Best Alternatives to Amazon Prime

Amazon Prime costs $139/year. Is it worth it? Maybe — but only if you're using it for what it actually costs. Here's the honest math, and the best alternatives if you decide it isn't.

The Prime math nobody does

Prime includes: free 2-day shipping, Prime Video, Prime Music, Prime Reading, Prime Gaming, Amazon Photos storage, and Whole Foods discounts. If you use all of it, $139/year is a good deal. If you mainly use it for shipping, run the numbers first: how many orders did you place last year? Most major retailers offer free shipping at $25–35. If you're placing fewer than 15–20 orders per year, you might pay less in per-order shipping than you pay for Prime.

Walmart+ $98/year or $12.95/month

Best for: Closest like-for-like Prime replacement

Free delivery on $35+ orders (same-day from local Walmart)
Includes Paramount+ streaming
Walmart grocery discounts
Fuel discounts at select gas stations
Scan & Go in-store checkout

Tradeoffs:

Streaming catalog (Paramount+) is thinner than Prime Video
Selection narrower than Amazon for niche items

Verdict: Best direct Prime replacement. $41/year cheaper. If you shop at Walmart anyway, this is a clear win.

Target Circle 360 $99/year

Best for: Families who shop Target for household + grocery

Includes Shipt same-day delivery (normally $99/year alone)
Free 2-day shipping on target.com
Strong household and grocery categories
Works with existing Target Circle rewards

Tradeoffs:

Only covers Target purchases
No streaming included

Verdict: Worth it if Target is already your primary store. Shipt alone justifies the cost.

Free shipping thresholds Free

Best for: People who order infrequently

Most major retailers (Best Buy, Chewy, Zappos, Nordstrom) offer free shipping at $25–50
No annual fee
Forces more intentional purchasing

Tradeoffs:

Requires consolidating orders
No same-day or 2-day guarantee

Verdict: If you order fewer than 15–20 times per year, this is almost certainly cheaper than Prime.

Buy Online, Pick Up In Store (BOPIS) Free

Best for: People near Target, Best Buy, Home Depot, or similar

No shipping cost
Often same-day availability
Works at Target, Best Buy, Home Depot, most pharmacies

Tradeoffs:

Requires a trip to the store

Verdict: Underrated. For household items and electronics, BOPIS at Target or Best Buy is often faster than Amazon.

Honest assessment

The hardest thing to replace isn't the shipping — it's the habit. Amazon Prime makes ordering frictionless. Every alternative introduces a small amount of friction. For some people that friction is annoying. For others, it results in buying less stuff they don't need. Both outcomes are worth knowing about.

Bottom line

Walmart+ is the clearest Prime replacement at a lower price. Target Circle 360 works if you already shop Target. If you order fewer than 15 times a year, just use free shipping thresholds and save the $139.