Cost, benefits, and what’s included

I think we’ve all accepted that Amazon has taken over the world, but the convenience of going to a single website to browse and shop for just about anything you can think of is too good to ignore. When you consider all the sales and deals, plus not having to drive anywhere, it seems impossible to compete.

Amazon Prime promises to make an already fantastic service even better, but it comes at a cost. However, there’s a lot more bundled in with a Prime subscription than you might initially think. If you’re a new subscriber to Prime or are considering it, here’s a breakdown of everything you get when you sign up.

What is Amazon Prime?

Amazon Prime is a subscription service offered by Amazon that provides members with a variety of benefits, including free fast shipping on eligible items, access to streaming video and music, exclusive shopping deals, and more, all for a monthly or annual fee.

Related

Best early Amazon Big Spring Sale deals: Save on laptops, tablets and more

Amazon’s next big sales event starts on March 20, but there already compelling deals to be had.

Pocket-lint

How much does Amazon Prime cost?

US

In the US, the cost of an Amazon Prime membership is set at $14.99 per month, totaling approximately $179.88 if paid monthly for a year. Alternatively, customers have the option to choose an annual subscription for $139, which offers a more cost-effective solution compared to the monthly payment option. For those interested primarily in video content, Amazon offers a Prime Video-only subscription at a lower cost of $8.99 per month.

A Prime Video-only account costs $8.99 a month.

UK

Across the pond in the UK, Amazon Prime membership is available for £8.99 per month or £95 annually. Opting for the annual payment plan is more economical, saving members around £22.88 compared to the monthly payment scheme over the year.

Related

Best Amazon Fire tablets: Expert tested and reviewed

Debating which Amazon Fire tablet is best for you? Follow along as we give you the rundown of each tablet’s pros, cons, and recommended uses.

Pocket-lint

How to sign up for Amazon Prime

To sign up for Amazon Prime, click the links below to visit the Amazon website. Once there, you’ll need to either create a new Amazon account or log in with your existing credentials. After logging in, navigate to the Amazon Prime section where you can choose between monthly or annual subscription plans. Next, you’ll be prompted to provide your payment information. Finally, confirm your subscription to activate your Prime membership.

If you’re unsure about committing, you can opt for a 30-day free trial and have the option to cancel anytime within this period without being charged.

Related

Best Amazon Echo Show: Which smart display is best for you?

Amazon sells a few different smart displays. Pocket-lint will help you find the right one for your needs.

Does Amazon Prime have a free trial?

Yes. Amazon provides a 30-day free trial of Prime membership in both the US and the UK. This trial period is an excellent opportunity for customers to evaluate the service’s value based on your usage and needs. If you decide that Prime does not align with your expectations or requirements, you can cancel the subscription within the 30-day window without incurring any charges. However, if the subscription is not canceled before the trial ends, Amazon will automatically initiate the charge for the subsequent subscription period — monthly or annuall — based on your selected payment plan.

Related

The 3 easiest ways to actually get ahold of Amazon customer service

Contacting Amazon customer service is like jumping through hoops, but I found quick ways to reach them by phone, email, or chat. You’re welcome.

What’s included with Amazon Prime?

Amazon Prime membership covers several key services all bundled into your subscription.

Great deals on Amazon Prime Day

Amazon Prime Day is a special day of deals exclusive to Prime Members and generally takes place in the summer. Prime membership can also be an advantage on Black Friday too.

Unlimited one-day and same-day delivery

Prime was originally devised to offer free one-day delivery on millions of eligible items across all categories on Amazon’s online store. Order an item tagged as Prime and you will usually get it the next day — even on Sundays. In some cases, this includes same-day delivery, with postcodes and zip codes in and around many major cities across the UK and the US covered by Amazon’s same-day delivery scheme.

Prime Video

Prime Video is the company’s alternative to Netflix. It offers thousands of TV shows, documentaries, and movies to stream to multiple devices, without having to pay anything extra. This includes blockbuster movies and TV series, including exclusives made by Amazon itself — as part of the Amazon Originals line-up — or licensed by the company.

You can also subscribe to Amazon Prime Video on Amazon.com for $8.99 and Amazon.co.uk for £5.99 a month respectively without any of the other Prime benefits, but considering it only costs $3/£2 a month more for a full Prime membership (less if you pay annually) that wouldn’t be the most cost-effective.

Amazon Music Prime

Amazon Music Prime offers more than two million music tracks to listen to on-demand, streamed over the internet to multiple devices. It is included with a Prime subscription, but you can also choose to pay extra (£7.99 a month for Prime members in the UK, $7.99 in the US) for an Amazon Music Unlimited pass to expand the music choice to more than 40 million tracks. Music Unlimited costs $9.99/£9.99 for non-Prime members. It also offers a 30-day free trial.

Prime Reading

You can read over a thousand books, magazines, comics, and more with Prime Reading. It works with any of the Kindle apps for multiple devices or on Kindle eBook readers. You just need to find content supported for Prime Reading and read it as part of your overall Prime membership.

Some books with Audible narration are supported too.

Audible original audio series can also be listened to with an American Prime membership.

Apple

Prime Gaming

After Amazon bought videogame video streaming service Twitch it added some benefits for Prime subscribers. Discounts on games, additional in-game content and ad-free viewing of Twitch streams are on offer. You can also subscribe to your favourite Twitch channel at no extra cost.

In addition to the above, PC gamers get free game downloads each month with Prime Gaming.

Amazon

Amazon Photos

As part of your membership, you get unlimited photo storage on Amazon Photos. That means you can upload and keep a copy of every photo on your desktop PC, Mac, or mobile device. There are apps for both iOS and Android. You can even set them up to automatically upload your pictures as you take them, ensuring you never lose an image, even if your phone is lost or stolen.

Amazon Prime members also get 5GB of video storage as part of the subscription

Early access to deals

All year round, Amazon runs a sales and deals section of its website called Lightning Deals, which offers big bargains on products for a limited time. There is a finite amount of stock on offer for each item and when they have all been bought, the deal is over. Prime membership means you get a 30-minute heads-up on all deals before non-members can also purchase them, so you get the chance to snaffle them first. This is especially attractive during big sales periods, such as during the build-up to Prime Day and Black Friday every year.

Amazon

Amazon Household

With a Prime membership, you can also sign up for Amazo Household, which offers additional benefits, such as 20 percent off diapers when ordered through Amazon’s Subscribe & Save scheme. By creating an Amazon Household, you can share your Prime benefits with another adult. Additionally, you can manage digital content and parental controls on Amazon Kids+.

Related

Best Alexa speaker: Top Amazon Echo alternatives

These smart speakers promise the benefits of Alexa with a superior sound quality to Echo, according to a smart home expert.

Should you try Amazon Prime?

decidinD on Amazon Prime really comes down to how you shop and what you like to do for fun. If you’re often buying things online, love watching movies or series, enjoy music, or read a lot, Prime might be a great fit with its fast shipping, tons of entertainment, and special deals. Plus, there’s a 30-day free trial, so you can check it out without any commitment to see if it suits you.

Related

How to quickly set up your Amazon Fire TV device

Get your smart, bright, and feature-rich Amazon Fire TV set up and running, so you can get right to binging your favorite shows.

FAQ

Q: Is Amazon Prime available internationally?

Yes. Beyond the US and UK, Amazon Prime is available in several countries around the world, but the availability of specific features and benefits can vary by location. It’s best to check Amazon’s website for your country to see what Prime offers are available to you.

Q: Does Amazon Prime offer any benefits for students?

Yes. Amazon offers a Prime Student membership, which includes a trial period that is longer than the standard Prime trial. Prime Student members get all the benefits of Amazon Prime at a discounted rate, provided they have a valid student email address and can confirm their student status. In the US, Prime Student costs $7.49 per month or $69 per year. In the UK, the cost is £4.49 per month or £47.49 per year.