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Forget Prime Day. These are the best Amazon Prime alternatives
In 2022, Amazon raised its Prime membership prices from a $119 ($12.99 monthly) to $139 ($14.99 monthly) annual fee.
While Amazon Prime has become an essential service for many -- especially for those who order household items and gadgets on a weekly basis-- the price hike hike is not ideal. Whether your shopping habits or budget can no longer justify the fee or you're simply looking for another supply hub, Amazon, or Amazon Prime, isn't your inly option.
More: How to cancel your Amazon Prime membership
Even though Amazon Prime does have perks like free one-day delivery and exclusive Prime Day sale events, these other services also offer similar promotions and sales, like our top choice, Walmart+. Read on to see how other, grocery-specific and entertainment focused options compare.
The best Amazon Prime alternatives in 2024
- Annual subscription is $40 cheaper than Amazon Prime
- Groceries and products sourced from local Walmarts
- VIP access to sales promotions and shopping events
- Less item variety than Amazon
Walmart+ features: Shipping: Free | Grocery delivery: Yes | Entertainment: Video streaming with Paramount + | Promotions and events: Early access to sales, save on prescriptions, save up to .10 cents per gallon on gas | Price: $12.95/month
The best one-to-one alternative to Amazon Prime is Walmart+. The superstore's subscription plan offers fast, free shipping on its bounty of groceries, household products, tech, and even medical prescriptions. With thousands of physical locations across the US, Walmart+ sources your local store to deliver the freshest products, with real-time inventory statuses. Those features are particularly handy if you typically have your groceries delivered.
For shipping, Walmart+ guarantees that all items that are "Shipped by Walmart" will arrive within two days -- no order minimum required. To compete against Amazon's Prime Day sales, Walmart+ members gain early access to special promotions and events, all year long. That includes Black Friday deals, new product releases, and more.
A Walmart+ plan costs $12.95 per month or $98 a year. We recommend the latter subscription plan for the best value. If you're a newcomer and want to test the waters first, you can also opt for a 30-day free trial.
- No monthly or annual subscriptions needed
- 60-day return and exchange window for Target-sold items
- Free same-day shipping
- In-store pickup
- Not for those who don't want another credit or debit card to pay off
- No entertainment included
Target RedCard features: Shipping: Free same-day shipping | Grocery delivery: Yes | Entertainment: N/A | Promotions: 5% off every purchase, additional return time, exclusive offers | Price: No annual or monthly fees
Target is another big-box store with an exclusive shopping program. But instead of the monthly and annual subscription plans, shoppers can register for a RedCard -- debit or credit -- that rewards 5% back for every purchase made in-stores and online. That's on top of the free shipping, special access to sales and discounts, and an additional 30-day period for returns and exchanges (60 days in total) that come with RedCard members.
Applying for a RedCard is free and so is the same-day shipping service for a plethora of Target-sold products. Like Walmart, Target sources your local stores when delivering produce and you can expect real-time inventory updates on hot items. With that information, it's also possible to place orders for pickup. The 5% discount that comes with the RedCard will still apply.
- Great for those who frequently shop online
- Free two-day shipping
- Exclusive offers and discounts at partner stores
- Catalog of retail partners may not include your preferred stores
- No food items for delivery
ShopRunner features: Shipping: Free 2-day shipping | Grocery delivery: N/A | Entertainment: N/A | Promotions: More than 100 retail partners and free returns | Price: $79, or free for certain credit cardholders
ShopRunner can be thought of as the Uber Eats of online shopping. By partnering with more than a hundred retailers including Saks Fifth Avenue, Lenovo, Fanatics, and more, members can get free two-day shipping when they shop online and select the ShopRunner delivery option.
A yearly subscription costs $79, but PayPal members, MasterCard World and World Elite holders, Chase, and American Express cardholders can register to ShopRunner for free. If you're not in any of those groups, you can still opt for a three-month trial at no cost. Maybe wait until peak-shopping seasons if you plan on doing so.
Also: Stack your closet, not your bills: Online thrifting apps we love
- No subscription plan needed to use the service
- Great selection of local grocery stores
- Same-day shipping on orders over $35
- Delivery fee, service fee, and tip vary based on where you shop
- Only for food items
Instacart features: Shipping: Same-day shipping | Grocery delivery: Yes | Entertainment: N/A | Promotions: In-app offers | Price: Delivery fee, service fee, and driver tip (fees will vary)
Instacart is best known for its grocery delivery services, but has since expanded to cover a wider base of goods and products. Today, you can use the Instacart app (or website) to place an order from a catalog of grocery stores, warehouse clubs, and consumer brands, and a shopper will physically shop and deliver them to your house.
A subscription plan is not required to use Instacart; You only need to pay a delivery fee, which starts at $3.99 for same-day orders over $35, a service fee, and a recommended tip to your driver. That said, the fees will vary based on where you're shopping from, and do add up. But for its convenience and centralized shopping, we think Instacart is worth considering for the less-frequent shoppers.
Also: The best food delivery apps: DoorDash, Grubhub, Uber Eats, and more compared
- Affordable on-demand streaming
- Vast assortment of popular TV shows and movies
- Hulu Originals are exclusive from Prime Video
- Basic tier is ad-supported
- No other perks other than entertainment
Hulu features: Shipping: N/A | Grocery delivery: N/A | Entertainment: Access to Disney+ and ESPN+, as well as live TV | Promotions: Download movies, add-free options | Price: starts at $7.99/month
Going without Amazon Prime also means leaving behind Prime Video. Fortunately, there are plenty of alternatives at lower price points that offer just as much, if not more, variety in the TV shows and movies that you can watch on demand. Our best pick is Hulu, which can be subscribed to for as low as $7.99 per month and like Prime Video, includes Hulu originals like Only Murders in the Building and The Handmaid's Tale.
With the basic tier plan, you will have access to all of Hulu's exclusive shows, hit movies, Originals, kids shows, and more. The only caveat to the cheaper price is the addition of pre-roll ads, which is also prevalent on Amazon Prime Video.
A free one-month trial is available for first time customers of Hulu. For more Amazon Prime alternatives, check out our list for the best video streaming services.
What are the best Amazon Prime alternatives?
The best Amazon Prime alternative is Walmart+ since it comes in at a cheaper price point than Amazon, has free shipping, and even includes early access to sales and promotions.
Amazon Prime Alternative | Price | Main Features |
Walmart+ | $12.95/month | VIP access to sales promotions and shopping events, products sourced from your local Walmart |
Target RedCard | Free | 5% off every purchase, free same-day shipping, additional return time |
ShopRunner | Free or $79/year | 2-day shipping, free for most credit cardholders |
Instacart | Free | Free delivery over $35, local grocery stores |
Hulu | Starting at $7.99/month | Access to Disney+ and ESPN+, live TV, choose from 3,000 titles |
Which Amazon Prime alternative is right for you?
While any of these Amazon Prime alternatives are great options to replace your subscription, it ultimately comes down to what you shop most for, how much you're looking to pay, and if you prefer delivery versus in-store pickup.
Choose this Amazon Prime alternative... | If you want... |
Walmart+ | The best overall option. You can get groceries or household essentials delivered, and you get included access to Paramount+. |
Target RedCard | To be able to pick up your items at a store. Opening up a credit or debit card is free, and will save you 5% on all purchases. |
ShopRunner | Access to hundreds of retailers for the best online shopping. You can expect free two-day shipping. |
Instacart | To order grocery delivery. No subscription is needed to order through Instacart. |
Hulu | To replace your Amazon Prime Video subscription. With over 3,000 titles to choose from, you can also access live TV and Disney+. |
How did we choose the best Amazon Prime alternatives?
When it comes to online shopping, Amazon Prime has set the tone for convenience and speed. So when picking out the best alternatives, we not only sought out options that matched the two factors, but more.
- Shipping: One of Amazon's main draws is super fast shipping, so we paid attention to services that offered two-day shipping or quicker.
- Promotions: We paid attention to services that have exclusive offers to members, such as early access to sales or products, perks like extended or free returns, and ways to save money.
- Products or services offered: We tried to include services that offer everything (or a little bit of everything) no matter if it was groceries, household items, electronics, clothing, or entertainment that you're looking for.
- Price: You're probably looking to leave Amazon Prime due to the price, so we looked at services that are more affordable.
Is there a cheaper way for me to get Amazon Prime?
While that friendly Amazon customer service associate will honor your returns and exchanges, they won't be able to exempt you from the new prices. However, there are some methods to help you get the same experience for less.
- Amazon Prime Student: If you're a student, you can enroll into an Amazon Prime Student membership using your .edu email and reap the same benefits as a regular member for half off. That brings the monthly cost down to $7.49, or $69 per year.
- Government assistance recipients and people who rely on EBT or Medicaid can qualify for a discounted Prime membership -- as low as $6.99 per month.
- Have a friend or family who's also looking to pay less? Share an Amazon Prime account via Amazon Household and split the cost in two!
Can I get Prime shipping without a Prime membership?
If you're like me and have been using Amazon Prime for as long as you can remember. You can actually still qualify for Amazon's fast shipping services without a membership. The only requirement is that you have to order at least $25 worth of eligible items, typically with a "FREE Shipping" signage on the product page.
Are there more Amazon Prime alternatives worth considering?
Even though Amazon is the e-commerce giant, there are still other options. Here are a few more top-rated services to fulfill your shopping needs: