Shopping · pricing dossier
Amazon Prime
Every price change since Feb 2005 — dated, sourced, archived.
The pricing story
Amazon Prime raises its price roughly every four years, like a slow metronome: $79 for a decade, $99 in 2014, $119 in 2018, $139 in 2022. Each jump lands near 18–20%, and each is absorbed because Prime bundles shipping, video, music, and photos into a single sunk cost most households won't audit. The quieter hikes are inside the bundle: Prime Video added ads by default in January 2024 and now charges $2.99/month extra to remove them — an effective increase that never touched the headline price. On the four-year cadence, the next hike window opened in 2026.
Every change on record
5 entries- Jan 29, 2024 Prime Video ad-free add-on $2.99 New plan
Ads become the Video default; ad-free now costs $2.99/mo extra — a stealth hike
source: Prime Video page (archived) ↗ - Feb 18, 2022 Prime (annual) $119 $139 ▲ +17%
+17%; monthly to $14.99; first hike since 2018
source: Amazon Prime page (archived) ↗ - May 11, 2018 Prime (annual) $99 $119 ▲ +20%
+20%; monthly plan rises to $12.99
source: Amazon Prime page (archived) ↗ - Mar 13, 2014 Prime (annual) $79 $99 ▲ +25%
First hike in nine years
source: Amazon Prime page (archived) ↗ - Feb 2, 2005 Prime (annual) $79 Launch
Prime debuts: unlimited 2-day shipping for $79/yr
source: Amazon press release (archived) ↗
Current plans (2026)
| Plan | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Prime (annual) | $139/yr | Equivalent to $11.58/mo |
| Prime (monthly) | $14.99/mo | |
| Prime Video ad-free add-on | $2.99/mo | Removes ads from Video |
US list prices. Check the official pricing page for regional pricing and promos.
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Frequently asked questions
Has Amazon Prime ever raised its prices?
Yes — Amazon Prime has raised prices 3 times. The most recent increase was on Feb 18, 2022, when Prime (annual) went from $119 to $139.
How much does Amazon Prime cost in 2026?
Prime (annual) costs $139/yr; Prime (monthly) costs $14.99/mo; Prime Video ad-free add-on costs $2.99/mo.
What did Amazon Prime cost when it launched?
The Prime (annual) plan launched at $79/mo in Feb 2005. Today it costs $139 — a 76% increase.
When was the last Amazon Prime price increase?
Feb 18, 2022. +17%; monthly to $14.99; first hike since 2018