As wild as it may sound, some of us have had an Amazon subscription for 20 years (Prime became a thing in February 2005), meaning we’ve had access to all kinds of perks and programs for a large chunk of our lives. Over the years, Amazon Prime has gone from being a service to get free shipping and exclusive deals to one that gives us access to one of the best streaming services around where we can watch so many great 2025 movies and 2025 TV shows with a few clicks.
If you’ve been on the fence about signing up for an Amazon subscription for one reason or another, or you’re somehow just now learning about the membership, stick around because we’re about to break down everything you need to know about Prime…
How Much Does An Amazon Prime Subscription Cost
When it comes to the price of a subscription, Amazon Prime gives members multiple options to choose from.
As of August 2025, a standard Amazon Prime subscription costs $14.99 per month for new subscribers, though there is the option to pay a one-time annual fee of $139, which ends up being around $11.58 per month. For those who are only interested in watching movies and shows on Prime Video and don’t care for all the other perks (which will be detailed below), a Prime Video membership runs $8.99 per month.
Amazon offers a discounted version of its subscription service for college students, which costs $7.49 per month or $69 annually for those who sign up for an entire year. It should be noted that an email address ending with .edu is required for the Amazon Prime Student membership.
In January 2024, Prime Video started including small ad breaks for shows and movies, but subscribers can pay an additional $2.99 per month to eliminate ads.
Amazon Prime Members Get Free Shipping With Eligible Purchases
One of the best Amazon Prime perks is the free shipping for eligible products, most of which are available with no minimum purchase. The most common delivery option for Amazon Prime purchases is two-day shipping, but there is sometimes a one-day option if you’re in a bind.
Amazon Prime members in select areas can not only get free two-day and one-day delivery, but they can also get their items delivered the same day they are purchased. Basically, if someone orders something in the morning (and they live in an area with this option), it could be there by that night. Please note, a minimum purchase of $25 on eligible items is required for this benefit. Prime members who don’t meet the threshold can pay up to $2.99 in delivery fees, while non-members can get same-day shipping by paying as much as $12.99 per order, according to Amazon’s help page.
Amazon Prime members in select areas also have access to two-hour grocery delivery, including both fresh produce and meats and shelf-stable items. Now we just need the Amazon Prime air shipping to come to fruition.
Amazon Prime Members Can Get Digital Discounts If They Choose No-Rush Shipping
What if someone buys something but isn’t really in a big rush for it to get there? Well, Amazon Prime members can build up digital discounts whenever they choose the “no-rush shipping” option at checkout.
Basically, this no-rush shipping option credits members with a $1 digital coupon that can then be applied to movie rentals/purchases, ebooks, and a variety of other digital services offered by Amazon Prime. Though this isn’t available for every purchase, it can come in handy when you want to take a few bucks off a movie rental or a Kindle book purchase.
Amazon Prime Members Have Access To Prime Video And All Its Exclusives
Besides all the great shopping options that instantly become available with an Amazon Prime subscription, members also get access to thousands of movies, TV shows, documentaries, and more through Prime Video. Whether someone is looking for some of the best motion pictures from yesterday and today, binge-worthy shows, or all the original offerings like The Boys, The Summer I Turned Pretty, and Fallout, there’s a little something for just about everyone.
Another great benefit of Prime Video is the availability of add-on channels that, for an additional cost, give Amazon Prime members access to a wide range of content. This includes premium cable channels like HBO, Showtime, Starz, and Cinemax, as well as more niche streaming services like BritBox, Shudder, and Mubi.
The Annual Prime Day Deals Are Included With The Amazon Subscription
Each year, Amazon Prime members have access to exclusive and short-term deals in a two-day shopping event. The annual Prime Day event, which was most recently held in July 2025, features deep discounts on millions of items, with some deals being right up there with the online retailer’s Black Friday offerings. In the past, Prime Day deals have given members great savings on a slew of Amazon products like tablets, streaming sticks, and more, as well as on movie and TV collections that sometimes seem too good to be true.
Alexa Devices Can Be Synced Up With An Amazon Prime Account For Easy Purchases And More
The integration of an Amazon Prime subscription with an Alexa-enabled device could be a blessing or a curse, depending on the circumstances. It's easy to make last-minute purchases, access news stories, or listen to everything from music to audiobooks with nothing more than a few words. This setup also gives Prime members the power to order items from the Amazon store, which is especially handy when it comes to ordering more laundry detergent, paper towels, or bulk-size candy.
Prime Reading And Prime Music Grants Members Access To Books And Songs
When Amazon was founded over 30 years ago, it primarily sold books. And while a lot has changed in the decades since then, Amazon continues to boast a massive collection for lovers of the written word. One of the best perks of Amazon Prime is the Prime Reading service, which grants members access to thousands of audiobooks, ebooks, magazines, comics, and more for no extra charge. Some of the titles can be enjoyed on the Amazon website, but a Kindle device is also an option, as well as the Kindle App.
And then there is Amazon Music Prime, which gives members access to millions of songs and podcasts. Not only can this service be used with Alexa-enabled devices like the Echo for touch-free listening, it's also ad-free and comes at no extra charge. There is also the Music Unlimited option, which offers even more music for those who don't mind spending an extra $11.99 per month.
Amazon Subscribers Have Access To Prime Gaming
One of the best benefits available to Amazon subscribers is Prime Gaming, which grants members access to free in-game content for some of the most popular PC and console games like Roblox and Grand Theft Auto Online, a rotating list of free games each month, and a ton of other perks.
This also includes a special membership to Twitch, the popular video game streaming site Amazon purchased for $970 million back in 2014. With Twitch Prime (the name of the service once you link your Twitch and Amazon accounts) you can gift a monthly channel subscription to your favorite streamers.
Amazon Prime Benefits Can Be Shared With Your Household
All of these benefits are great, but what makes it all even better is the fact that you can share these perks with other members of your household. Through the Amazon Household program, two adults, up to four teens, and four child profiles can be linked together without having to purchase additional subscriptions.
There are some parental controls to make the whole ordeal safer for the family, including parental approval on purchases made by teens and controls on the type of content children watch on their supported devices. You can learn more about the program and everything that comes with it on the Amazon Household page.
Amazon Prime Video Offers A Wide Selection Of Live Channels
Though Amazon Prime Video’s collection of live channels doesn’t include stuff you’ll see on services like YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV, a subscription does give you access to dozens of streaming channels with so much content. From AMC channels shows episodes of classics like Mad Men and Breaking Bad to PBS-focused channels to a channel playing an endless loop of episodes of The Osbournes, there’s so much to choose from.
Movies, shows, news, documentaries, sports, you name it, and it’s there.
Check out all the Live TV offerings here.
How To Watch Live Sports On Amazon Prime
Like all the other major streaming services, Amazon gives its subscribers a massive amount of sports content, including live games from multiple leagues throughout the year. Perhaps the biggest of the pack is NFL, which showcases Thursday Night Football on the platform each week of the regular season, plus a Black Friday game over Thanksgiving weekend. And back again this year, you’ll also be able to watch one game from Wild Card Weekend, which is quite the bonus.
Amazon is also entering the world of basketball…. Starting with the 2025-2026 NBA season, Amazon will offer more than 60 regular-season games, the NBC Cup knockout rounds, and the NBA Play-In Tournament ahead of the playoffs next spring.
The sports action doesn’t stop there, as you can watch live professional tennis, NASCAR races, and much more without paying any extra each month. However, you can access packages like MLB.tv, NBA League Pass (if you want to watch your favorite teams play every game), and various others to watch so much from the wide world of sports.
Check out all the Live Sports offerings here.
How To Cancel Your Amazon Subscription
Letting go of a streaming subscription is one thing; getting rid of a service that provides so much more than watching movies and shows is something entirely different. However, there may come a time when you have to cancel your Amazon subscription, and when that happens, here’s how you can go about doing it:
- Go to the Amazon website on a computer or mobile browser
- Click on “Memberships & Subscriptions” in the “Account Settings” section
- Click on “Cancel Subscription”
- Scroll to the bottom of the screen and click on “Continue To Cancel”
- Finalize Cancellation
Hopefully, all of this helps the decision process a little easier when deciding if you want to add an Amazon subscription to your collection of services. And with new programs, perks, and other benefits being added all the time, there are plenty of other reasons to give it a shot.
