Amazon Prime: What are the perks Prime members get?
Sometimes it seems like Amazon is trying to take over the world. Since the release of Prime, the retailer has exploded far beyond retail and into online services and entertainment. Amazon Prime makes use of the retailer’s immense reach and infrastructure to give users the benefits it hopes will keep them shopping on Amazon. Is an Amazon Prime subscription worth it, though? That depends on a few things, including your shopping and entertainment habits. To help you figure out if it’s worth it, let’s look at what a Prime account gets you so that you can make an informed decision.
What is an Amazon Prime membership?
Amazon Primeis a paid subscription service that gives users access to special shopping perks and online content. The monthly Amazon Prime membership fee is $14.99, but you’re able to opt for an annual fee of $139 instead, which results in a savings of around $43.
If you’re not quite sure by the end of this article, there is a30-day free trialof Prime, so you can see for yourself if it’s worth it before you commit.
What are the entertainment benefits of Amazon Prime?
Amazon Prime Video, Prime Gaming, Prime Music, and Prime Reading are entertainment services built into Amazon Prime. Amazon’s hope is that the variety of content will convince as many people as possible to be Prime members. Amazon Prime memberships are not only for you, either. With Amazon Household and Amazon Family, you can share your Prime account and perks with your family. If you’re a student, you can also access student discounts and a six-month free trial with Prime Student.
Prime Video
Amazon Prime Videois Amazon’s premium video streaming service. Prime Video lets subscribers stream ad-free movies and TV shows from their TV, computer, or iOS or Android devices. The content on Prime Video includes a healthy dose of Amazon Originals as well as a catalog of content from third-party studios.
Amazon Prime members also get a discount on Prime Video Channel subscriptions for channels like HBO, Showtime, and Starz. As a Prime member, you can sign up for a free trial of most of the Prime Video Channels to try them out. Even with a Prime account, Prime Video Channels are individual, paid subscriptions for each channel and cost between $4.99 and $14.99 monthly.
Prime Gaming
Gaming is one of the fastest-growing entertainment industries in the world, so it’s no surprise that Amazon wants in on that business.Prime Gaminggives users access to monthly free games, free in-game content, and one free monthly Twitch subscription. The free games onPrime Gamingare not always top-tier, though there are some worthwhile titles available for PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox.
Amazon Music Prime
Amazon Music Primeis Amazon’s attempt to compete with brands like Spotify and YouTube Music by giving you music to listen to on your phone, computer, or Amazon Echo devices. As a regular Amazon Prime member, you get access to over two million ad-free songs, a collection of curated playlists, and a large podcast library.
Aside from the free music on Music Prime, members also get a discount on anAmazon Music Unlimitedsubscription. The monthly fee of $8.99 for Amazon Music Unlimited buys Prime members access to a library of 75 million songs and lossless audio quality, up from the 320 Kbps limit with regular Amazon Prime Music.
Amazon Prime Music is also available to non-prime members for $9.99 per month. If you’re considering signing up for Prime just for the Prime Music Unlimited discount, the standalone subscription is a better bet. If you’re a Prime member and want to try out Prime Music Unlimited, make sure you have a pair ofhigh-quality earphonesto enjoy an improved listening experience.
Prime Reading
If you have a Kindle or Fire tablet or use the Kindle app on your Android or iOS device to read the occasional book, you’ll be happy to know that Amazon Prime has something for you as well with the freePrime Readingperks included with a Prime account. Prime Reading offers members access to a rotating library of eBooks, comics, magazines, and audiobooks at no extra cost.
In addition to Prime Reading, Prime members have free access to a curated selection of books a month early withFirst Reads. While the free read with First Reads is limited to one book per month, you could keep any titles you download during your Prime membership and re-read them at your leisure.
Amazon Photos
If you miss the days of unlimited Google Photos backups, you’ll be glad to know that an Amazon Prime subscription includesAmazon Photos, which provides access to unlimited photo storage and 5 GB of video storage at no extra cost. Along with the free photo storage, Prime members can also order physical copies of photos stored in the Amazon cloud.
Amazon Prime shopping and delivery perks
Amazon is primarily an online retailer, so it makes sense that many Prime benefits focus on the shopping experience. Prime perks for shopping include free shipping and faster shipping, but Prime accounts include other shopping benefits, like early access to deals and special return policies.
Prime delivery options
A key point in the online shopping experience is the delivery, and Amazon Prime’sdelivery perksgive you more control over how, where, and when your products arrive. First and foremost, a variety of freedelivery optionsare included in Prime. Depending on who is selling the product, where you live, and when you order it, you can get free same-day delivery, one-day delivery, or two-day delivery on a selection of products from the Amazon online store. Amazon Prime also offers free two-day shipping on medications and other products fromAmazon Pharmacy.
One of the best delivery perks of a Prime subscription is the free in-garageAmazon Keydelivery option, although you need compatible hardware for this feature.Amazon Dayallows Prime account holders to shop for up to seven days and request delivery of all their purchases on a specific day, making delivery more predictable and less stressful. Similar to Amazon Day, Amazon offersNo-Rush shipping, which rewards shoppers for postponing non-urgent deliveries. Amazon Prime prioritizes Prime members on hot-ticket items like new games, technology, and music releases with Release-Date Delivery, ensuring that you get eligible items by 7 p.m. on the release date.
If you enjoy stocking your wardrobe with Amazon products, you’ll enjoy Prime Try Before You Buy. This shopping perk lets shoppers purchase clothing items from Amazon, have them delivered, and return anything that doesn’t fit without any penalties.
Grocery Delivery from Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market
Prime members also get free two-hourdelivery of groceriesand household items from Amazon Fresh, exclusive discounts, 5% cash back, two-hour delivery, and discounts on purchases from Whole Foods Market. Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods perks are restricted to certain cities, so it’s best to check availability in your area before handing over your credit card information for a Prime subscription.
Exclusive Amazon Prime member-only deals
Along with a variety of free delivery options, a Prime membership includes other shopping perks like discounts and cash-back rewards for eligible purchases. For a start, Prime members getearly accessto Lightning Deals (which are limited time and stock discounts on selected products) 30 minutes before non-Prime members do.
If you’re a frequent Amazon shopper, a Prime membership rewards you with several credit options and rewards cards. Qualifying Prime members can get an Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card, giving them access to special rewards and discounts from Amazon and Whole Foods Market.
Amazon Prime Day
Once a year, Amazon celebratesPrime Day—originally to celebrate the company’s anniversary, although the date has shifted a few times, landing on July 12 and 13 for 2022—when it offers sales across a wide selection of products. Prime Day deals are exclusive to Prime members, and members can access rewards and further discounts and rewards when shopping with their Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature credit card. Prime Day is the perfect time to sign up for a Prime account, especially if you have kids who need back-to-school supplies or want to refresh some of your tech. We have afull rundownof Prime Day and the deals on offer if you want to know more.
Is an Amazon Prime membership worth it?
Whether you should sign up for Prime depends on you, though there are Prime benefits to appeal to most people. If you shop on Amazon more than once or twice a month, free shipping with Prime could do it. If you’re the kind that enjoys music, video, and game streaming, Prime might appeal to you for those perks. While individual perks are not necessarily a reason to sign up, the entertainment benefits are enticing if you shop on Amazon. If you’re planning on using Prime Day to update your tech, a free Prime trial is a good way to take advantage of member-only savings and get a feel for all the benefits without spending any money.
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