8 Hidden Benefits of Amazon Prime ? Take Full Advantage

Some Amazon Prime benefits are obvious. You probably know about the 2-day shipping, and few people are going to be surprised that it comes with access to Amazon Prime Video and the latest episodes of The Boys, as well as Amazon Prime music options. But Amazon has bundled a lot into its standard Prime service, so there could be many features you aren’t taking advantage of at all. If Prime is one of your subscriptions, continue reading to browse more ways to get the most out of it.

Amazon Fresh

Amazon Fresh is a service that allows you to order groceries from Amazon and get them delivered straight to your home…if you live in a qualifying area (having a Whole Foods nearby is a very good sign). You can also arrange to ship groceries to people who live in qualifying areas, like parents making sure their college kids are eating a veggie now and then. It’s a great pick for those who find it difficult to make it to the grocery store but still do a lot of meal prep and cooking at home. Try Amazon Prime for free or continue reading.

More Shipping Options

Prime doesn’t just give you 2-day shipping, you also get other benefits. You can arrange to have all your deliveries scheduled on a certain day when you know that you’ll be available, rather than scattered across the week. It also saves on some cardboard! Or you can choose “No Rush” options that allow you to wait for your order to be shipping, but gives you credits to use on other Prime features as a reward.

Prime Reading and First Reads

Prime Reading works with Kindle devices and gives you access to a whole library of free books, more than a thousand selects you can try that includes audiobooks (via selections from Amazon’s Audible service) and even some comics. Remember, if you don’t have a Kindle, you can always use a tablet or even a phone, since there’s also a Kindle app you can download. Then there’s First Reads, which essentially gives you a selection of books and lets you choose two of them for free, whereas others have to pay for the program.

Amazon Prime Photos

This one is pretty simple – with Prime, you have unlimited photo storage, and 5GB of video storage. That works through the Amazon Photos app and includes easy access via the cloud.

Twitch Subscriptions (and Other Gaming Bonuses)

Amazon has a surprising amount of gaming bonuses when you are part of Prime. Notably, you can also get access to Twitch with a free subscription to use each month. From time to time, Amazon will also offer a free PC game to download. When Amazon makes deals with specific developers, you can also get free content in their games when you play. And you may find that games purchased via Amazon are more likely to have discounts if you are a Prime member.

Amazon Household

Household is similar to a family sharing plan (like the one offered by Apple), but the terms are different. You can add up to two adults or up to four teens or up to four children. Teen and children accounts both have different settings that restrict what they can do. Teens can have their own account, but parents can see what they do. Children can’t have an account or shop on Amazon. The benefit is that everyone who is part of the Household can share various Prime content and, in some cases, other benefits. Here’s a full explanation.

Early Access to Discounts

Prime also comes with discounts, which can take effect in many different ways. Sometimes Amazon products will appear with Prime-only discounts, somewhat unpredictably. If Amazon is running lightning deals, then Prime members tend to get notifications about the deals 30 minutes before others do.

Prime Wardrobe

This is an interesting and underused part of Prime that basically allows you to try on clothes through the mail before buying them. If you’ve used similar services in the past, then you know how this works. You get a week to experiment with certain qualifying clothes, and within that time period, you can return the item for free. Otherwise, your account is charged. It’s an easy option for those who are worried about buying clothing sight unseen, but it only applies to certain clothing.

Discounts for Kids

Amazon’s kid-friendly program, Kids+, gives kids access to all kinds of content on Fire devices or through the Fire TV app (along with associated parental controls). You’ll still have to pay for Kids+, but instead of costing the usual $5 per month, it’s only $3 if you also have a grown-up Prime subscription.