How to know if you qualify for a discounted Prime membership

There’s no doubt that a Prime membership offers a plethora of perks, and is valuable for anyone who shops and streams online. For $14.99 per month, or $139 per year, Prime offers fast, free delivery on millions of items, as well as a slew of other savings, benefits, and bundled services.

Listen to this story:

Did you know it's on Prime?

An Amazon Prime membership comes with much more than fast, free delivery. Check out the shopping, entertainment, healthcare, and grocery benefits, plus updates available to members.

Read more

But if that membership fee is out of your budget–don’t fret. Amazon offers discounted membership options with the same valuable benefits including fast, free delivery on millions of items, exclusive perks, savings, and world-class entertainment for eligible members. The two discounted memberships are Prime Access and Prime Student. A third way to save on membership is a free 30-day trial for new members.

Prime Access offers highly discounted Prime membership—just $6.99 per month, after a 30-day free trial—for qualifying government assistance recipients, including SNAP EBT and Medicaid. Access members can enjoy all of Prime’s benefits at a reduced cost.

Amazon recognizes a wide variety of government assistance programs, and to qualify, you just need to upload a photo for your ID card or eligibility letter when you complete the signup at the Amazon Prime Access website. You’ll also need to enter a payment method, such as a credit or debit card, as you can’t use the qualifying program to pay for your Prime membership.

Eligible programs include Supplemental Security Income, SNAP, Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. You can also apply if you receive Tribal assistance, funding through the National School Lunch Program, Women, Infants, and Children program, or have a Direct Express Debit Card.

Prime Student—another discounted membership—is $7.49 per month or $69 per year (after a free 6-month trial) for members enrolled in two or four-year colleges. In addition to enjoying all of Prime’s benefits, Prime Student includes additional exclusive perks and discounts designed specifically for students.

To qualify for a Prime Student membership, you’ll need to use your .edu email address when you register, though you can also provide an alternative proof of college enrollment such as an image of your current student ID, transcript, or tuition bill.

You can sign up at the Prime Student webpage.

Next, read about the key benefits of Prime to make the most of your membership.