10 Amazon Prime Perks That Make the $119 Membership Fee a Total Steal

A woman stands next to a stack of Amazon Prime shipping packages.
Tina Russell/The Penny Hoarder

When I decided to break up with Amazon Prime after more than a decade, people were quick to point out that the benefits of membership go beyond free two-day shipping.

They definitely had a point. What’s a membership worth if you aren’t getting all the perks?

The 10 Best Amazon Prime Benefits

In a recent “Money Girl” podcast episode, host Laura Adams reviewed 10 of the best benefits of Amazon Prime. Whether you’re considering shelling out $119 for Prime or you’re wondering if you’re making the most of your membership, you’ll want to check out the list.

Here are the quick-and-dirty details.

1. Free 2-Day Shipping

Of course, we have to mention that lighting-fast delivery service. Instead of having to wait until your cart tallies up to $25 to get free shipping, you can throw items in your cart whenever you need them and they’ll be zapped to your door.

2. Free Same-Day Delivery

If two-day shipping isn’t fast enough, you can get free two-hour delivery on orders of $35 or more. If you’re willing to pay a delivery fee, you can have the order on your doorstep in one hour. Prime Now is available in 40 cities and includes delivery from Whole Foods.

3. Discounts at Whole Foods

Prime members can take an additional 10% off sale items and receive select item discounts at Whole Foods stores around the country.

4. Free Movies and TV

Sit back and relax with unlimited streaming of TV shows and movies in the Amazon library. Amazon’s original show “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” just scooped up all those Emmy Awards, so check it out if you need something to binge-watch.

5. Music-Streaming Options

Prime Music features more than 2 million songs, and your membership comes with a 20% discount on Amazon Music Unlimited subscriptions. Go ahead — play those new releases on repeat.

6. Free Audiobooks

You probably know that Amazon owns the audiobook company Audible, but you may not have tried Audible Channels yet. This Prime benefit has audiobooks, original audio series and playlists packed with spoken-word entertainment.

7. Free Books and Magazines

You don’t need a Kindle to access free books and magazines, because the Kindle app is free on any device. You can even turn on Audible Narration to switch easily between reading and listening.

8. Easy Alexa Voice Shopping

Goodbye, shopping list you scribbled on a piece of junk mail. If you love your Amazon Echo, you can ask Alexa to make Amazon purchases for you. Alexa can even make product recommendations and let you know when a delivery has arrived.

9. Extra Savings With the Prime Rewards Credit Card

Eligible members can get the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card, which doesn’t charge an annual fee. It even gives you 5% back on Amazon and Whole Foods purchases.

10. Photo Storage

Prime members get 5 GB for videos and documents, plus unlimited storage for photos. You can upload them to Amazon’s cloud from any device.

Listen to the full podcast for more details on these 10 tips for making the most of your Amazon Prime membership. Plus, find tips for saving on your pumpkin spice lattes in a quick segment from me!

Lisa Rowan is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder.