How to cancel Amazon Prime: step-by-step (2026)

Amazon's cancellation flow has historically been one of the most dark-pattern-heavy in consumer tech — explicitly cited in the U.S. FTC's 2023 lawsuit against Amazon. The 2024 Click-to-Cancel rule has improved it, but expect 5 to 7 screens of retention prompts.

Step by step

1. Sign in to amazon.com.
2. Hover over Account & Lists in the top-right, then click Your Prime Membership (or visit amazon.com/yp).
3. On the left side, click Manage Membership, then End Membership.
4. You'll see a screen offering to Pause Membership (don't — pausing just delays). Click Continue to Cancel.
5. The next screen lists "benefits you'll lose" (this is the loss-aversion dark pattern; you can keep clicking through). Click Continue to Cancel again.
6. The next screen offers a Lower Cost Plan. Click Continue to Cancel.
7. Finally, click End Membership on [date]. Done.

Refunds

If you have not used any Prime benefits since your last billing date — no Prime shipping, no Prime Video streaming, no Prime Music, no Kindle Prime Reading — Amazon will offer a full refund of the most recent charge during step 6. Take it.

If you have used Prime benefits since the last charge, you keep access until the end of the billing period; no refund is offered.

Annual vs monthly

If you paid annually and want a partial refund for the remaining months, you must call Amazon customer service (not chat). The phone agent has authority to issue pro-rated refunds; the website doesn't.

What Prime takes with it

Cancelling Prime ends free shipping, Prime Video, Prime Music, and Prime Reading. Any active Prime Video Channel subscriptions (HBO via Prime, Paramount+ via Prime) also cancel — those are separate to manage if you want to keep them.

Related: The real cost of Amazon Prime · Subscription dark patterns