Still not a Prime member? The free trial covers October's sale
Who in the world hasn't signed up yet?
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Credit:
Amazon
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At this point, an Amazon Prime membership is one of those things everyone assumes others already have, like a library card or a streamer password borrowed from a sibling. And yet millions of people still check out of Amazon as guests, pay for shipping, and watch Prime Day go by from the sidelines.
If that's you, the calendar is doing you a favor right now. Prime Big Deal Days runs October 6–7, and this mega sale is for Prime members only. Amazon offers a free 30-day Prime Membership trial that includes access to rock-bottom deals and free shipping, with more than two weeks left.
You can shop the whole event, keep the perks through the start of the holiday shopping season, and still cancel before Amazon charges you a cent.
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Try the Amazon Prime 30-day free trial.
How much does an Amazon Prime membership cost?
Amazon Prime costs $14.99 a month or $139 a year, which works out to about $11.58 a month. The annual plan saves you $40.88 over 12 months of paying monthly, but the monthly plan is the low-risk way in if you mostly want Prime for the sale season.
Either way, your first 30 days are free. Amazon asks for a payment method to start the trial and bills you when it ends, so set a reminder if you plan to bail.
A few people pay less. Students and young adults ages 18–24 get a six-month free trial, then half price at $7.49 a month. Shoppers with an EBT card or other qualifying government assistance documentation can get Prime Access for $6.99 a month after a standard 30-day trial. Both tiers come with the same perks as a full membership.
What you actually get for $139 a year
Fast shipping is the headliner, but it's the smallest reason most members stay.
- Free two-day shipping on more than 300 million items, with same-day delivery in many areas
- Prime Video, included with limited ads—Prime Video Ultra drops the ads and adds 4K for $4.99 a month
- Prime Reading ebooks, magazines, and comics, plus titles with Audible narration
- Amazon Music, with ad-free shuffle streaming of more than 100 million songs
- Amazon Luna, which folds in the old Prime Gaming benefits at no extra cost
- A free Grubhub+ membership, $0.10 per gallon off fuel, Whole Foods Market discounts, and a 30-minute head start on Lightning Deals
- Alexa+, Amazon's generative AI assistant, at no additional charge
That's the short version—there are more perks sitting in your account than most members ever use.
Is the free trial actually free?
Yes, as long as you cancel before Day 30. Log in to your Amazon account, select Account from the drop-down menu at the top right, then Memberships & Subscriptions, then Prime Membership settings and Manage Membership. Click End Membership, and you're done. You keep the benefits through the end of the trial window, and you can sign back up later—though the free trial is a one-time offer.
So: Shop Prime Big Deal Days on October 6–7, and decide late on whether the shipping and the streaming are worth $139 a year.
Try the Amazon Prime 30-day free trial.
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