4 Ways You Can Use Amazon Prime For Free For A Limited Time

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If you've never tried Amazon Prime and its many hidden perks, or you used to be a member but have since canceled, don't forget there are still lots of ways to use it for free, and occasionally for more than just a limited period. This could prove really useful if you have a bunch of shopping items you want delivered quickly and without any delivery costs, or if a particular movie you've been waiting to watch has suddenly shown up on Prime. 

Amazon Prime offers more than just shopping perks and video streaming, with select live sports, music streaming, gaming, and Kindle books also part of the package. You even get access to Amazon's AI-infused Alexa+ smart assistant at no additional cost. But regardless of what has tempted you into giving the service a whirl, if you fancy trying Amazon Prime for free, simply read on for the best ideas on how to do just that.

One of the easiest ways to use Amazon Prime for free is to sign up for the 30-day trial. Anyone with an Amazon account can sign up for this trial, but generally, it's only offered if you haven't used it or enrolled in a membership during the last 12 months. 

To sign up, head to the Amazon Prime page to confirm the trial's availability. If you're logged in, you should see a notice at the top saying, "We're giving you a free 30-day trial of Prime." Click on the button that says "Start your free 30-day trial" and you're almost ready to start enjoying all of the benefits. If you're not logged into Amazon or you don't have an account, scroll down the page to find the same "30-day trial" button.

There are some important things to remember. You'll be asked to input a payment method, but to avoid being charged, you must cancel your Prime membership before the 30 days are up. If you forget to do this, you will be automatically charged $14.99 per month (plus tax) for the service until you cancel (or a better-value $139 annual fee if you switch to it later). These are the prices in the U.S., but similar fees will be charged to those in other countries.

Another useful way to avoid paying for Amazon Prime is by getting someone in your home who's already signed up to Prime to share their Amazon Prime membership with you through a service called Amazon Family, previously known as Amazon Household. A bonus with this method is that it will last for as long as the other person in your home remains signed up to Prime and keeps you on board (just be sure to stay in their good books!).

Specifically, Amazon Family can be shared with one other adult and up to four teens or up to four children, so long as you're all living under the same roof. A given household's Prime member can easily manage their Amazon Family setup by visiting the relevant Amazon webpage (you need to be logged in). You'll see a "+" sign for adding new members, and a "Sharing" button to manage which Prime benefits you want to share and with whom. There's also a "Settings" option where you can access Parental Controls for each person that has been added to the Amazon Family.

Here's a brilliant option for young adults: six whole months of free, fast delivery on Amazon orders, plus unlimited streaming for binge-worthy Amazon Prime Video shows and movies, select live sports, music, and Kindle books. Be wary that this deal can change or disappear for a while, and the terms may vary across countries.

At the time of writing, the U.S.-based Amazon Prime deal for those aged between 18 and 24 also includes 5% cash back on electronics, beauty, and other eligible products bought on Amazon. The six-month free trial comes courtesy of Grubhub, which as part of the deal is also offering free delivery on eligible orders. But remember — as with the regular Amazon Prime free trial, you need to cancel it before the six months are up. Otherwise, you'll be charged, albeit at a very reasonable $7.49 per month or $69 per year if you switch to annual payments. It's also worth noting that this tier of Prime membership doesn't allow you to share access with others in your home via Amazon Family. Visit the relevant Amazon page to see if the free trial for young adults is currently available in your region.

Another way to use Amazon Prime for free is by making use of Amazon Gift Card credits obtained by methods other than straight cash payment. These can include via reward apps such as Fetch, Swagbucks, Ibotta, and Microsoft Rewards that let you earn points through small tasks like scanning receipts, taking surveys, watching short videos, or shopping through their links.

Once you've accrued enough points on an eligible card or app, you can then convert them into spendable credit by redeeming them toward the gift card balance in your Amazon account. Keep in mind, though, that reward apps will vary by country, so do some searching to find the best options where you are. Once those codes are redeemed to your Amazon balance, you can set your Prime membership so that it bills against that balance instead of your bank card, turning "free" rewards into a free Prime subscription.