Amazon Prime has approximately 180 million subscribers in the United States, which says a lot about whether people think it’s worth the cost. At $14.99 per month or $139 per year plus taxes, here are some of the best ways to make sure you’re getting full value from your membership.
Get the Items You Want Faster
Prime members get free same-day and next-day delivery on millions of qualifying items. Same-day delivery is available in many zip codes on orders over $25. Without Prime, same-day delivery runs $9.99 per order and those charges can add up quickly for frequent shoppers. Check Amazon’s delivery options page to see what’s available in your area.
Save Big on Prime Day
Prime Day is Amazon’s exclusive sale event for members, traditionally held in July. In 2025, Prime Day expanded to a 4-day event running July 8–11, with prices slashed across hundreds of thousands of items. The best approach: identify what you actually want in advance and be ready to move quickly if it becomes a featured deal. Amazon also hosts a second event, Prime Big Deal Days, in the fall.
Grocery Delivery with Amazon Fresh
Amazon Fresh grocery delivery is included with a Prime membership. Orders over $35 qualify for free delivery, with timed delivery windows available. Amazon has been expanding same-day grocery delivery coverage, making Fresh an increasingly competitive option against traditional grocery runs.
Leverage Your Amazon and Whole Foods Purchases
The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card offers:
- 5% back on purchases at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market (with Prime membership)
- 2% back at restaurants, gas stations, and drugstores
- 1% back on all other purchases
- A $100 Amazon gift card instantly upon approval
- Points redeemable for Amazon purchases, cash back, gift cards, and travel
Entertainment Included with Prime
Prime Video gives you access to a large catalog of movies, TV shows, and Amazon Originals. Note that Prime Video now includes ads by default. If you prefer an ad-free experience, you can add it for an additional $2.99 per month.
Prime Music now gives you access to 100 million songs ad-free, a major upgrade from the 2 million songs the original program launched with. For on-demand listening of any specific song, unlimited skips, and offline downloads, you’ll need Amazon Music Unlimited, which is $11.99 per month for Prime members.
Prime Gaming offers in-game content for popular titles, free games to download each month, and a free monthly channel subscription on Twitch.
Unlimited Photo Storage
Amazon Prime includes unlimited, full-resolution photo storage through Amazon Photos. You can add up to five other people to your “family vault,” giving them access to the same unlimited storage. Photos are accessible from any device through your Amazon account.
Making the Most of Your Membership
A Prime membership pays for itself quickly if you use it regularly, but only if you’re aware of everything it includes. From faster delivery and exclusive savings to streaming, music, gaming, and photo storage, the benefits go well beyond free shipping. Take stock of what you’re actually using and explore any features you’ve overlooked.
