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How Much Is Amazon Prime? Benefits & Membership Details Feb 2026

Curious whether Amazon Prime's $139 price in 2026 is worth it—discover the latest tiers, hidden fees, and money-saving hacks to help you decide before you renew.
Updated

For many shoppers, the first few months of the year is the time to review credit card statements and decide which subscriptions make the cut. A standard 2026 Amazon Prime membership currently costs $139 per year, which might seem like a hefty upfront expense—until you consider that bundling the vast marketplace with fast shipping and the massive Prime Video library at no cost offers a value that is hard to beat.

To help you decide if the membership is still the undisputed king of online shopping, we have broken down exactly how much Amazon Prime costs right now. From the current tiered pricing options and "hidden" ad-free upgrades to the best hacks for scoring a discount, here is everything you need to know before hitting that renew button.

Top Amazon Prime Membership Deals

Amazon Prime Government Assistance

$6.99/mo.

If you are on Government Assistance, you can get an Amazon Prime membership for $6.99 per month. As an Amazon Prime member, you'll get free shipping, exclusive deals and perks, and more.

Amazon Prime Government Assistance

30-Day Free Trial

Amazon is offering an Amazon Prime 30-day free trial for anyone on government assistance. As an Amazon Prime member, you'll get free shipping, exclusive deals and perks, and more.

Amazon Prime Student Discount

$7.49/mo.

Students can get an Amazon Prime membership for $7.49 per month. As an Amazon Prime member, you'll get free shipping, exclusive deals and perks, and more.

Amazon Prime Student Discount

6-Month Free Trial

Students can get a free 6-month Amazon Prime trial. As an Amazon Prime member, you'll get free shipping, exclusive deals and perks, and more.

Amazon Prime Membership for Young Adults

$7.49/mo.

Young adults can get an Amazon Prime Membership for $7.49 per month. As an Amazon Prime member, you'll get exclusive deals and perks, and more.

Amazon Prime Annual Membership

$139/year

Get an Amazon Prime Membership for $139 annually. As an Amazon Prime member, you'll get exclusive deals and perks, and more.

Amazon Prime Monthly Membership

$14.99/mo.

Get an Amazon Prime Membership for $14.99 per month. As an Amazon Prime member, you'll get exclusive deals and perks, and more

Amazon Prime Membership

30-Day Free Trial

Enjoy a 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime. As an Amazon Prime member, you'll get exclusive deals and perks, and more.

Amazon Music Unlimited

$10.99/mo. w/ Prime

Amazon Prime members can get Amazon Music Unlimited for $10.99 per month. You wil get access to 100 million songs ad-free and on demand, most ad-free top podcasts, large catalog of audiobooks from Audible, and more. This deal ends December 31, 2026.

GrubHub+ Membership

Free w/ Amazon Prime

Amazon Prime members can enjoy unlimited $0 delivery fees, exclusive savings, and more when you order through GrubHub. A GrubHub+ membership alone is $120 per year. This offer end December 31, 2026.

How Much Is Amazon Prime in 2026? The Short Answer

  • Standard Monthly Cost: $14.99 per month
  • Standard Annual Cost: $139 per year (Saves you about $41 over the monthly plan)
  • Student / Young Adult Cost: $7.49/month or $69/year
  • Government Assistance (EBT/Medicaid) Cost: $6.99 per month
  • Prime Video Only Cost: $8.99 per month

How Much Does Amazon Prime Cost This February?

While the headline price of Amazon Prime has held steady at $139 since 2022, the actual cost to you in February 2026 depends entirely on which plan fits your lifestyle. Amazon has moved away from a "one price fits all" model, introducing tiered options that cater to students, young adults, and assistance recipients. Whether you are looking to binge-watch the latest series or just need that free same-day delivery, understanding these tiers is the first step to ensuring you never overpay for your membership.

Here is the comprehensive breakdown of current pricing, plans, and value-adds for February 2026.

Standard Amazon Prime Membership

For most households, this is the default option. It unlocks every benefit Amazon has to offer, from shipping to streaming and unlimited photo storage. While the monthly option offers flexibility, the annual commitment is mathematically the better deal.

  • Annual Plan: $139 per year. This is the best value, effectively bringing the cost down to about $11.58 per month.
  • Monthly Plan: $14.99 per month. This is a good option if you only need Prime for a specific season, like during the holidays or Prime Day, but it costs approximately $41 more per year than the annual plan.
  • 30-Day Free Trial: New members typically qualify to enjoy all perks as paid members for a limited time.
  • Best For: Households that order from Amazon at least twice a month or use the streaming services regularly.

Prime for Young Adults (Formerly Prime Student)

In a major shift, Amazon now extends its educational discount to anyone aged 18-24, regardless of whether they are enrolled in college. This makes it one of the most accessible discounts on the market.

  • Annual Plan: $69 per year.
  • Monthly Plan: $7.49 per month.
  • 6-Month Free Trial: This tier includes an incredibly generous perk, giving you half a year of benefits before you pay a dime.
  • Exclusive Perks: Access to deeply discounted flights via StudentUniverse and cheaper textbook rentals.
  • Eligibility: Requires age verification (18-24) or a valid .edu email address if you are a student over 25.

Prime Access for Qualified Assistance

If you receive government assistance, you have access to the absolute lowest rate available. This plan offers the full suite of Prime benefits—including shipping and entertainment—at less than half the standard cost.

  • Monthly Rate: $6.99 per month.
  • Eligibility: Available to recipients of Medicaid, SNAP (EBT), SSI, WIC, LIHEAP, and other government assistance programs.
  • Verification: You must upload a photo of your EBT card or eligibility letter to the Prime Access portal to activate this rate.
  • Value: You get the exact same shipping and streaming benefits as the full-price members, just at a ~53% discount.

Prime Video Only Membership

If you already get free shipping from other retailers and only care about watching The Boys or Thursday Night Football, this standalone plan removes the shipping perks to lower the price.

  • Monthly Rate:
  • $8.99 per month.
  • What You Miss: This does not include free shipping, Amazon Music, or Whole Foods discounts. It is strictly for streaming content.
  • Best For: People who want to watch Amazon Originals but shop at Walmart or Target. This plan does not include free shipping or grocery discounts.

RxPass and Pharmacy

Finally, a feature that is becoming increasingly relevant is the pharmacy benefit. All Prime members get savings of up to 80% on generic prescriptions at over 60,000 pharmacies.

  • Monthly Rate: $5 per month.
  • What You Get: You can get all your eligible generic medications delivered to your door for free. If you take two or more maintenance medications, this add-on pays for itself immediately.

Expert Tips for Maximizing Value

To get the most out of your subscription in 2026, keep these critical details in mind:

  • Watch Out for the "Ad-Free" Surcharge: The base membership now includes limited advertisements in movies and TV shows. To remove ads, you must pay an additional $2.99 per month, which brings the true annual cost of a standard ad-free experience to roughly $175.
  • Calculate the Tax: Remember that digital memberships are taxable in many states. Depending on where you live, that $139 fee can look more like $150 on your credit card statement.
  • The "Pause" Feature: If you are traveling or tightening your budget, Amazon allows you to "pause" your membership rather than canceling it outright, locking in your current rate for when you return.

For deal seekers, Amazon Prime remains a powerhouse service, but only if you choose the right tier. By taking a moment to verify your eligibility for Prime Access or the Young Adult plan, you can secure the same fast shipping and entertainment for a fraction of the cost. Always start with the 30-day (or 6-month) free trial to test the waters before committing to the annual fee.

What Are the Amazon Prime Benefits? A Deep Dive Into Membership Perks

Let's be real for a second: most of us originally signed up for Amazon Prime because we procrastinated on buying a birthday gift and needed it to arrive in 48 hours. But in 2026, the membership has evolved into something much bigger than just a shipping service. It is effectively a "life operating system" that handles your entertainment, your groceries, your photo backups, and now, even your gas tank.

When you look at the $139 annual fee in isolation, it can sting. But when you peel back the layers, you realize that Amazon is aggressively bundling services that would cost hundreds of dollars if purchased separately. For example, the unlimited photo storage alone competes with cloud services that charge $10 a month. The key to making the math work is actually using these "hidden" perks rather than letting them sit idle.

Here is a comprehensive look at what you actually get for your money this year.

Fast, Free Delivery

This is the benefit that started it all. The shipping benefits have gotten significantly faster over the last few years. While "Two-Day Shipping" is the classic promise, members in major metro areas now treat "Same-Day Delivery" as the standard for essentials.

Members get unlimited Two-Day, One-Day, and Same-Day delivery on millions of eligible items. In many cities, you can order a replacement phone charger or a bag of coffee in the morning and have it on your doorstep by 5 PM. It is the ultimate convenience tax, baked right into the membership fee.

Amazon Day Delivery

This is an unsung hero feature for the eco-conscious or the organized. Instead of getting a trickle of packages every day, you can choose a specific day of the week to have all your orders arrive in fewer boxes. It is better for the environment and keeps your porch from looking like a cardboard fortress that tempts package thieves.

Prime Day Events

A Prime membership is your ticket to the biggest shopping events of the year outside of Black Friday. Amazon hosts its flagship Prime Day in July and the Prime Big Deal Days event in October. These sales offer millions of price drops that are exclusively available to active members. From 4K TVs to Air Fryers, the savings on a single big-ticket item during Prime Day can often cover the cost of the entire $139 annual membership fee.

Grubhub Plus Membership

Once a temporary trial, this is now a permanent perk included with your subscription. It gives you a $0 delivery fee on eligible restaurant orders over $12. Since a standalone Grubhub Plus membership usually costs about $120 a year, frequent takeout fans can justify the entire cost of Prime with this benefit alone.

Whole Foods and Amazon Fresh Discounts

If you have a Whole Foods nearby, your Prime app is basically a coupon book. Scanning your in-store code gives you an extra 10% off items already on sale (just look for the yellow tags). Additionally, members get access to exclusive weekly rotating deals at Amazon Fresh, sometimes offering up to 50% off grocery staples.

Fuel Savings

A major addition for 2026, this benefit helps offset the cost of your commute. Prime members now save $0.10 per gallon at roughly 7,000 participating gas stations (including Amoco, BP, and ampm) by linking their account to the free "earnify" app.

Expert Tip: If you fill up a standard 15-gallon gas tank just once a week, the $0.10/gallon discount saves you $78 over the course of a year.

Prime Video

Included with your membership is access to thousands of movies and TV episodes, including massive Amazon Originals like The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, The Boys, and Reacher. It also includes rights to live sports like Thursday Night Football. The catch? The standard plan now includes limited advertisements. If you want a completely ad-free experience, you will need to pay an additional surcharge of $2.99 per month.

Amazon Music Prime

This service gives you ad-free access to a staggering catalog of 100 million songs and top podcasts. The difference between this and the paid "Unlimited" tier is how you listen: Music Prime is largely "shuffle-only," meaning you can pick an artist or playlist, but you can't always pick the specific song order. It is perfect for background listening during work or a workout, but audiophiles may still want to upgrade.

Prime Gaming

If you are a gamer, this benefit pays for itself quickly. Each month, Amazon gives away a selection of free PC games that are yours to keep forever. On top of that, you get a free monthly subscription to one Twitch channel (normally a $4.99 value), allowing you to support your favorite streamer without spending extra cash.

Amazon Photos

Don't sleep on this perk—it is arguably the most valuable "hidden" feature in the bundle. Prime members get unlimited full-resolution photo storage and 5 GB of video storage. In an era where Google and Apple charge a premium for cloud space, having a place to back up every single photo you have ever taken without compression is a game-changer.

Hidden Gem: A comparable 2TB cloud storage plan from Google One or Apple iCloud costs roughly $120 per year. Prime gives you unlimited photo storage for free, making it one of the most valuable underrated perks.

Early Access to Lightning Deals

This is arguably the most critical feature for DealNews readers. Prime members get a 30-minute head start on Amazon Lightning Deals. During high-traffic events like Black Friday or Prime Big Deal Days, the best offers often sell out completely during this exclusive window, meaning non-Prime members never even get a chance to add them to their cart.

5% Cash Back with the Prime Visa

If you shop on Amazon frequently, the Prime Visa card is a no-brainer. It offers unlimited 5% cash back on Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, and Whole Foods purchases with no annual credit card fee. If you spend $2,800 a year on Amazon (about $233 a month), the $140 cash back you earn effectively covers the cost of your Prime membership entirely.

Prime Try Before You Buy

Buying clothes online is usually a gamble, but this perk fixes that. You can choose up to six items of clothing, shoes, or accessories to be shipped to you for free. You have seven days to try them on at home, keep what you like, and return the rest using a resealable bag and prepaid label. You are only charged for the items you decide to keep.

Prime Reading and Amazon First Reads

While it isn't the full Kindle Unlimited library, Prime Reading gives you access to a rotating catalog of about 3,000 eBooks, magazines, and comics at no extra cost. Additionally, the Amazon First Reads program allows members to download one free Kindle book every month from a curated list of editors' picks—often before they are released to the general public.

No-Rush Shipping Rewards

If you are not in a hurry, you can actually make money off your shipping. By selecting "No-Rush Shipping" at checkout (usually arriving in 5-7 days instead of 2), Amazon will often give you digital credits ranging from $1 to $3. These credits can be used to buy Kindle books, rent movies on Prime Video, or purchase app store content. It is an easy way to fund your next movie night just by being patient.

Subscribe and Save

While you do not technically need a Prime membership to use Subscribe and Save, the feature works hardest for Prime members who want to put their household chores on autopilot. By setting up recurring deliveries for five or more products in one month—think paper towels, dog food, or toothpaste—you unlock a 15% discount on your entire bundle. For parents, the Amazon Family perk boosts this further, offering 20% off diapers and baby food subscriptions. It is the easiest way to lower your monthly grocery bill without actually going to the store.

Expert Tip: A family that subscribes to five common items (like diapers, wipes, paper towels, dog food, and coffee pods) can save over $150 per year with the 15-20% discount, easily covering the membership cost.

Amazon Fresh

If you live in a supported metro area, Amazon Fresh is essentially a supermarket that lives in your phone. Prime members get exclusive access to huge weekly discounts on a rotating selection of groceries—sometimes up to 50% off specific items like steak, berries, or pantry staples. Plus, in 2026, members now get an automatic 10% off Amazon's private-label brands (like Aplenty and Amazon Fresh), making the generic option even cheaper than your local budget grocery store.

Whole Foods Market Discounts

Your Prime app serves as a digital VIP card at Whole Foods Market. When you scan your code at checkout (or use the palm scanner), you automatically get an extra 10% off items that are already on sale. Just look for the yellow "Prime Member Deal" tags throughout the store. On top of that, you will find exclusive weekly "blue tag" deals that are only for members, which can make shopping at the notoriously pricey organic grocer surprisingly affordable.

Amazon Pharmacy

This is one of the most underrated perks for saving real money. Prime members get free two-day delivery on prescriptions, but the real star is the pricing. By using Prime instead of insurance, you can save up to 80% on generic drugs and 40% on brand-name medications at over 60,000 participating pharmacies. For those with chronic conditions, the RxPass add-on allows you to pay a flat fee of $5 a month to get as many eligible generic medications as you need delivered to your door with zero shipping costs.

Key Things to Know About Amazon Prime This Year

Whether you are a new subscriber or a long-time member wondering if you should renew, the landscape of Amazon Prime changes slightly every year. From new cancellation policies to family sharing rules, here is the essential "fine print" you need to navigate your membership in 2026.

When Will the Price for Prime Go Up Next?

Amazon typically raises prices every 3 to 4 years to cover rising fuel and labor costs. The last major hike occurred in February 2022, when the fee jumped from $119 to the current $139. While the prices remain stable as of February 2026, many analysts predict a potential increase to $159 could happen by late 2026 or early 2027. If you are worried about inflation, locking in an annual membership now effectively freezes your rate for the next 12 months.

Does Amazon Prime Offer a Military Discount?

One of the most common questions we see is whether Amazon offers a military discount. The short answer is no, there is no permanent, year-round military discount for active duty or veterans. Amazon generally points service members toward the Prime Access plan if they qualify via income or assistance programs.

However, there is a workaround: Veterans and active duty members should mark their calendars for Veterans Day (November 11). In previous years, Amazon has offered a dedicated promotion window where military members can snag a year of Prime for $79 (a $60 savings).

Does Amazon Offer Price Adjustments If the Price Drops After I Buy?

Generally, no. Amazon discontinued its price protection policy years ago. If you buy headphones on Tuesday and the price drops $20 on Wednesday, customer service will usually deny a refund for the difference. The only valid workaround is the "Return and Re-buy" strategy: order the item again at the lower price and return the original, higher-priced unit for a full refund (since returns are free for Prime members). The only exception is Pre-Orders, where you are automatically guaranteed the lowest price between your order date and release day.

How Does Amazon Prime Pricing Compare to Other Memberships?

For years, Amazon Prime was the only membership that really mattered. But in 2026, the landscape has shifted. Competitors like Walmart and Target have aggressively launched their own subscription services to chip away at Amazon's dominance, specifically targeting grocery shoppers and families. While Amazon still holds the crown for digital entertainment, it is no longer the automatic winner for everyone. If you are trying to decide where to park your $100+ this year, here is how the big four stack up side-by-side.

Membership

Annual Price

Best For

Key Features

Amazon Prime

$139

Overall value; shipping and streaming

Video and music streaming, photo storage, Grubhub Plus

Walmart Plus

$98

Families and grocery delivery

Free grocery delivery, Paramount Plus, fuel discounts.

Target Circle 360

$99

Parents and same-day essentials

Unlimited same-day delivery via Shipt for orders over $35.

Costco

$65 - $130

Bulk shoppers and gas

Access to warehouse pricing, cheap gas, and travel packages.

If you want a "life bundle" that replaces your Spotify (Music), Netflix (Video), and iCloud (Photos) subscriptions while giving you fast shipping, Amazon Prime is still the best overall value at $139. Nothing else matches its digital library.

However, if your main goal is saving money on food, Walmart Plus is arguably the smarter buy. At $98, it is significantly cheaper, and because it fulfills orders from your local store, you can get fresh groceries delivered to your door same-day without the markup often found on delivery apps. Target Circle 360 is excellent for loyal Target shoppers who need diapers or household essentials delivered in as little as an hour, but it lacks the extra perks like streaming or gas savings found in the other two.

Can I Share My Account With Others?

You absolutely do not need to buy a separate membership for everyone in your house. In fact, if you are doing that, you are throwing away $139 a year. The Amazon Family feature, formerly known as Amazon Household, allows you to link your account with one other adult to share the core benefits—shipping, streaming, and photos—while keeping your personal order histories private. This means you won't spoil a surprise birthday gift, even though you are effectively splitting the bill.

To set this up, you must agree to share payment methods, meaning the other adult will have access to your saved credit cards during checkout. It is a system built on trust, but for spouses or roommates with shared expenses, it cuts the effective cost of Prime down to $69.50 per person. You can also add up to four teen profiles (ages 13-17) that get their own logins, but you retain the power to approve or deny their orders via text before the charge goes through.

Can I Gift an Amazon Prime Membership?

Yes, and it makes a fantastic gift for college students or new parents. You can buy a "Prime Gift Membership" for the same price as the standard plan ($39 for 3 months or $139 for a year). If the recipient is already a Prime member, they aren't stuck with a double subscription; they can choose to exchange your gift for an Amazon Gift Card of equal value.

How Much is Amazon Business Prime?

If you are a freelancer or small business owner, the standard Prime account might not be enough. Business Prime Duo is available for free with a personal Prime membership. For standalone business accounts, Business Prime Essentials costs $179/year (up to five users) and includes spending visibility tools and extended terms for "Pay by Invoice."

Does My US Amazon Prime Membership Work Internationally?

Generally, no. Prime shipping benefits are specific to the marketplace where you signed up (e.g., Amazon.com vs. Amazon.co.uk). You cannot get free 2-day shipping to a hotel in London with a US Prime account. However, you can access your Prime Video account while traveling abroad, though the library of available movies and TV shows will change based on international licensing rights (look for the "Watch While Abroad" carousel).

How Does a Prime Account Help Me With Returns?

If returns are on your mind, Amazon has you covered. The biggest hidden perk of Prime is the "No Box, No Label" return. You can drop off eligible returns at thousands of locations—including Whole Foods Market, Kohl's, and The UPS Store—without printing a label or finding a box. Just show the QR code on your phone, hand over the naked item, and you are done. When you use this method, Amazon often triggers the refund to your account within hours of the scan, rather than making you wait for the item to get back to the warehouse.

Does Amazon Prime Have Customer Service?

Yes, but contacting customer service and getting a human to respond has become harder as Amazon prioritizes automated chatbots. The fastest shortcut is to go to the "Contact Us" page in the app, type "Customer Service," and look for the option to "Request a Call Now." This triggers Amazon's system to call you immediately, which is much faster than waiting on hold.

How Do I Cancel My Amazon Prime Free Trial?

To avoid the $14.99 or $139 charge, go to "Your Account" > "Prime Membership" > "Update, cancel and more" and select "End Membership." You do not need to wait until the last day; you can cancel immediately after signing up, and Amazon will usually allow you to continue using the free trial benefits until the full 30-day window expires.

What is Amazon's Refund Policy?

Amazon's refund policy is surprisingly fair, provided you know the rules. If you cancel your membership, you can get a full refund of your $139 fee—but only if you have not used any Prime benefits since the charge went through. This is stricter than it sounds.

"Using benefits" includes placing a Prime-shipped order, streaming a single video, listening to a song on Prime Music, or borrowing a book. If you have done any of those things, Amazon will typically calculate a pro-rated refund based on the months remaining in your billing cycle rather than giving you the full amount back. You can read all the fine print in Amazon Prime's Terms and Conditions.

Can I Pause My Membership Instead of Canceling?

Yes. Amazon now offers a "Pause" feature, primarily for monthly subscribers. If you are going on a long vacation or just want to save money for a few months, you can pause billing. This keeps your account settings, watchlist, and music playlists intact, so everything is exactly how you left it when you resume paying.

How Do I Cancel My Amazon Prime Membership?

If you have decided the service isn't worth the $139, Amazon has made the cancellation process relatively straightforward, though it takes a few clicks.

  • Step 1: Go to the Amazon homepage and hover over "Account and Lists" in the top right corner.
  • Step 2: Select "Prime Membership" from the drop-down menu.
  • Step 3: Look for the "Manage Membership" section near the top of the page. Click on the button that says "Update, cancel and more."
  • Step 4: Select "End Membership." Amazon will likely show you a page of benefits you will lose (like how much shipping you saved) to try to change your mind. Click "Continue to Cancel" until you see the confirmation.

Pro Tip: You do not have to end it immediately. You can select "End on [Date]" to keep your benefits until your current billing cycle expires, ensuring you get every day you paid for.

Is Amazon Prime Worth the Cost in 2026?

With a price tag of $139, the question of whether Amazon Prime is "worth it" has become an essential part of any household's annual budget review. Based on extensive user feedback and our own editor recommendations, the answer depends entirely on treating it as a lifestyle bundle rather than just a shipping service.

If you only order a few packages a year, the math simply doesn't work; you would be better off just hitting the standard $35 free shipping threshold for non-members. However, the moment you begin to factor in the other benefits, the value proposition changes dramatically.

If you are a numbers person, the break-even point is easier to calculate than you might think. Based on current service fees, the membership pays for itself if you hit any of these milestones in a year:

  • 25 orders: Assuming standard shipping costs roughly $6 per order, ordering twice a month covers the annual fee.
  • 5 months of streaming: If you cancelled a standard Netflix subscription ($15.49/mo) and switched to Prime Video to watch its library of award-winning shows and movies, you would be in the "green" by month five.
  • 20 takeout orders: With the included Grubhub Plus membership saving you about $6 in delivery fees per order, ordering dinner twice a month covers the cost of Prime.

If you do a combination of all three—order a few packages, stream entertainment, and order pizza on Fridays—the membership effectively becomes "free" halfway through the year. Ultimately, the best way to evaluate the cost is to sign up for the 30-day free trial. It is the only risk-free way to audit your own usage and decide if the various cost options and benefits are right for you.

Is Amazon Prime Worth It For You? A Quick Checklist

Still on the fence? Run through this quick checklist. If you answer "yes" to two or more of these, the $139 annual fee will likely pay for itself.

  • The Frequent Shopper: Do you place two or more Amazon orders per month? (Yes / No)
  • The Streaming Enthusiast: Do you pay for more than one other streaming service (like Netflix or Hulu) and want to consolidate? (Yes / No)
  • The Takeout Fan: Do you order from Grubhub or DoorDash more than twice a month? (Yes / No)
  • The Family Archivist: Are you paying for extra cloud storage from Apple or Google to back up your family photos? (Yes / No)
  • The Whole Foods Regular: Is Whole Foods your primary grocery store? (Yes / No)

Who Should Skip Prime?

As great as it is, Prime isn't for everyone. You should probably skip the membership if you fall into one of these categories:

  • The Patient Shopper: If you rarely need items in less than a week and your orders consistently total over $35, you can get free standard shipping without paying for Prime.
  • The Budget Streamer: If you are happy with free services like YouTube, Pluto TV, or Tubi, the value of Prime Video is significantly diminished.
  • The Brick-and-Mortar Loyalist: If you do the vast majority of your shopping at Walmart, Target, or in-person stores, you simply won't order enough to justify the annual fee.

How We Find and Verify Amazon Prime Prices

Our team of editors and deal hunters constantly monitors Amazon's official press releases, help pages, and terms of service to ensure every price listed here is current for February 2026. We don't just take the headline price at face value; we actively test signup portals to verify eligibility requirements for the "Prime for Young Adults" and "Prime Access" tiers, ensuring the discounts we report are actually available to you. We also track historical pricing data and sift through verified shopper ratings to predict when the next fee hike is likely to occur, helping you time your renewal for maximum savings.

Why Should You Trust DealNews for Amazon Prime Discounts?

DealNews has been tracking online pricing trends for over 25 years, long before Amazon Prime even existed. We are a team of real human editors, not algorithms, who vet every single deal to ensure it is a genuine price drop and not just a marketing trick. We dig through the fine print of every membership tier and promo code so you don't have to.

To stay ahead of the next potential price hike or to catch the next big "glitch" that drops membership fees, we highly recommend you sign up for the DealNews Select newsletter. It delivers the day's best verified offers straight to your inbox. For even faster updates, you can set up a custom Deal Alert for "Amazon Prime" to get an instant notification the moment a discount on membership fees or credits goes live.

Jim Adams
Managing Editor

Jim has been with DealNews for over two decades and still has nightmares about the days when placing an order from mail-order catalogs required a phone call. He's a grizzled deal veteran, having lived through and covered all modern-era Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. ("Black Friday" as a retail term first emerged in the late 1960s—and he's not quite that old.) As a lifelong (and unapologetic) Apple fanboy, Jim loves helping others find deals on the latest MacBooks, iPads, and iPhones. But he'll happily cross the aisle to uncover the best discounts on PCs and everything else from video games to vacuums. When he's not sleuthing for the next big deal, Jim's either rewatching The Office for the 57th time, finally getting around to finishing The Witcher 3, or planning a trip to a remote, mountainous corner of the world—sans Internet.
DealNews may be compensated by companies mentioned in this article. Please note that, although prices sometimes fluctuate or expire unexpectedly, all products and deals mentioned in this feature were available at the lowest total price we could find at the time of publication (unless otherwise specified).

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