What Is the 12.99 Charge From Amazon?

The 12.99 charge from Amazon is the monthly fee for an Amazon Prime membership. Amazon Prime is a paid subscription service that provides members with a variety of benefits and perks. The 12.99 charge is automatically billed each month to continue Prime membership and access to features like free two-day shipping, Prime Video, and more.

What Are the Benefits of an Amazon Prime Membership?

An Amazon Prime membership includes a number of benefits and services that go beyond just quick free shipping. Here are some of the main perks of Prime:

• Free Two-Day Shipping – Get free two-day shipping on over 100 million items. No minimum order size required. 
• Prime Video – Instantly stream a large selection of movies and TV episodes at no additional cost. Similar to Netflix.
• Prime Music – Access a library of millions of songs and podcasts available for streaming.
• Prime Reading – Read books, magazines, comics, Kindle Singles and more with no additional charge. 
• Prime Photos – Get unlimited photo storage on Amazon Cloud Drive.
• Prime Wardrobe – Try on and return eligible clothes before purchasing them.
• Prime Gaming – Free games, in-game loot, and a Twitch channel subscription each month. 
• Prime Day – Exclusive annual sale event for Prime members with major deals.
• Prime Early Access – 30 minute early access to Lightning Deals. 
• Prime Try Before You Buy – Try on clothes before paying and only pay for what you keep.

Having all these benefits for one monthly fee of $12.99 makes a Prime membership popular for frequent Amazon shoppers. The variety of Prime offerings beyond just faster shipping creates strong value.

How Much Does an Amazon Prime Membership Cost?

The standard monthly cost for an Amazon Prime membership is $12.99 per month. This is the default plan that most members opt into when signing up for the service. 

However, Amazon does offer alternative Prime membership options:

• Annual Prime – $119 per year (or about $9.92 per month)
• Prime Student – $7.49 per month or $69 per year for college students
• Prime Video – $8.99 per month for just the video streaming benefits

The annual plan allows you to save about $40 per year compared to paying month-to-month. Meanwhile, college students can get Prime at a cheaper rate with a valid .edu email address.

When you initially sign up for any of these Prime memberships, you can start with a free 30-day trial to test it out before the paid membership begins.

All plans charge the membership fee automatically each month or year to the credit card, debit card, or other payment method used when registering.

How Do I Cancel My Amazon Prime Membership?

Cancelling your Amazon Prime membership is simple if you want to avoid being charged again. Here is the process:

1. Go to “Manage My Prime Membership” in Your Account
2. Click “End Membership” on the Prime membership details page
3. Confirm that you want to cancel when prompted

Once you cancel Prime, your membership and benefits will continue until the end of your current billing cycle. So if you cancel mid-month, you still get Prime until the month is over.

After cancellation, the automatic monthly $12.99 charge will stop. You won’t be billed again or charged any cancellation fees. However, you will lose access to Prime benefits after the billing cycle finishes.

Also note any other Amazon subscriptions like Prime Video may need to be cancelled separately if you want to stop being billed for them as well.

What Is the Difference Between an Amazon Prime Monthly Membership and an Amazon Prime Annual Membership?

The main difference between the monthly and annual Prime memberships are the cost and payment frequency:

• Monthly Prime – $12.99 per month, paid each month 
• Annual Prime – $119 per year, paid once yearly

Both memberships provide the full suite of Amazon Prime benefits. The only difference is whether you pay month-by-month or get a slight discount by paying annually upfront.

Going annual rather than monthly can save you about $40 per year. It also means you don’t have to think about the membership charge as often.

However, the monthly plan does offer more flexibility if you aren’t sure you want to commit to Prime for a full year. Paying monthly makes it easier to test Prime before deciding to pay for a year upfront.

Overall, if you use Prime frequently, the annual plan is more cost-effective for most members. But the monthly option does provide more convenience for occasional users who want to easily cancel any time.

What Is the Difference Between an Amazon Prime Membership and an Amazon Prime Student Membership?

Amazon Prime student memberships are designed for college students and offer similar benefits as standard Prime but at a cheaper monthly price:

• Prime Student – $7.49 per month or $69 per year
• Regular Prime – $12.99 per month or $119 per year 

To qualify for Prime Student, you need a valid .edu email address from an accredited US college or university. Proof of enrollment may be required.

With Prime Student, you get the same free premium shipping, Prime Video, Prime Music and all the other great Prime benefits. The only difference is the discounted membership fee, making it more affordable for students.

The Prime Student membership can be used for up to four years while enrolled in college. After graduating or leaving school, you will be automatically upgraded to a regular paid Prime membership.

Overall, Prime Student offers excellent value and is a great money-saving option for students who frequently shop on Amazon and use Prime services.

What Are the Terms and Conditions of an Amazon Prime Membership?

There are some key terms and conditions to note about Amazon Prime memberships:

• The monthly or annual fee is non-refundable once paid. If you cancel Prime, you won’t get a refund.
• You can begin with a 30-day free trial before paying. But you must cancel within the trial period to avoid being charged. 
• Amazon may offer promotional discounts or free trials beyond 30 days at its discretion. 
• Your Prime membership is tied to your Amazon account and non-transferable. 
• Prime can only be shared with one other adult in your household.
• You need an eligible credit or debit card or other valid payment method on file for the automatic recurring charges.
• Amazon reserves the right to suspend or terminate memberships at any time if terms are violated.
• You must follow all Prime membership requirements and Amazon’s general Conditions of Use.

Always be sure to understand the terms before signing up so you know what to expect as a Prime member.

How Can I Contact Amazon Customer Service About My Amazon Prime Membership?

If you have questions about your Prime membership, the best way to get help is contacting Amazon Customer Service directly:

• Call – Amazon’s customer service number is 1 (888) 280-4331.
• Online Chat – Initiate a live chat at www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/contact-us.
• Email – Reach out to [email protected] with membership questions. 

Some common reasons to contact customer service are:

• Get help cancelling or changing your Prime membership.
• Questions about the monthly $12.99 charge or billing issues.
• Trouble using Prime benefits like free shipping or Prime Video.
• Issues changing or updating payment information.

Amazon typically has excellent customer service response times and options to get all your Prime membership issues resolved quickly.

Conclusion

The 12.99 charge from Amazon is the standard monthly fee for an Amazon Prime membership. This grants you access to free two-day shipping, Prime Video, Prime Music and many other premium benefits. While you can pay annually or try discounted student rates, most members opt for the convenient monthly plan. Just remember to cancel in time if you want to avoid the recurring 12.99 charge on your card. Overall, Prime provides a vast array of benefits that frequently make the membership charge well worth it for regular Amazon shoppers and users.

Frequently Asked Questions