Amazon Prime is packed with perks – free fast shipping, Prime Video, music streaming, exclusive deals, and more – but the membership fee can be steep. So how do people get Prime benefits for free? Many in the community ask this, and the good news is there are indeed legitimate ways to enjoy free Amazon Prime benefits without paying full price. Below I’ve compiled seven proven methods (no shady tricks or spam, just real opportunities) to score Prime perks for $0 out of pocket.

How Do People Get Prime Benefits for Free?

It turns out savvy shoppers have found several legit ways to get Amazon Prime for free or nearly free. From official trials to family sharing and special programs, you can unlock Prime’s best benefits without shelling out the normal $139/year. Here are 7 methods to consider – each explained with tips so you can try them too. Feel free to add your own experiences in the comments!

1. Sign Up for a 30-Day Free Prime Trial – If you’ve never had Amazon Prime, start with the free 30-day trial. This is the easiest way to instantly get all Prime benefits without paying a cent. During the trial month, you enjoy all the perks: free two-day (and often same-day) shipping, access to Prime Video and Prime Music, Prime Gaming loot, Prime Reading, exclusive Prime Day deals – everything a paid member gets. Just remember to set a calendar reminder before 30 days are up. You can cancel in one click if you decide not to continue, and you won’t be charged. (Pro tip: Amazon sometimes extends trial offers to 60 or even 90 days during special promotions, especially around Prime Day or the holidays, so keep an eye out for bonus trial offers.) This trial is hands-down the simplest way to get Amazon Prime benefits for free initially.

2. Use the 6-Month Prime Student Trial (Ages 18–24) – Are you a college student or a young adult under 25? Amazon offers Prime Student, which gives a 6-month free Prime trial for anyone with a .edu email or verified age 18–24. That’s half a year of Prime benefits completely free! During those 6 months, you get all the usual Prime perks (shipping, streaming, etc.) plus student-centric deals (like textbook discounts and free Grubhub+). After the 6 months, Prime Student continues at 50% off the normal price for up to 4 years. This is a fantastic way younger folks save money. For example, I signed up using my community college email and enjoyed an entire semester of Prime without paying anything. If you’re eligible, definitely grab this extended freebie. (And if you turn 18–24 but aren’t in school, Amazon’s "Prime for Young Adults" program similarly offers the 6-month free trial and half-price plan by verifying your age.)

3. Share Prime Benefits with Family (Amazon Household) – One of the best “secret” tricks is Amazon Household. Amazon allows you to share your Prime membership with one other adult in your household (plus up to 4 teens/kids) at no extra cost. This means if someone in your family or close friend group has Prime, they can add you to their Household and you’ll get Prime benefits for free as a shared user. The shared adult gets their own Amazon login, but gains Prime shipping on their orders, Prime Video streaming, Prime Reading, etc. (some digital content and payment methods are shared, so do this only with someone you trust). For instance, I’m on a Household plan with my sibling – they were the Prime member, and they invited me. Now I get free shipping and videos without paying for Prime myself. Many Redditors use this strategy to let spouses or parents & kids share one membership. It’s 100% legit per Amazon’s rules, and everyone in the Household can enjoy the perks.

4. Earn Free Amazon Gift Cards to Pay for Prime – Another way to avoid paying out-of-pocket is to use free gift cards or credits to cover the Prime fee. There are plenty of reward apps and programs that give out free Amazon gift cards for completing simple tasks. For example, apps like Fetch Rewards, Swagbucks, Ibotta, Microsoft Rewards, etc. let you earn Amazon gift card codes by scanning grocery receipts, taking surveys, shopping through their links, or even playing games. You can then use those gift card balances to pay for your Prime membership renewal (or your next month’s charge) instead of your own money. I personally use Microsoft Rewards (bing searches) and Fetch to rack up Amazon credits throughout the year – last year I accumulated enough to completely pay for my Prime renewal in gift cards. It feels awesome essentially getting Prime for free using “found money.” This method does take a little effort, but if you’re consistent, you can offset the entire cost of Prime. Pro tip: Some people also flip credit card cashback into Amazon gift cards, or use cashback apps for Amazon purchases and save those rewards for the membership fee. The key is leveraging free rewards so Amazon Prime costs you $0 from your wallet.

5. Leverage Credit Card Rewards or Bonuses – Check if your credit card can make Prime free. Some credit cards offer special rewards that cover Amazon Prime, or let you redeem points for Prime membership. For instance, the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa gives 5% back on Amazon purchases if you have Prime – if you spend a lot on Amazon, that cashback can effectively pay for your membership over the year. (Spend $200/month on Amazon and you’d earn $10 back monthly, pretty much covering Prime’s ~$15 monthly cost.) Other cards allow point redemptions for Amazon purchases including Prime fees. American Express Membership Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards have occasionally offered Prime membership as a redeemable reward or sign-up bonus. For example, a friend of mine got a new credit card that came with a $150 Amazon gift card bonus – she immediately applied that to her Prime annual fee, making her year of Prime free. While no mainstream card automatically gives Prime for free, using your card perks strategically can zero out the cost. It’s essentially turning your everyday spending into a free Prime subscription.

6. Get Prime as a Free Perk from Other Services – Sometimes you can snag Prime without paying for it by subscribing to another service that includes Amazon Prime as a bonus. One popular example: certain cell phone plans include a Prime membership at no extra charge. For instance, Metro by T-Mobile’s $60/month plan comes with Amazon Prime built-in – customers on that plan get a full Prime membership for free. (Some past Sprint/T-Mobile promotions and other carriers have done similar deals.) If you’re already paying for a phone plan, it’s worth checking if switching to one that includes Prime could save you that separate Prime fee. Additionally, some broadband providers or cable packages have offered a free year of Prime as a sign-up incentive in the past. Even employers sometimes provide Prime: Amazon employees get Prime free as a benefit, and some companies might offer Prime memberships to employees or as holiday gifts (worth asking!). The idea here is to bundle Prime with something you’re paying for anyway so that you’re not paying for Prime directly. It’s a legit way many people end up with Prime “for free” as a side perk of another purchase.

7. Take Advantage of Prime Discounts or Assistance Programs – Amazon has special Prime programs for certain groups that can drastically reduce or eliminate the cost. If you have an EBT card or receive government assistance (Medicaid, SNAP, etc.), you qualify for Prime Access, which is Prime at a huge discount – just $6.99/month (half the regular price). While that’s not completely free, it’s nearly the lowest possible cost for full Prime benefits, and you still get a 30-day free trial to start. Moreover, there are nonprofits and community organizations that sometimes sponsor free Prime memberships for those in need. For example, I’ve seen local libraries and charities partner with Amazon to provide Prime free for a year to low-income families (it’s not widespread, but such programs do exist). Always keep an eye out for Amazon’s promotions too – occasionally around Prime Day or holidays, Amazon offers bonus free months or credits for trying Prime. The key is if you’re eligible for any discount or trial, make sure to use it. You might find that through these programs you can enjoy Prime’s two-day shipping and streaming free or at minimal cost when it would otherwise be out of budget.

Those are seven tried-and-true ways I’ve personally used or seen others use to get Amazon Prime benefits for free (or as close to free as it gets!). By stacking free trials, sharing accounts, and using reward hacks, you can enjoy Prime’s perks without paying the normal price. If you’re on the fence about Prime, try one of these methods and treat yourself to the free shipping and shows – you’ve got nothing to lose.

Now I’d love to hear from you! Have you scored free Amazon Prime benefits using any of these strategies, or do you know of other clever hacks? Share your experience or tips in the comments. Did you finesse multiple free trials? Did your school or job hook you up with Prime? Let’s help each other save money – feel free to add on with your own tips for getting free Amazon Prime. The community would appreciate any insight on enjoying Prime for $0. Happy savings, and happy streaming/shopping!

I just signed up for the free trial when it came out in 2005. I think I'm somehow still on that free trial. I've gone back through my email, my bank statements, credit statements -- never been billed for it.

Is it a glitch, or has this happened to others?