Best Alternatives to Amazon Prime Perks (2023): Two-Day Shipping, Grocery
The annual cost of Amazon Prime is higher than ever. The annual cost is $139 per year, while monthly Prime subscriptions are $15 instead of $13. Between the cost of nearly everything increasing and Amazon’s often murky ethics, it might be time to reevaluate your subscription.
Amazon Prime comes with a lot of perks, and if you go the route of subscribing to alternate comparable services, you run the risk of paying more than you would to Amazon. But maybe you’re not using every service Prime offers. We’ve collected some of our favorite Amazon Prime alternatives here, from competitors with two-day shipping to other photo storage solutions.
Updated July 2023: We refreshed the links and prices.
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Two-Day Shipping Alternatives
These days, nearly every major retailer with brick-and-mortar locations has a way to get free and fast shipping, whether it’s by spending a certain amount or joining a rewards program. The Covid-19 pandemic has also made the option to buy online and pick up in-store more common than ever before. As a reminder, Amazon offers free two-day shipping on orders over $35 for non-Prime members.
Courtesy of Target
Target offers free shipping on orders of $35 or more, and free two-day shipping on orders placed with a Target RedCard. (Target also offers free curbside or in-store pickup—sometimes even on the same day.) There are two versions of the RedCard—one is a credit card, and one is a debit card that links to a bank account. Both versions net users 5 percent off and free two-day shipping. There are other perks too, like exclusive deals and longer return windows. Formerly known as Cartwheel, Target Circle is a free rewards program that nets members 1 percent back in store credit, a 5 percent off coupon on birthdays, and a bevy of other deals and offers. Some of those discounts are better than others, but since the program is free, it’s worth joining.
One big Prime benefit is that on Amazon Prime Day (a two-day event usually held in the summer), you get access to exclusive and steep discounts. Well, major retailers like Target, Walmart, and Best Buy have been holding their own major sales simultaneously and prices often match across stores.
Runner-Up: Orders of at least $35 at Walmart get free two-day shipping. Some items qualify for free next-day delivery. Walmart offers free in-store pickup as well. The retailer also has a paid rewards program called W+ that grants members free two-day or next-day shipping with no minimum purchase required. It costs $98 per year or $13 per month. There’s a free 30-day trial.
A Grocery Delivery Alternative
Get your groceries via Amazon’s Whole Foods Market? It’s an easy way to regularly stock up on necessities without having to make a trip to the grocery store. Having a Prime subscription nets you free grocery delivery (and other savings) if you meet an order threshold. But it’s not your only option.
Instacart Express offers free same-day delivery of groceries and convenience store items. It costs $99 per year or $10 per month and members get free delivery on orders over $35 as well as reduced service fees. Instacart accepts EBT as payment for groceries, and it allows membership-free shopping at places like Costco (though prices are often higher than they would be in-store). Retailer options vary by locale, so check here to see what’s available in your area.
There’s a free two-week Instacart Express trial, and usually at least one promotional offer for eligible credit card users. You also don’t need to subscribe to use Instacart, but delivery fees start at $4 for same-day orders of $35 or more, and there are quite a few fees that might crop up, such as when you order heavy items.
Prime Video Alternatives
There are arguably too many options available for streaming TV and movies. We’ve rounded up the best streaming services here. For completely complementary streaming, check our list of the best free streaming services. If you just can’t give up The Expanse, Amazon Prime Video is available as a separate service for $9 per month.
Prime Music Alternatives
Amazon’s free, baked-in music streaming service isn’t all that great unless you fork out an additional $9 per month for Amazon Music Unlimited (without Prime, you can pay $11 per month for it). Sure, it offers lossless audio quality, but it has a poor interface and subpar music discovery tools. You have way better options out there. The obvious one is Spotify Premium, but it has its own problems at…
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