Amazon Prime subscribers in the US region are going to have to pay a bit more for the service. The cost of a yearly Amazon Prime subscription is rising to $119 USD – up from the current price of $99 USD. The price increase will begin on May 11th for new subscribers. Current subscribers will see the rate increase on June 16th. If your current subscription ends before June 16th you will be able to renew at the old price of $99 USD. Subscriptions that expire after June 16th pay the higher price.
Subscribers who enjoy a student discount will also see a price increase. Prime Student will cost $59 USD per year – up from the current annual rate of $49 USD.
Amazon Prime was introduced back in 2009 at a price of $79 USD per year. The benefits back then were free two-day shipping on orders. That would later be changed to free two-day shipping for orders over $25.
Over the years a number of other benefits were added to the service. One of the most popular perks was unlimited streaming of movies and television shows. Other benefits include a lending library for Kindle owners, a free Kindle book every month, online photo storage, free two-hour delivery in some cities and special offers at Whole Foods. A Twitch Prime membership is also included with Amazon Prime which allows subscribers to claim free video games and support their favorite game streamers with a free monthly subscription.
If $119 per year sounds like a bit much to you, there are a couple of options for you. Amazon Prime Video is available for a monthly fee. If you have a functional .edu email address you may qualify for the student rate and those who receive some sort of federal assistance such as EBT or Medicaid may be able to pay a reduced rate.
My own subscription comes up for renewal a few days before the price increase so I have another year ahead of me before I have to cough up an extra twenty bucks for the service. Are you a current Amazon Prime subscriber and will you continue to use the service after the price hike? We’d love to know.
