Amazon Prime Trial in the US and Canada: Prices and Fine Print
By Laura Jordana · Editor
Published Oct 8, 2026 · 5 min read
In this guide
Amazon offers new members a free Prime trial in both the US and Canada, but the trial length, the price you pay afterward and the discounts on offer are not the same in each country. Here is what amazon.com and amazon.ca list right now, plus the cancellation rules that decide whether you can get money back.
Trial length and prices by country
These are the numbers on Amazon’s own Prime pages in October 2026:
| Plan | amazon.com (US, USD) | amazon.ca (Canada, CAD) |
|---|---|---|
| Standard trial | 30 days | 30 days |
| Prime monthly | $14.99 | $9.99 |
| Prime annual | $139 | $99 |
| Student / young adult trial | 6 months | 6 months |
| Student / young adult monthly | $7.49 | $4.99 |
| Student / young adult annual | $69 | $49 |
| Prime Access (government assistance) | $6.99/month after a 30-day trial | Not offered |
Taxes can apply on top of the fee in both countries. Amazon also sells a standalone Prime Video membership in the US for $8.99 a month, which does not include shipping benefits.
The annual plan is cheaper than twelve monthly payments: $139 versus $179.88 in the US. It only saves money if you are sure you will keep Prime for the whole year.
Student and young adult plans
In the US the plan is called Prime for Young Adults. Amazon’s page says it is open to people aged 18 to 24 and to college students, and you have to verify eligibility. It starts with a 6-month trial, then costs $7.49 a month or $69 a year. One catch: Prime for Young Adults does not include Household sharing, so you cannot share benefits with another adult the way a full Prime member can.
If you are shopping on a student budget, Prime is only one piece. Our guide to student discounts on fashion covers the clothing retailers with their own verified student pricing.
Prime Access for SNAP, Medicaid and other benefits (US)
Prime Access is Amazon’s reduced-price plan in the US. It costs $6.99 a month and starts with a 30-day trial for eligible customers. You can qualify two ways:
- Income: a third-party partner checks that household income is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guideline.
- Program enrollment: you upload proof of participation in a qualifying program. Amazon’s list includes SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, SSDI, TANF, WIC, LIHEAP, the National School Lunch Program, Federal Public Housing Assistance, Veterans and Survivors Pension Benefits, the Direct Express card, Tribal TANF and Puerto Rico’s NAP.
Amazon says the uploaded documents are deleted after verification. Prime Access members can share some benefits with another adult in their Amazon Household.
Auto-renewal and how to end the trial
Amazon’s help page is direct about it: you are not charged during the trial, but you are upgraded to a paid membership automatically when it ends. To avoid the charge:
- Sign in and open the Prime membership page under Your Account.
- Choose the option to end your membership or turn off renewal.
- Follow the prompts until you see a confirmation. You keep the trial benefits until the trial period ends.
A credit card is required for the trial on amazon.com; Amazon’s US help page says prepaid cards and checking accounts cannot be used. If you signed up through the Amazon app on Android, the subscription is managed through Google Play, so cancel it there.
Refund rules for unused benefits
Missing the cancel date is common, and the refund rules are more forgiving than most subscriptions. They are not identical in the two countries:
- Amazon’s US Prime terms say that if you cancel within 3 business days of signing up or of a trial converting to paid, you get the full fee back, minus the value of any Prime benefits you used in those 3 days. After that window, you get a full refund only if neither you nor your account made eligible purchases or used Prime benefits since the last charge.
- If you joined Prime through a third party, such as a phone carrier, Amazon’s cancellation page says to cancel through that company.
- Amazon’s cancellation help page says refunds are processed in three to five business days.
In practice, if you plan to use the trial only for one big order or a holiday season, set a calendar reminder two days before the trial ends. That is easier than arguing about benefit value later.
Is the trial worth starting?
The trial is useful when you have several orders lined up in the next 30 days and would otherwise pay shipping. It is not useful as a way to get “free stuff”: Prime does not include the Vine program, which is a separate invitation-only reviewer program explained in our Amazon Vine guide. For ongoing savings that do not renew into a fee, compare cashback apps and the other memberships in this section, such as Walmart+ and Target Circle.
Sources checked October 2026: Amazon Prime (US), The Amazon Prime Membership Fee (US help), Sign Up for the Amazon Prime Free Trial (US help), Cancel Your Amazon Prime Membership (US help), Amazon Prime Terms (US), Prime Access (US), Prime for Young Adults (US), Amazon Prime (Canada), Amazon.ca Prime Terms.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Amazon Prime free trial?
On both amazon.com and amazon.ca the standard trial for new members is 30 days. The young adult and student plans come with a 6-month trial instead.
Does the Prime trial turn into a paid membership automatically?
Yes. Amazon's help pages say you are moved to a paid plan when the trial ends unless you turn off renewal in your account first.
Can I get a refund if I forget to cancel?
Amazon's Prime terms say paid members who have not used any benefits since the charge can get a full refund. If you used benefits, a deduction can apply, and the rules differ slightly between the US and Canada.
Is there a Prime discount for SNAP or Medicaid recipients in Canada?
Prime Access, the $6.99 a month plan for government assistance recipients, is a US program on amazon.com. We did not find an equivalent plan on amazon.ca.
