Amazon Prime Free Trial: Stop Paying Until You Actually Need It

Amazon Prime costs $139 yearly. But most people don’t know you can test it for free first.

Smart shoppers grab Prime right before big sales like Black Friday or Prime Day. Then they bail before the trial expires. No charge, all benefits.

Here’s how to score free Prime membership without getting stuck with the bill.

The Standard 30-Day Free Trial Works For Most People

New to Prime? You probably qualify for a full month free.

Amazon gives first-time members 30 days to test everything. That includes free two-day shipping, Prime Video streaming, and the Kindle lending library. Plus access to exclusive deals during major sales events.

The catch? Amazon auto-charges you after 30 days. So set a calendar reminder or you’ll forget and pay $14.99 monthly (or $139 yearly).

Here’s how to check if you qualify. Sign into your Amazon account and visit the Prime membership page. Look for a button that says “Start your free 30-day trial.” If you see that, click it. You’re in.

But if the button says “Join Prime” instead, Amazon remembers you tried this before. You’ll need to wait longer before becoming eligible again.

Young Adults Get Six Months Free (Plus 50% Off After)

Amazon recently killed Prime Students and replaced it with Prime for Young Adults. The new program targets 18-24 year olds with better perks than regular Prime.

First, you get a 6-month free trial instead of just 30 days. That’s half a year of free shipping and streaming. Second, after your trial ends, the membership costs 50% less than standard Prime.

All the same benefits apply. Free shipping, Prime Video, exclusive deals, music streaming. Everything regular Prime offers, but for young adults who want to save money.

Visit the Prime for Young Adults page and click “Try Prime for Young Adults.” After six months, Amazon charges $7.49 monthly or $69 yearly. Much better than the standard $139 yearly rate.

Remember to cancel before the trial expires if you don’t want to pay. Your benefits continue through the entire trial period even after canceling.

Share Someone Else’s Prime Membership

Already know someone with Prime? Ask them to share it.

Amazon lets one Prime member share benefits with another adult in their household. Plus up to four children. The second adult gets access to Prime-exclusive deals and free shipping.

There’s a catch though. Both adults must agree to share payment methods. So this only works with family or very trusted friends. Nobody wants their roommate charging random stuff to their credit card.

This option makes sense for couples or close family members living together. Otherwise, stick with the free trial methods.

The Prime Visa Credit Card Pays For Itself

Here’s a sneaky way to make Prime free long-term. Apply for the Prime Visa credit card.

This card gives you 5% cash back on Amazon and Whole Foods purchases. If you’re already a Prime member, those rewards add up fast.

Do the math. Spend at least $2,400 yearly between Amazon and Whole Foods? Your 5% cash back equals $120. That nearly covers your $139 Prime membership.

But only get this card if you already shop at Amazon regularly. Don’t change your spending habits just to justify a credit card. That defeats the whole point of saving money.

Creating New Accounts Works But Gets Messy

Some deal hunters create new Amazon accounts with different email addresses. Then they sign up for Prime on the new account.

This technically works. Amazon treats each email as a separate customer eligible for free trials.

But it creates hassle. You need to secure payment info on multiple accounts. Plus manage different order histories, wishlists, and saved addresses. And if Amazon catches on, they might restrict your accounts.

This method works best as a last resort. The other options cause less headache.

Cancel Before Amazon Charges You

Loved Prime for Black Friday shopping but don’t need it year-round? Cancel immediately after your trial.

The fastest way is visiting Amazon’s cancel membership page directly. Or hover over your account name in the upper-right corner. Select “Memberships & Subscriptions” from the dropdown. Then click “Cancel Subscription” next to Prime.

Amazon makes canceling straightforward. No hidden tricks or hard-sell tactics. Once you click through the confirmation, you’re done.

Here’s the best part. After canceling, your Prime benefits continue through the end of your trial period. So cancel right after signing up if you want. You still get the full 30 days (or 6 months for young adults).

Time Your Free Trial Strategically

The real trick isn’t just getting Prime for free. It’s timing your trial for maximum value.

Sign up right before Black Friday? You score deals without paying membership fees. Start your trial before Prime Day? Same benefit. Wait until you’re moving and need lots of free shipping? Perfect timing.

Don’t waste your free trial during random weeks when you’re not buying anything. Save it for when Prime actually saves you money.

Young adults have it easiest. Six months covers both Black Friday and Prime Day with room to spare. But even the 30-day trial covers most major shopping events if you plan ahead.

Track Your Trial End Date Religiously

Set multiple reminders. Put it in your calendar. Write it on sticky notes. Tell a friend to remind you.

Why the paranoia? Because forgetting costs $139.

Amazon counts on people forgetting their trial expires. That’s how they make money. Don’t be that person who accidentally pays for a year of Prime they don’t use.

Some people set their reminder for 3 days before the trial ends. Others do it a week early. Pick whatever works for your brain. Just make sure you actually see and act on that reminder.

Prime’s Value Depends On Your Shopping Habits

Here’s the honest truth. Prime makes sense for some people and wastes money for others.

Shop Amazon weekly? Buy lots of items year-round? Watch Prime Video regularly? Then paying for Prime probably saves you money on shipping alone.

But if you only buy stuff during sales? Or make one Amazon purchase monthly? The free shipping doesn’t justify $139 yearly. You’re better off hitting the minimum order amount for free shipping or paying $6 per order.

Most people fall somewhere in the middle. They benefit from Prime during busy shopping seasons but don’t need it year-round. That’s where free trials shine. Use Prime when you need it, cancel when you don’t.

The membership system works in Amazon’s favor. They want you subscribed constantly. But smart shoppers flip the script. They grab benefits during free trials and bail before paying.

That’s not cheating. It’s using the system exactly as designed. Amazon offers free trials to attract customers. Taking them up on that offer makes perfect sense.