Is “Amazon Prime Pmts” Showing Up on Your Credit Card? Here’s What It Means
If you recently noticed "Amazon Prime Pmts" posted on your credit card statement, it's because you agreed to become an Amazon Prime member.
Oct. 18 2022, Updated 10:03 a.m. ET
Nowadays, you can purchase nearly anything you want from Amazon — an audiobook, groceries, or even a personalized cardboard cutout (yes, really). While many of these items are offered at a low price, you can snag them for even cheaper (and with free shipping) if you purchase an Amazon Prime membership.
Amazon Prime launched back in 2005 and began offering its customers incentives if they elected to buy a membership. And if you recently noticed "Amazon Prime Pmts" posted on your credit card statement, it's because you agreed to become an Amazon Prime member. Here’s how much you should be paying for it and how to cancel your Amazon Prime membership.
Amazon Prime membership payments get charged to your credit card.
When you sign up for Amazon Prime, you’re essentially agreeing to Amazon’s terms and conditions and recurring payments. These payments can be deducted from your credit or debit card monthly or once a year, depending on your preference. When you’re charged for an Amazon Prime membership, it might show up on your statement as “Amazon Prime Pmts.”
In the past, Amazon was charging $12.99 per month for its Prime membership, or $119 annually. However, after Feb. 18, 2022, the e-commerce giant increased its pricing. Below you’ll find a table that outlines Amazon’s new Prime membership pricing.
| Amazon Prime membership fee schedule | Monthly fee | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|
| Regular Prime membership holders | $14.99 | $139.00 |
| Students | $7.49 | $69 |
| Government assistance recipients | $6.99 | ------ |
Your Prime membership might also be subject to sales tax, which means the amount may be a bit higher than the fee schedule you see above. If you keep your Amazon Prime membership active, whether you use the benefits it offers or not, your credit card will be charged monthly or annually.
Another reason you might be seeing “Amazon Prime Pmts” listed on your credit card statement could be because you enrolled in a Prime Video, Amazon Music Unlimited, or Kindle Unlimited subscription. The Prime Video membership costs $8.99 per month, while the Prime Music membership costs $7.99 per month or $79 per year.
While it can be alarming to see "Amazon Prime Pmts" listed on your bank statement when you aren't a Prime member, you can always view payment details for any digital orders you placed from the "Digital Orders" tab under the "Orders" section of your Amazon dashboard.
Surprised by an Amazon Prime payment posted to your account? Here’s how to cancel your Prime membership.
Like most companies, Amazon offers free, 30-day trials of its Prime membership program. Whether you forgot to cancel your membership before the 30 days were up or simply don’t use it enough, you can cancel it at any time. Here’s a step-by-step tutorial on how to do it.
Log in to your Amazon account
Click on "Accounts & Lists" at the top right-hand corner of the screen
Click on the box labeled “Prime”
Next, click "Update, Cancel, and More"
From there, click the “End Membership” button
Proceed to cancel your Prime membership
Amazon will prompt you to pause your membership or cancel it on your renewal date. If you’re looking for immediate cancellation (which may result in a refund), proceed to end it now.
Here’s what you should do if you come across unauthorized charges on your credit card from Amazon
If you come across an unauthorized charge from Amazon, we recommend you contact the company via telephone or chat. It’s worth noting that Amazon will sometimes place a pending charge on your account for the full amount of your purchase to ensure the card isn’t lost or stolen. Once that charge drops off, you may then see various amounts posted to your account if you ordered more than one item.
Amazon will typically charge you for the items you purchase as they are shipped. Therefore, if you’re expecting multiple packages, you’ll see multiple charges on your credit card statement.
