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Amazon Prime is about to cost more – Here’s how much you’ll be paying
There are a ton of perks to being an Amazon Prime member. You can access a treasure trove of shows, movies, magazines, audiobooks and more. Tap or click here for 11 Amazon Prime perks you’ll wish you knew sooner.
That’s a lot of value for membership — but now Amazon is holding its hand out for even more money. On Thursday, the company announced a price hike on its monthly and annual membership fees. You’ll see these changes in the coming weeks.
This is only the third time Amazon Prime has increased its membership fee. The first was in 2014, and the second was in 2018. In this article, you’ll find out why the price is increasing — and, more importantly, how much more you’ll have to pay.
Let’s get to the numbers
First off, Amazon isn’t the only service boosting its prices. For example, Netflix users have recently seen an increase, too. Tap or click here to find out how much you’ll be charged.
The new price of Prime is $139 per year in the U.S. That’s a spike from the $119 annual fee that kickstarted in 2018. If you’re already a member, this price will take effect after March 25.
Newer members have a smaller window of time to pay $119. They have only until Feb. 18 before the price change goes into effect. Oh, and you should also know the monthly membership is rising to $14.99 per month. Compare that to the previous cost of $12.99 per month.
Why this is happening
It all comes down to costs. Amazon says prices are going up for construction, shipping and labor. Thanks to these costs, its operating income plummeted.
An earnings release that came out on Thursday shows that dip. In the final quarter of 2021, Amazon’s operating income tumbled down to $3.5 billion. Just a year earlier, it made $6.9 billion during that same period.
When you compare the numbers like that, it makes sense why Amazon would lift the prices. There’s a second reason for the hike, though — and it’s a lot more fun to talk about.
You’re getting some cool new benefits
Currently, you can take advantage of a few hidden Amazon Prime benefits, like two-day shipping and free photo storage. Tap or click here for some easy ways to organize your messy photo collection.
Here are a few other benefits you currently get:
- Discounts on Whole Foods groceries
- Free Twitch streaming
- Access to video and music libraries
- Prime Gaming, which lets you get free PC games
- Free editor’s choice book each month
- Product samples and discounts
- Special delivery options
- “Try before you buy” clothes
- Free shipping at other sites
There’s a lot more than that. Tap or click here for nine of our favorite Amazon Prime perks.
Amazon says there’s more you can look forward to. On top of all the fun freebies and services you already get, a news release from the company gives us a preview of what to expect.
New program benefits include prescription savings and free delivery from Amazon Pharmacy. It also says there will be growth for Amazon Music, Prime Reading and Prime Gaming. We didn’t get more details than that, but as always, the Komando HQ will update you as we find out more.
Keep reading
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We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Tags: Amazon, Amazon Music, Amazon Prime, benefits, books/e-books, costs, discounts, freebies, magazines, membership, Netflix, New features, perks, price hike, Prime Reading, services, shipping, Twitch, Whole Foods
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