Is An Amazon Account Free in 2024? Here‘s Everything You Need To Know
Amazon has become the one-stop shop for everything under the sun. As of Q4 2022, Amazon boasted over 200 million Prime members globally – a number that continues rising each quarter.
But despite Amazon‘s popularity, many still wonder: is an Amazon account completely free, or do you need a paid Prime membership to shop and access all the benefits?
As an avid Amazon customer for over 5 years, I‘ve tested out regular accounts, Prime trials, Amazon Household sharing, and more. Here is my insight into what you can access for free vs with a paid subscription in 2024.
Free To Create an Account, But With Limited Perks
The good news is signing up for a basic Amazon account will always be free. You can create an account using just your email, name, and password – no credit card required.
However, a plain old account limits what you can access:
| Basic Account | Prime Account | |
|---|---|---|
| Free Shipping Minimum | $25+ order | All orders |
| Free Shipping Speed | 5-10 days | 1-2 days |
| Streaming Services | None | Prime Video, Music, gaming |
| Other Benefits | None | Reading, photo storage, deals |
As you can see in the table above, a non-Prime account misses out on quite a few perks that many have come to expect from Amazon, from fast free delivery to video streaming.
The Growing Value of an Amazon Prime Membership
According to a Feedvisor report, the average Prime member spends $1,400 annually on Amazon. For these frequent shoppers, the $139 yearly fee often pays for itself quickly in shipping savings alone.
Plus, access to Prime entertainment has skyrocketed during the pandemic, making membership much more valuable. As of January 2023, there are over 200 million Prime Video streams globally. Music streaming is up as well, with a catalog of 100 million songs.
If you shop a lot on Amazon, a Prime account offers exponentially more value than a free one. The fees give you access to faster shipping, entertainment, and exclusive discounts that ultimately repay themselves.
Hacks for Scoring Prime Benefits Without Paying Full Price
Okay, maybe you don‘t shop that much on Amazon. Is there still hope for accessing Prime perks without that $139 commitment? Possibly! Over my years as an Amazon customer, I have discovered a few "hacks" to trial or share Prime.
My top 3 tips are:
Use the 30-day free Prime trial for new members. This lets you test out benefits before deciding if the full membership is worthwhile. Just set a reminder to cancel before getting charged!
See if you qualify for an Amazon Household. If someone in your family has Prime already, they can share select benefits with you through this program. I‘ve used it for years to access my mom‘s Prime account.
Look out for occasional free Prime credits when buying Amazon gift cards or making a certain number of purchases. I once scored a random $5 credit that I put towards my Prime renewal.
While not guaranteed ways to get Prime for free, these tips can help lighten the cost burden if you only need access sometimes versus year-round.
The Final Verdict: Is An Amazon Account Ultimately Free?
While setting up a basic Amazon shopping account will always be free, accessing the full range of Prime benefits still requires a paid subscription in 2024.
However, for savvy shoppers who leverage promotions and shared plans, testing out Prime does not have to cost the full $139 annual fee.
My advice? Take advantage of free trials and credits when possible, but strongly consider the convenience Prime provides with free fast shipping and entertainment if you frequently shop Amazon.
