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How to get a free Amazon Prime membership and shop exclusive deals with next-day delivery

Grab a 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime and you’ll access all of the benefits of a full membership

Steve Hogarty

Tech writer

Tuesday 08 October 2024 18:26 BST

Amazon Prime is about more than just free shipping. You’ll get access to music, TV shows and movie streaming. (The Independent)

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The Amazon Prime Big Deal Days sale is in full swing, running for a full 48 hours, ending tomorrow (9 October) at 11:59pm, it offers the perfect time to bag a bargain.

In order to take advantage of the best deals on everything from AirPods to air fryers, you do have to be an Amazon Prime member – and we’d really recommend you sign up because the discounts are very impressive.

We do have some good news for those who aren’t sure about forking out £8.99 per month: you can start a free 30-day trial today to access the deals, so long as you haven’t already used up a trial.

So what is Amazon Prime? And is it really worth the monthly fee? From free one-day delivery to a giant library of on-demand music, TV shows, and movies, here’s everything you need to know about Amazon’s premium subscription service.

Follow live: The latest and best Prime Day deals

What is Amazon Prime?

Amazon Prime is a paid subscription service that unlocks a bunch of additional benefits, whether you’re shopping on Amazon or using its streaming services. Prime started out by offering free deliveries and one-day shipping, but it’s since expanded to include a much wider range of perks, making it an appealing option for frequent Amazon shoppers.

Start your Amazon Prime trial now

How much does Amazon Prime cost?

You can pay for Amazon Prime monthly or annually. The monthly plan costs £8.99 per month and gives you the option to cancel at any time. The annual plan is cheaper at £95 per year, working out to £7.92 per month, but you have to commit to being a member for 12 months.

Is there a free trial?

Amazon offers a 30-day free trial of Prime to new customers, which automatically renews at £8.99 per month once the trial ends. This is a great way to test-drive all of the benefits of Prime before committing to a paid subscription.

You'll have full access to all of the usual Prime benefits during the trial period, including those Prime-exclusive deals in the Prime Big Deal Days sale. You can cancel at any time during your trial to avoid being charged when it expires.

What are the benefits of Amazon Prime?

Since starting out as a way to get free deliveries, Amazon Prime has grown to include much more. Amazon offers its own Netflix and Spotify-style streaming services, for example, so your Prime membership could include all the entertainment and music services you might need.

Free one-day delivery: The main draw for most members, this perk gives you unlimited free delivery on millions of eligible items. If you shop regularly at Amazon, this benefit alone can be worth the £8.99 per month subscription fee.
Free same-day delivery: Depending on where you live in the UK, you can get same-day delivery on orders above £20.
Prime Video: Amazon’s telly streaming service hosts thousands of movies and TV shows for free, including originals like The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and The Boys.
Amazon Music: The Spotify-style streaming service gives you access to over 100 million songs, albums and podcasts.
Prime Reading: Your Prime subscription gives you access to thousands of free books and magazines on your Kindle device.
Deliveroo Plus Silver: Amazon Prime includes Deliveroo Plus Silver, which gives you free delivery from select restaurants on orders over £15.
Access to Prime deals: Prime members get early access to short-lived lightning deals, plus exclusive discounts during the Prime Day and Prime Big Deal Days sales.

Is Amazon Prime worth it?

Whether Amazon Prime is worth it depends on your own shopping habits. If you’re a regular shopper at Amazon, the free shipping alone could end up saving you money over time. The addition of entertainment options like Prime Video and Amazon Music sweetens the deal, offering value for money compared to subscribing to these services separately.

Handily, you don’t have to guess whether or not Amazon Prime is worth paying for. Sign up for a 30-day free trial of Prime and you can see for yourself if the service is right for you.