Amazon Fresh Adds Delivery Fees — Is It Still Worth It for Prime Members?

Amazon Prime members who shop at Amazon Fresh grocery stores will now have to pay if they want their groceries delivered.

Starting Feb. 28, 2023, Amazon Fresh shoppers will have to pay fees for two-hour delivery orders under $150. Since the grocery delivery service launched in 2007, it has provided free delivery for Amazon Prime members. With the new fees, some shoppers wonder if Amazon Fresh is still worth it.

“Oh awesome! My @amazon prime account gives me zero benefits on @AmazonFresh deliveries now! If I don't order $150 I get charged a $10 delivery fee. I'm one person, I order about $50 at a time. I should just switch to @Walmart at this rate,” tweeted @fejimanz.

“Goodbye @AmazonFresh It’s been fun… Jumping from $35 Free Shipping to $150 Free Shipping is outrageous,” tweeted @ray0320.

Amazon Fresh operates 42 physical store locations throughout the U.S., most of which are in California and Illinois. There are also stores in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, New York, New Jersey, and Washington, D. C.

Anyone can shop at an Amazon Fresh store location. Shoppers who pay $139 per year (or $14.99 per month) to become an Amazon Prime member could get orders over $35 delivered free right to their door within two hours of placing the order. However, the new delivery fees that take effect at the end of February will be $9.95 for orders under $50, $6.95 for orders between $50 and $100, and $3.95 for orders between $100 and $150.

If Amazon Fresh shoppers are willing to wait for their groceries to be delivered within six hours versus two hours, the fees will be reduced, Amazon representatives said in a statement to Amazon Fresh users.

“We will also keep evolving our Amazon Fresh grocery service, testing and adding more delivery options, and increasing selection of low-priced food for customers to enjoy,” the statement reads.

Amazon Prime members still get perks for shopping with Amazon Fresh that aren’t available to non-members. Prime members receive an up to 20 percent discount on select items at most Amazon Fresh stores.

Amazon Fresh offers coupons, but the service doesn’t accept manufacturer coupons. Prime members receive exclusive weekly deals at Amazon Fresh through the “In-Store Mode” in the Amazon mobile app. Prime members who use an Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card or Store card can earn 5 percent back on their purchases.

Without the benefit of free delivery on your grocery orders, you may want to shop at grocery stores that have better prices on food and other products than Amazon Fresh. Although grocery prices at Amazon-owned Whole Foods are higher than Amazon Fresh, stores like Aldi and Walmart tend to offer better deals.

Walmart has its own membership program, Walmart+, which costs less than Amazon Prime. A Walmart+ membership costs $98 per year (or $12.95 per month), and members can get free grocery delivery on orders of $35 and more. To compete with Amazon Prime, Walmart+ also included free video streaming with Paramount+, free shipping on all items, and discounts on gasoline.