But if you can’t afford to pay that fee (or just want to try the service out before committing) the good news is that it’s almost always possible to get Prime without paying a penny – at least for a little while.
These days you also get access to both the Prime Video and Music Prime streaming services, free ebooks via Prime Reading, early access to loads of Lightning Deals, Prime Day sales, and linked perks on platforms like Twitch and Deliveroo.
Right now, it costs $14.99/£8.99 per month or $139/£95 per year for a Prime subscription. In the US, there’s also a cheaper $8.99 monthly option that only gives you Prime Video access, without the other perks.
Note that Prime Video now includes ads . You can go ad-free, but this’ll cost you an extra $2.99/£2.99 per month. This additional subscription also adds Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support.
Try Prime with a free trial
Prime’s perks are valuable year-round, but if you’re not a member you may want to test it out – or need one of the features as a one-off. Maybe there’s a Lightning Deal you need early access to, a particular movie or show you want to watch that’s only on Prime Video (see the best shows on Prime right now ), or an item you need delivered as quickly as possible.
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Bear in mind that the Prime student plan is a very slightly different service. You get most of the same perks, plus extra like some discounts on textbooks and clothes, but unlike a regular Prime subscription you can’t share your benefits with another family member.
Share an account with a family member
Notice that line about sharing benefits within your family? Well, if you don’t have a Prime subscription but a relative does, this could be an easy way to reap the benefits.
Family sharing is one of the lesser-known perks of a Prime plan: every Prime member (except student plans) can share their account with one other adult, giving both accounts the full benefits of the service, from Prime Video to Prime Day deals.
The person with the account has to head to their account settings and find ‘Share your Prime benefits’, then select ‘Invite someone new’. They’ll need your name, email address, and date of birth to add you to the subscription, and bear in mind that this really is for family: you’ll also have to share access to your payment details, so it takes a lot of trust.
The official free trial isn’t the only option.
See our full guide on getting Prime for free via Vodafone for more details.
Cancel your trial before it ends
One final note: if you’re absolutely certain that you won’t want to continue with Prime beyond 30 days, remember to cancel your membership . Otherwise, it’ll cost you $139/£95 for a year or $14.99/£8.99 per month.
Author: Hannah Cowton-Barnes, Entertainment Editor, Tech Advisor
As Tech Advisor’s Entertainment Editor, Hannah is the resident expert in all things streaming, film and TV. Before joining Tech Advisor in 2019, she studied Theatre and Performance at the University of Leeds and created a website dedicated to geek culture and lifestyle. She’s also reviewed a whole range of gadgets including flagship smartphones, wearables and styling tools. Outside of Foundry, she’s written freelance pieces for Polygon, Metro and Den of Geek, and is proud to be a Women Techmakers Ambassador for Google.
Recent stories by Hannah Cowton-Barnes:
- When is Black Friday 2025? Early Deals go Live
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