Is Amazon Prime Worth the Cost in 2024?

I've been an Amazon Prime member since 2015, and paying the membership fee has been worth it for me -- I placed 105 Amazon orders with free shipping last year, for example. I enjoy Prime Video's included streaming movies and TV shows. And I use food delivery fairly often, so I even sometimes cheat on my beloved DoorDash and opt to use Grubhub+ instead, since I got it free with my Prime membership. (In my defense, in some cities, Grubhub has a better restaurant selection.)

But Amazon Prime's regular price is $14.99 per month, or $139 if you opt to pay for a whole year at once. You can get it for cheaper if you're a student ($7.49 per month) or on qualifying government assistance like SNAP ($6.99 per month), though. In a world where you already likely have your share of bills, is it worth joining Amazon Prime in 2024 (or sticking with it, if you're already a member)? Let's take a closer look.

What do you get with Amazon Prime?

Your $139 per year Prime membership comes with quite a few benefits. Here are some of the highlights.

• Fast free shipping: Depending on the item and where you're located, you could have items arrive in two days, one day, or even on the same day you order them. And there's no charge for this shipping.
• Prime Video channels: For a little extra per month, you can subscribe to some streaming services via Prime.
• Prime Exclusive Deals: There are a lot of coupons and offers reserved just for Prime members.
• Prime Visa access: If you're a Prime member, you can apply for the Prime Visa. This stellar card is one of the best store credit cards -- you'll get a whopping 5% back on your Amazon, AmazonFresh, and Whole Foods, and Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership purchases, among other benefits.
• Rx Pass: Prime members can get their eligible prescription medications for just $5 per month (even if you have multiple prescriptions).

All of this sounds pretty good, right? Well, let's discuss how to decide if Prime is right for you in 2024.

Sure, become a Prime member in 2024

If you took a gander at the benefits above (or clicked over to Amazon's site to look at the full list of Prime benefits) and a good number of what's listed there appeals to you, then yes, you may be a candidate for Prime membership next year (or sooner -- holiday shopping season!).

Personally, I don't come close to using the full slate of benefits I'm entitled to, but based on the ones I do use, I feel as if I'm easily getting my money's worth. I'm a bona fide online shopping enthusiast, and Amazon has become to me what the trusty old general store was to 19th-century Americans. If this describes you, too, Amazon Prime could be a fit.

Consider your finances to make the decision, however. If you can afford the yearly upfront cost for Prime, you'll save about $40, so I do recommend this. Also, it's worth seeing if you can get a Prime free trial -- these last 30 days, and are a good way to see if you like the service before you commit.

Nope, skip Prime membership for now

The reasons to skip Prime mostly come down to your personal finances. If you're already struggling to keep up with regular bills and savings goals (like building an emergency fund), it's best to hold off on Prime for now. I'm not one to suggest that you need to cut all the fun spending out of your life when you're trying to get a handle on your money (increasing your income is far more effective), but I do caution against taking on additional nonessential expenses. Reevaluate your budget in 2025, and consider becoming a Prime member then.

It's also worth noting that you can get what is perhaps the most basic benefit of Prime (the free shipping) without being a Prime member. As my colleague Natasha Etzel notes, if you spend $35 at a time on Amazon, your shipping will be free -- she hasn't paid for Prime in almost a decade. So that's something to consider if free shipping is the biggest draw for you.

Ultimately, the decision to join Prime in the new year is a personal one. Consider how often you shop at Amazon, how much use you'll get from its services, and your own cash flow situation to decide.