How to Do Something Your Don Know: How to Use Amazon Prime

Using Amazon Prime is easy, and membership allows you to access plenty of excellent benefits. First, sign up for Prime by activating a 30-day free trial or purchasing a membership plan. Have eligible products shipped within two days for free, and stream or download TV and movies from Prime Video. In addition to these popular benefits, you can explore a variety of lesser known features, such as Prime Pantry, Prime Music, and unlimited photo storage.

EditSteps

EditSigning Up

Visit Amazon’s homepage and click Try Prime. Go to Amazon.com and click the Try Prime link at the top left corner of the page. You can also click the Try Prime link located at the right side of the top banner, just to left of the shopping cart.^[1]
- When you click either of these links, a dialog window will open with another link that will direct you to the sign up page.
Try a 30-day free trial. Once you’re on the sign up page, find the gold box in the center of the screen marked “Start your 30-day Prime free trial.” You’ll then be prompted to sign into your Amazon account or, if you aren’t a member, to create a free account.^[2]
- Enter your name, email address, and password to create an account.
- Once you’ve created or signed into your account, you’ll be prompted to enter payment information. You won’t be charged for the free trial, but you’ll automatically be billed $99 (US) for an annual subscription when the trial expires. To avoid getting billed, cancel your free trial before it expires.
Save 25% by purchasing an annual plan. After your free trial expires, you’ll have multiple paid subscription options. For most users, the least expensive is the annual plan, which costs $99, or $8.25 per month (US). You can also pay by the month but, at $10.99 per month, it’s more expensive than the annual option.^[3]
- Select See More Plans on the Prime sign up page to compare plans.
Take advantage of Prime Student if you’re in school. If you’re a student and have a valid .edu email address, you can sign up for Prime Student. Click See More Plans on the Prime sign up page, then find the “Are you a student?” link at the bottom of the compare plans dialog box. Clicking that link will bring you to the Prime Student sign up page.^[4]
- Prime Student offers users a six-month free trial, plus 50% off Prime membership once the trial expires.
Get a discounted plan if you receive government assistance. If you’re a US resident and receive government assistance, you can use your EBT card to purchase a $5.99 per month Prime plan. After clicking See More Plans on the Prime sign up page, find the “Do you have a valid EBT card?” link at the bottom of the compare plans dialog box. The link will direct you to the EBT discount plan information page, where you can click on the Get Started box to set up your plan.^[5]
- You’ll have to enter your EBT number and upload an image of your card.

EditUsing Primary Features

Look for the Prime logo to score free two-day shipping. Prime’s best known feature is free two-day shipping. If a product’s description features the Prime logo (an orange check mark with Prime in blue), it’s eligible for Prime shipping.^[6]
- If a Prime-guaranteed product arrives late, you can get a free month membership extension. Visit the Contact Us page, select “An order I placed,” click on your order, then select Problem with an order, Shipping or delivery issues and, finally, Shipment is late.^[7]
See if same day delivery is available in your area. In select cities, you can have an eligible product shipped to you by 9 pm local time if you order by 12 pm. If it’s available, free same day delivery will appear as a shipping option. You can also enter your zip code onto the same-day and one-day shipping information page to see if these options are available in your area.^[8]
Stream and download content on Prime Video. Streaming video is another well known Prime feature. Prime video is compatible with most mobile devices and streaming sticks and boxes (such as Roku). In addition to streaming content, you can also download many TV shows and movies for offline viewing.^[9]
- You can download the Prime Video app for free from the Apple App Store. To install Prime Video on your Android mobile device, visit http://ift.tt/2hFmEzW from your phone or tablet. Follow the prompts to download and launch Amazon Underground, sign in with your Amazon account, then tap the Install Prime Video button.^[10]

EditExploring Lesser Known Benefits

See your full list of benefits on the About Prime help page. There are tons of lesser known benefits included with your Prime membership. To explore the full list, visit the About Amazon Prime page, which is listed under help topics on the Help and Customer Service main page.^[11]
- Each benefit listed also includes a link that provides more information about that specific feature.
Stream your favorite music ad-free through Prime. Your membership allows you to access Prime Music, which includes a catalog of over two million songs. You can download the app for free on the Apple and Google Play stores.^[12]
- Prime Music also allows you to download songs for offline listening.
Order groceries and household items through Prime Pantry. Through Prime Pantry, you can have non-perishable groceries and household items shipped to your home with no additional delivery charge. To qualify for free delivery, you’ll need to purchase at least five items that are marked eligible for free delivery. Check product descriptions to see if an item qualifies.^[13]
- If you don’t purchase five qualifying items, you’ll pay a flat $5.99 delivery charge.
Store unlimited photos on Amazon Drive. You can download the Amazon Drive mobile and desktop apps for free from the Apple or Google Play stores. Prime members can store unlimited photos from a phone, tablet, or desktop computer.^[14]
- Prime members also get five gigabytes of cloud storage for documents and videos.
Score free e-books and magazines. Prime members can borrow one e-book for free per month with no due date. In addition, Prime members can download (for keeps, not to borrow) one of six new, unreleased books per month specially curated by Amazon editors.^[15]
- Your Prime subscription also allows you to stream audiobooks and borrow magazines, comics, and travel guides.