at $49/year if you qualify — or the AARP rate at $58/year if not. Either is less than Amazon Fresh’s delivery add-on alone.
Amazon Prime is the stronger choice. Its catalog is simply larger. If you need a specific medication brand, a mobility aid, a specialty kitchen item, or anything unusual, Amazon is far more likely to have it in stock and deliver within 48 hours. The pharmacy discounts and unlimited photo storage add daily value. If you qualify for Prime Access at $6.99/month, you are paying less than two typical shipping charges per month — and you will never pay shipping again on eligible orders.
Check RxPass before anything else. Go to pharmacy.amazon.com and search each medication you take. If two or more appear on the formulary and you pay out of pocket — not through Medicare Part D or Medicaid — the $5/month flat fee almost certainly saves you money immediately. Add that to Prime Access at $6.99/month for qualifying seniors: $11.99/month total covers unlimited eligible generic fills and full Prime benefits. That is a meaningful deal for anyone managing multiple chronic conditions on a fixed income.
If you only take one medication, or if all your prescriptions run through Medicare Part D, Walmart’s $4 generic list is better and requires no membership at all. In that case, let grocery delivery, streaming, and shipping make your decision.
Go to walmart.com/plus/assist first. Veterans Pension Benefits qualify you for the $49/year Assist rate — and this program is not on Amazon’s qualifying list. Many veterans over 65 who receive a VA pension have never checked. The SheerID verification takes a few minutes, your privacy is protected, and your benefit status is unaffected. Once enrolled, all standard Walmart+ benefits apply — grocery delivery, gas savings, streaming, pharmacy delivery, and in-store service.
Amazon Prime Video delivers more sheer variety. If you’re comparing the Prime Access rate ($6.99/month) to a standalone streaming subscription, there is almost no contest — you get fast shipping, pharmacy discounts, photo storage, and Prime Video for less than most streaming services charge on their own. Note: since April 2026, Prime Video now includes ads. Removing them requires the Prime Video Ultra add-on at +$4.99/month. Decide whether the ads bother you enough to add it — many people find them lighter than cable and tolerate them.
Use both free 30-day trials before committing a dollar. Start with Walmart+ if grocery delivery is your primary interest — place your actual weekly grocery order through the app and see whether the process works for your area. A month later, try Amazon Prime and track how often you use shipping, streaming, and pharmacy discounts. At the end of each trial, count concrete savings. If the value you received exceeds the membership cost, it is worth it. If not, cancel before billing starts. Both services make cancellation simple — there is no penalty for ending before the paid period begins.
If you are paying $139/year for standard Amazon Prime and qualify for Prime Access at $6.99/month, go to amazon.com/primeaccess and complete the income or program verification — your billing adjusts going forward. For existing annual plan members, contact Amazon at 1-888-280-4331 about prorating the difference.
If you are paying $98/year for standard Walmart+ and qualify for Assist, go to walmart.com/plus/assist and switch through SheerID — Walmart provides a prorated refund for the unused portion. Your benefits continue uninterrupted. The discounted rates exist specifically because millions of eligible households have never applied. Switching takes about 10 minutes and the savings start immediately.
This guide is for informational purposes only. Membership prices, benefit terms, qualifying program lists, streaming offerings, pharmacy formularies, gas station networks, and delivery coverage are set by Amazon and Walmart and subject to change — always verify current details directly at amazon.com/primeaccess and walmart.com/plus/assist before enrolling. Income thresholds reflect the 2026 federal poverty guidelines published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. RxPass cannot be combined with Medicare Part D or Medicaid coverage; verify at pharmacy.amazon.com. AARP discount availability on Walmart+ is subject to AARP’s partnership terms. Neither Amazon nor Walmart has any affiliation with this page, and no compensation was received from either company for content published here. All written content is original.