The Prime perks members forget they have
Amazon publishes its own list of benefits members are not using. Two of them need a caveat on the student-priced plan, and the most valuable forgotten perk is not on the list at all.
The short answer
Amazon's own "8 Prime membership benefits you might not be using" are Buy with Prime, Amazon Photos, Prime Reading, Amazon First Reads, Prime Gaming, Membership Sharing, Amazon Music and Grubhub+. On Prime for Young Adults, Membership Sharing does not apply — Amazon excludes Household sharing from the plan — and Prime Reading is not named on the program's own benefit list, so check your account. The perk young-adult members forget most is not on Amazon's list at all: 5% cash back, which expires 180 days after you earn it.
Every "hidden Prime benefits" article is a list of Prime-wide perks, written for full-price members. That is mostly fine for a student, because Amazon's description of the young-adult plan is "full Prime benefits". But not entirely: two entries on Amazon's own list behave differently on the discounted plan, and the young-adult plan carries one benefit that regular Prime does not. This page is Amazon's list, checked line by line against the plan you would actually be on.
Prime members enjoy $0 delivery fees on eligible orders, lower service fees, 5% credit back on pick-up orders, and exclusive Grubhub offers with Grubhub+ as a part of their membership—a $120 annual value.
Figures on this page checked against Amazon’s own pages on — About Amazon's lesser-known Prime benefits article. How we check.
Amazon's list, checked against the young-adult plan
| Amazon's perk | On Prime for Young Adults? | Our page |
|---|---|---|
| Buy with Prime | Yes — a Prime-wide benefit | Beyond amazon.com |
| Amazon Photos | Yes — on the program's own list | Photo storage |
| Prime Reading | Not named on the program's list — check your account | Kindle Unlimited and Prime Reading |
| Amazon First Reads | Yes — a Prime-wide benefit | The free monthly book |
| Prime Gaming | Yes — Twitch sub limited to one month in the trial | Prime Gaming |
| Membership Sharing | No — Amazon excludes Household sharing | Can you share it? |
| Amazon Music | Yes — Music Prime is included | Music Prime vs Unlimited |
| Grubhub+ | Yes — on the program's own list | The Grubhub+ perk |
The two that need a caveat
Membership Sharing. Amazon's article describes sharing one Prime membership across a household. The young-adult plan is the documented exception, in Amazon's own words on its Prime page: "Prime members can share certain benefits with another adult in their Amazon Household. Prime for Young Adults does not include Household sharing of Prime benefits." If you are moving off a family account onto your own discounted plan, that is the trade. Sharing against your own plan.
Prime Reading. Amazon's article says "Prime Reading gives members access to a rotating collection of over three thousand digital books, audiobooks, magazines, comics, and more." It is a Prime-wide benefit, and the young-adult plan grants full Prime benefits — but Prime Reading does not appear on the program's own benefit list, which is the list we hold this site to. We do not state it as included; your account's Prime Reading page will show whether you have it. Why we treat it this way.
Ranked: the forgotten perks worth most to a student
Amazon's list is not ordered by value. This one is — for someone on a student budget, in roughly the order the perks save money:
- 5% cash back on eligible items (young-adult plan only). Categories: Beauty, Apparel, Electronics, Personal Care, Personal Computers. Capped at $100 per purchase and $500 a year — and it lapses after 180 days, which is why it is the one most often wasted. Finding the balance.
- Grubhub+ — $0 delivery fees on eligible orders, lower service fees and credit back on pickup, which Amazon values at $120 a year. How to switch it on.
- Lightning Deals 30 minutes early. Amazon: "Access Lightning Deals on Amazon.com 30 minutes early" Small most days; decisive on the popular deals during sale events. How the head start works.
- Whole Foods savings in store. "Enjoy an extra 10% off sale items, exclusive deals every Tuesday and Friday, and more" No delivery area required. The in-store discount.
- Fuel. "Save 10¢ per gallon at 7,500 bp, Amoco, and ampm locations." Perks beyond amazon.com.
- Prescriptions. "Save on prescriptions at 60,000 pharmacies, including Walgreens, CVS, and Amazon Pharmacy." The pharmacy benefits — not medical advice.
- Photo storage. "Enjoy unlimited full-resolution photo storage and 5GB for video storage." A phone-storage problem solved for nothing. Amazon Photos.
- A free book every month. "Choose one featured book for free every month" First Reads.
- Cloud gaming. "Play a curated selection of games on Amazon Luna, from action hits to party games. No console required." Amazon Luna, separate from Prime Gaming.
- Live sports. "Experience the thrill of live sports, now on Prime Video" Sport on Prime Video.
- Alexa+. Amazon's heading: "Alexa+ is free with Prime". What that covers.
Three perks that are easy to miss in the fine print
- Release-day delivery. "Get your qualified pre-order by 7PM on the day it releases"
- Choosing your delivery day. "Choose the delivery date that works best for you" — useful in a dorm with a mailroom that closes early. Getting packages at college.
- Buy with Prime off Amazon. "Fast, free delivery and easy returns at participating brands' websites, including Steve Madden, adidas, bareMinerals, and more."
When to switch them on
Most of these need an action — linking an account, opening an app, turning a perk on. The trial is the time to do it, with one caveat Amazon states itself: "If you sign up for the $0 trial, you won't have access to certain Prime benefits during the trial." It does not say which. Amazon does list what the trial includes, and the core of this page is on it: delivery, Prime Video, ad-free music, photo storage and free games. The first-week checklist puts the actions in order of value.
Prime for Young Adults
Get every perk on this list for half price
6-month at no cost, then $7.49 a month — with the 5% cash back regular Prime does not include.
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Common questions
What are the hidden benefits of Amazon Prime?
Amazon's own list: Buy with Prime, Amazon Photos, Prime Reading, Amazon First Reads, Prime Gaming, Membership Sharing, Amazon Music, Grubhub+. Add Lightning Deal early access, Whole Foods savings, fuel savings and prescription savings, all on Amazon's benefit pages.
Do students get all Prime benefits?
Amazon describes the young-adult plan as full Prime benefits, with one documented exception: Household sharing is not included. Prime Reading is not named on the program's own list.
Can I share Prime for Young Adults with my family?
No. Amazon states that Prime for Young Adults does not include Household sharing of Prime benefits.
Does the student plan include Prime Reading?
It is not named on the program's own benefit list. Prime Reading is a Prime-wide benefit, so check your account rather than relying on a third-party list.
Which forgotten perk is worth the most to a student?
The 5% cash back, because it is money rather than a service and it expires 180 days after it is earned.
Prime for Young Adults
Ready to start?
Six months at no cost, then half the regular Prime price. Cancel anytime.
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