How to get an Amazon Prime free trial: New subscribers can try before they buy for 30 days
Amazon offers new members a complimentary 30-day trial that grants full access to every Prime benefit available to paying subscribers. We’re talking about the same perks that regular members enjoy, including free two-day shipping, Prime Video streaming, exclusive deals, and a whole lot more. The trial requires a valid credit card during signup, but Amazon won’t charge you anything during those first 30 days.
Here’s the important part that our team wants you to understand right away: unless you actively cancel before the trial ends, Amazon automatically converts your membership to a paid subscription. The service costs $14.99 per month or $139 annually, so setting a calendar reminder is crucial if you’re just testing the waters.
How to Sign Up for Your Amazon Prime Free Trial
Our team found the signup process surprisingly straightforward. We walked through it multiple times to identify any potential stumbling blocks. Here’s exactly what you need to do:
First, navigate to Amazon.com/prime using your preferred web browser. Make sure you’re logged into your Amazon account before starting. If eligible for the trial, you’ll see a prominent button labeled “Start your free 30-day trial.”
Click that button, and Amazon will guide you through a few verification steps. You’ll need to confirm your payment method—remember, only standard credit and debit cards are accepted for trials. Amazon uses this information for the automatic conversion to paid membership after 30 days, but they won’t charge the card during your trial period.
The entire process takes less than three minutes from start to finish. Once you complete the signup, Amazon immediately activates all Prime benefits on your account. You can start ordering with free shipping, watching Prime Video content, and accessing exclusive deals right away.
Special Trial Options for Students and Young Adults
During our research, we discovered that Amazon offers extended trial periods for specific groups. Students and young adults between 18 and 24 years old can access a six-month free trial through Prime for Young Adults, which is substantially longer than the standard 30-day period.
After the six-month trial ends, these members pay a discounted rate of $7.49 monthly instead of the full $14.99 price. That’s a 50% savings that continues for up to four years while you remain a verified student or fall within the young adult age range.
To qualify for Prime for Young Adults, you’ll need to verify your age or student status through Amazon’s system. Students must provide a valid .edu email address, though this doesn’t have to be their primary Amazon account email. Amazon may request additional documentation to confirm your enrollment status.
Government Assistance Recipients Get Discounted Access
We also learned that qualifying EBT or Medicaid recipients can access Prime for just $6.99 per month after their initial trial period. This discounted membership includes all standard Prime benefits, making premium shopping and entertainment more accessible to budget-conscious households.
You’ll need to reverify your eligibility every 12 months to maintain the discounted rate. Amazon accepts various forms of documentation for verification, and the process typically takes just a few minutes to complete online.
The Complete List of Amazon Prime Benefits You'll Get During Your Trial
Here’s where things get interesting. Our assessment team spent weeks cataloging every single benefit included with Prime membership, and we were genuinely surprised by how extensive the list has become. Most people sign up for the free shipping, but that barely scratches the surface.
Lightning-Fast Shipping on Millions of Items
The shipping benefits alone justify the membership for many users. Prime members get free two-day delivery on millions of items, free one-day delivery on more than 15 million products, and free same-day delivery in eligible zip codes on over 3 million items.
We tested this extensively during our evaluation period. We placed orders across different categories and locations, and the delivery speeds consistently matched Amazon’s promises. Same-day delivery typically arrives within five hours if you order before the cutoff time in participating areas.
For grocery shoppers, Amazon has expanded ultrafast delivery options. You can get fresh groceries, including meat, seafood, produce, and household essentials, delivered the same day. In some markets, two-hour delivery windows are available for qualifying orders.
Entertainment That Rivals Standalone Streaming Services
Prime Video has evolved significantly from its early days. The streaming service now competes directly with Netflix, Hulu, and other major platforms. During our testing, we found thousands of movies, TV shows, and Amazon Original content available at no additional cost beyond your Prime membership.
The content library includes recent blockbusters, classic films, award-winning series, and exclusive Amazon productions. We particularly appreciated the ad-supported streaming—while commercials do appear, they’re far less frequent than traditional television advertising.
Amazon Music is included with Prime at no additional cost, offering music and top podcasts ad-free. The service provides access to millions of songs and podcast episodes, though the selection differs from premium music services like Spotify Premium or Apple Music.
For gamers, Prime Gaming delivers monthly free games and a complimentary Twitch channel subscription. We checked the January 2026 offerings and found several quality titles available for permanent download and keeping.
Photo Storage That Saves You Money
This benefit frequently gets overlooked, but it’s incredibly valuable for photographers and families who take lots of pictures. Prime members receive unlimited full-resolution photo storage and 5GB for video storage through Amazon Photos.
Think about that for a moment. Unlimited photo storage at full resolution. Most cloud storage services charge monthly fees that quickly add up, especially as your photo collection grows. iCloud, Google Photos, and other services typically offer limited free storage before requiring paid upgrades.
Amazon Photos lets you upload as many high-resolution photos as you want without compression or quality loss. You can access your photos from any device, share albums with family members, and even order prints directly through the service. The 5GB video storage limit applies separately from your photo storage.
Grocery and Food Delivery Perks
We were genuinely impressed by the food-related benefits after testing them thoroughly. Prime members get exclusive savings at Whole Foods Market and Amazon Fresh, both in physical stores and for online orders. The discounts vary by product and promotion, but we consistently save between 10% and 20% on our grocery bills.
Every Prime membership now includes free Grubhub+, which provides $0 delivery fees, lower service fees, and exclusive savings on food orders. This partnership launched relatively recently, and it adds significant value for people who regularly order restaurant delivery.
Grubhub+ typically costs $9.99 monthly as a standalone subscription, so getting it free with Prime represents a $120 annual value. The $0 delivery fees apply to eligible orders, and you’ll also see reduced service fees compared to non-members.
Fuel Savings at Thousands of Locations
Here’s a benefit that surprised even our most skeptical team members. Prime members can save $0.10 per gallon at approximately 7,000 bp, Amoco, and ampm gas stations across the United States.
Amazon calculated that based on average U.S. driver statistics, this could mean nearly $70 in annual savings for typical drivers. That’s almost half the cost of an annual Prime membership covered just through fuel purchases.
You’ll need to link your Prime account with the participating fuel rewards program, which takes a few minutes through the Amazon app or website. The discount applies automatically at the pump once you’re enrolled.
Reading Materials Without Additional Purchases
Book lovers will appreciate Prime Reading, which grants access to a rotating selection of ebooks, magazines, comics, and audiobooks at no extra cost. The selection includes thousands of titles, though it’s worth noting that the catalog changes periodically as Amazon adds and removes content.
Amazon First Reads takes this a step further by giving Prime members early access to new book releases. Each month, you can choose one Kindle book from a curated selection of upcoming titles—completely free. Non-Prime members pay $1.99 for the same access.
We tested the Books with the Audible Narration feature during our evaluation. Many Kindle books now include professional audio narration that you can access through the free Kindle app or Audible’s listening app on smartphones, tablets, and Alexa devices.
Prescription Medication Savings
RxPass allows Prime members to get eligible medications for just $5 monthly, regardless of how many prescriptions you have. This program covers common medications for conditions including blood pressure, anxiety, depression, allergies, pain, and migraines.
We reached out to healthcare professionals during our research, and they confirmed that RxPass can deliver substantial savings for people taking multiple maintenance medications. The $5 monthly fee stays constant whether you have one prescription or several, making it particularly valuable for households managing chronic conditions.
Additionally, Prime members save on prescriptions at 60,000 pharmacies nationwide, including major chains like Walgreens, CVS, and Amazon Pharmacy itself.
Exclusive Shopping Events and Early Deal Access
Prime Day has become one of the largest shopping events globally, and membership is required to participate. These exclusive deal events happen multiple times annually, offering deep discounts across virtually every product category Amazon sells.
Beyond major sales events, Prime members get 30-minute early access to Lightning Deals before the general public. We tested this during several Lightning Deal periods, and that half-hour head start made the difference between getting popular items and finding them sold out.
Family Sharing Features
Amazon recently transitioned from the Prime Invitee Program to Amazon Family, which allows you to share benefits with household members. Prime members can share benefits with one other adult and up to four children in their household.
The two adults must have separate Amazon accounts, share the same primary residential address, and agree to share payment methods for household verification. This sharing extends to digital content like ebooks, apps, and games, making it excellent for families.
Strategies to Maximize Your 30-Day Free Trial
Based on our extensive testing and evaluation, we developed several strategies that help you extract maximum value from your trial period. These approaches work whether you plan to continue with a paid membership or cancel before charges begin.
Create a Trial Testing Plan
We recommend outlining your goals before the trial starts. What do you primarily want to test? Shipping speeds? Streaming content? Grocery delivery? Having a plan ensures you actually evaluate the features that matter most to you rather than letting the trial period slip away unused.
One team member created a week-by-week testing schedule during their trial. Week one focused on shipping benefits with several test orders. Week two explored streaming services. Week three tested grocery delivery and Whole Foods discounts. Week four wrapped up with the reading materials and photo storage features.
This systematic approach helped them make an informed decision about whether Prime’s value justified the ongoing cost.
Time Your Trial Strategically
Consider when you’re signing up for your free trial. If you know a major purchase is coming up—holiday shopping, back-to-school season, moving to a new home—align your trial period with that timing.
Prime Day typically happens in July, with a second major shopping event in October. Starting your trial just before one of these events lets you access exclusive deals without paying for membership yet. Just remember that Amazon customers are only eligible for one free trial of Prime every 12 months, so use it wisely.
Test the Services You’d Actually Use
We noticed that many people get caught up in trying every single Prime benefit during their trial, which can be overwhelming and doesn’t reflect normal usage patterns. Instead, focus on the features you’d realistically use month after month.
If you rarely watch streaming video, spending hours browsing Prime Video content during your trial won’t give you accurate insights about the membership’s long-term value for your lifestyle. Be honest with yourself about your actual needs and habits.
Calculate Your Potential Savings
During our evaluation, we kept detailed records of exactly how much money Prime saved us compared to standard shipping fees, individual streaming service costs, and grocery delivery charges.
For one household we tracked, the monthly savings broke down like this: approximately $25 in avoided shipping fees, $15 in streaming value compared to subscribing to Netflix separately, $12 in Grubhub+ value, and $8 in Whole Foods discounts. That totaled $60 monthly in value, well above the $14.99 membership cost.
Your personal savings calculation will differ based on shopping frequency, entertainment preferences, and which benefits you use most. The trial period gives you 30 days to gather real data on your potential savings.
Common Questions About the Amazon Prime Free Trial
Can I Sign Up for Multiple Free Trials?
No, and this is a firm limitation. Amazon allows one free trial of Prime every 12 months per customer. If you cancel your trial or paid membership and want to rejoin within that 12-month window, you’ll need to start with a paid subscription immediately.
The 12-month restriction resets after a full year from your last trial enrollment. At that point, you become eligible for another 30-day trial if you choose to return to Prime.
What Happens If My Payment Method Fails?
Amazon attempts to process payment using the credit or debit card you provided during signup. If that card is declined when your trial converts to a paid membership, Amazon tries any other eligible payment methods saved to your account.
When all payment methods fail, Amazon cancels your membership rather than extending your trial period. You won’t have access to Prime benefits, and you’ll need to provide a valid payment method to reactivate your membership.
Can I Share My Trial Benefits?
Yes, through Amazon Family. You can add one other adult to your Amazon Family account and share Prime benefits with them during your trial period. The sharing works the same as it does for paid members.
Remember that both adults need to have their own Amazon accounts, share the same primary address, and agree to share payment methods. Children can be added to receive access to shared digital content like ebooks and apps.
Does Canceling My Trial Affect My Amazon Account?
Not at all. Canceling your Prime trial has no impact on your regular Amazon account. You can continue shopping on Amazon, placing orders with standard shipping, and accessing any digital content you’ve previously purchased.
Your Prime-eligible items will revert to standard shipping rates and timelines after your trial ends. Any content that required Prime membership for access—like borrowed Prime Reading books—will become unavailable.