Is Amazon Prime Worth It? A Honest Look at the Cost

Amazon Prime costs $139 per year. That's a meaningful expense. Here's an honest breakdown of whether it makes sense for you.

What You Actually Get

Free shipping is the headline feature. Prime members get free two-day shipping on millions of items with no minimum order.

Prime Video is a legitimate streaming service with original shows and movies.

Prime Day in July offers exclusive deals to members. Historically the savings available on Prime Day can exceed the annual membership cost if you're buying things you'd buy anyway.

When Prime Is Worth It

You order from Amazon more than 12 times a year. At $5 shipping per order, you'd spend $60 on shipping alone. Add Prime Video value and you're ahead.

You watch Prime Video regularly. If Prime Video replaces another streaming subscription at $10-$15/month, the math works immediately.

When Prime Is Not Worth It

You only order from Amazon occasionally — fewer than once a month on average. The free shipping doesn't add up to $139 in value.

You already have Netflix, Disney+, and Spotify and won't use Prime Video.

Bottom Line

For someone who orders from Amazon regularly and watches Prime Video, Prime pays for itself. For occasional Amazon shoppers, it often doesn't. Use CheapestFinder to check if your Amazon purchases are actually the best price — sometimes buying from Walmart without a membership is still cheaper.