Millions of Canadian shoppers pay for a monthly or annual membership to Amazon Prime. The subscription includes fast, free shipping on millions of products. But with more and more online marketplaces offering free shipping, is an Amazon Prime Canada membership worth the cost?

In this Amazon Prime review, I’ll list all of the benefits you can expect with a Prime membership, compare Amazon Prime Canada to Prime in the US, and help you decide whether Prime is worth signing up for.

What Is Amazon Prime?

Amazon Prime is a popular subscription service from Amazon, the world’s largest online marketplace. For a monthly fee, members receive many added benefits that improve the online shopping experience. Amazon Prime members gain access to exclusive deals, fast and free shipping, and a variety of entertainment options, including Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Music.

How to Open an Amazon Prime Account

Here are the steps for signing up with Amazon Prime in Canada:

1. Visit Amazon.ca: Head to the Amazon Canada website and click on the “Prime” link located in the top right corner of the screen.
2. Start Your Free Trial: New users can take Amazon Prime for a test drive with a 30-day free trial. Select “Start your 30-day free trial” to begin. Remember, you’ll need to have an Amazon account before proceeding. If you don’t have one yet, you can create a new account during this process.
3. Choose Your Membership Plan: You can opt for a monthly subscription at $9.99 per month or save $20.88 by choosing the annual plan, priced at $99 per year. Amazon offers discounted pricing to students, which I’ll cover in more detail later.
4. Enter Your Payment Information: To proceed with your chosen plan, you must provide a valid payment method. Amazon accepts various forms of payment, such as credit cards and select debit cards. Don’t worry; you won’t be billed during your 30-day free trial period. However, if you continue using the service beyond the trial, your selected plan’s cost will be automatically billed.
5. Enjoy Your Amazon Prime Membership: Once you’ve confirmed your payment details, you should be ready to enjoy the many benefits Amazon Prime offers.

Remember, if you choose not to continue with Amazon Prime after your free trial, simply cancel your membership before the trial period ends, and you won’t be billed.

How Much Does an Amazon Prime Membership Cost?

As mentioned, an Amazon Prime membership fee costs $9.99 per month or $99 annually. By opting for the annual membership, you’ll save $20.88.

Student Pricing

Amazon offers a Prime Student membership that includes a 6-month free trial. After the trial ends, students pay only $4.99 per month or $49 annually, which amounts to a 50% savings over a standard membership.

Students in Quebec get an initial 7-month membership for $4.99 (total) instead of a free trial (works out to the same cost.) Student Prime benefits are the same as regular Prime.

Key Features of Amazon Prime

Free Shipping

Perhaps the biggest benefit of an Amazon Prime Membership is the free shipping on eligible products. Gone are the days when you have to worry about calculating additional shipping costs with your online orders. As long as the item you purchase is Prime-eligible, you won’t pay any shipping charges, regardless of the item’s price (except in the case of Same-Day Delivery).

Fast Shipping

Free Same-Day Delivery: Amazon Prime members who live in Canada’s largest cities (Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary) can receive same-day delivery on many eligible products. Your order must be over $25, and you must place your order before 12:00 P.M. If you do, then you will receive your items before 9 P.M. on the same day.

Free One-Day Delivery: Amazon Prime offers free One-Day delivery to most cities and towns in Canada on eligible items, with no minimum order requirement. Order items that display the “Prime| Free One-Day icon” in the product description. Depending on the cutoff time for your region, you will receive the product by 10 PM the following day.

Free Two-Day Delivery: Millions of items ordered through Prime are eligible for free two-day shipping. There is no minimum purchase requirement, and two-day delivery is available in most towns and cities in Canada.

Release-Date Delivery: When you pre-order specific products, Amazon Prime will deliver the items to your door on the release date, depending on where you live.

Amazon Prime Day

Each July, Amazon rewards Prime members with Prime Day, which features hundreds of items at greatly reduced prices. It’s kind of like a Black Friday sale, but in the middle of the summer, and it’s only available to Amazon Prime members.

For 2023, Amazon announced an additional Prime Day for October. The 2-day shopping extravaganza is called Prime Big Deal Days and runs October 10th and 11th. According to Amazon, the deals will be similar to what they offer on Amazon Black Friday’s.

Prime Video

Prime Video is Amazon’s version of Netflix or Disney+. It’s a video streaming platform with thousands of TV shows and movies, including original Amazon programming. Prime Video is an excellent value because it’s included with the Amazon Prime membership. If you wanted, you could drop your other streaming subscriptions and save some extra money each month.

Amazon Prime Music

In addition to Prime Video, Prime members also receive a complimentary subscription to Amazon Music, which is a music streaming platform similar to Spotify or Apple Music. You can listen to millions of songs and podcasts ad-free for no additional cost.

Twitch Prime

Gaming enthusiasts can benefit from a free subscription to Twitch Prime, now known as Prime Gaming. This feature provides free PC games, in-game content, exclusive offers, and an ad-free viewing experience on Twitch.tv.

Amazon Photos

An Amazon Prime membership also includes unlimited photo storage on Amazon Photos, which is similar to Google Photos, allowing you to store your cherished memories securely and access them from anywhere via the cloud.

Amazon Prime Reading

Avid readers will appreciate the free digital library available through Prime Reading. Browse through a vast collection of books, magazines, comics, and more, all at your fingertips.

Amazon Family

Families who subscribe to Amazon Prime are eligible for exclusive deals and coupons on products such as diapers, baby strollers, baby clothing, toys, and pregnancy essentials.

Amazon Prime Canada vs. Amazon Prime US

There are some differences in the available benefits and services when comparing Amazon Prime Canada to Amazon Prime in the US.

First off, both Amazon Prime Canada and Amazon Prime US offer fast and free shipping on eligible items. In Canada, you can enjoy One-Day Delivery on millions of items, just like the US version. While the selection may vary between the two countries, you’ll still find a wide range of products eligible for Prime shipping benefits in Canada.

Another notable similarity is access to Amazon Prime Video. As a Prime member in Canada, you can access a vast library of TV shows and movies. Although the content library may not be as extensive as the US version, you’ll still find plenty of great options to keep you entertained.

When it comes to Amazon Music, both countries offer the service, but the number of available songs might be different. Amazon Prime US subscribers can access over 2 million songs, while Prime Canada subscribers can access over 1 million tunes. Either way, it’s a tonne of selection.

One key advantage for Amazon Prime Canada customers is that the membership is cheaper in Canada. Amazon Prime US members pay $14.99 monthly or $139 annually for a subscription. There are some added benefits not available in Canada, but Prime is significantly more expensive in the US, regardless.

Is Amazon Prime Worth it in Canada?

To determine whether an Amazon Prime membership is worth the $9.99 monthly (or $99 annual) fee, you need to consider how much benefit you’ll get from the service. If you only shop online occasionally and won’t use the additional services, such as Prime Video or Amazon Music, then you’re likely better off bypassing the Prime membership.

However, if you’re an avid online shopper and will take advantage of the fast, free shipping and participate in everything else Amazon Prime offers, including Prime Days and its various streaming services, your subscription should pay for itself many times over.

If you’re unsure, remember that you can take advantage of the trial period to see if the membership is right for you.

FAQs

How much does Amazon Prime cost per month in Canada?

Amazon Prime in Canada is available for CDN $9.99 per month (plus taxes) or CDN $99.00 per year (plus taxes), following a 30-day free trial period.

How can I cancel my Amazon Prime membership in Canada?

To cancel your Amazon Prime membership, follow these steps:

1. Log into your Amazon.ca account.
2. Hover over “Accounts & Lists” in the upper-right corner and click on “Your Prime Membership.”
3. On the left side of the page, select “End Membership and Benefits.”
4. Follow the instructions to finalize your cancellation.

Remember, you can cancel your Amazon Prime membership anytime, and the process is the same regardless of whether you’re on a monthly or yearly plan.

Does Amazon offer a student discount for a Prime Membership?

Yes, Amazon offers a discounted Prime membership called Prime Student for eligible university and college students. You must provide proof of enrollment in a Canadian post-secondary institution to be eligible. Prime Student members enjoy the same benefits as regular Prime members, at a reduced cost.