Walmart+ vs. Amazon Prime: Which shopping subscription service is better?

Major retailers are always looking for ways to increase their market share, and subscription shopping services are one way they accomplish this goal. Some commonly used services have even become household names that families rely on, including Amazon Prime and Walmart+. Both subscriptions help people get the items they need without having to constantly head out to the store, and they come with other benefits that can make their annual fees worth it in the long run.

But, which of these subscription services should you go with? If you’re trying to choose just one, you should know the differences between Amazon Prime and Walmart+., which perks each service offers and how they compare in terms of cost. Before you sign up for Walmart+, Amazon Prime or potentially both, read on for an overview of these programs and how they work.

Walmart+: The basics

Born out of the pandemic in 2020, Walmart+ is a subscription service that lets households access free delivery and a range of discounts and perks for being a member. Like Amazon Prime, Walmart+ wants to be the main source you turn to when it comes to grocery delivery and the delivery of household essentials and supplies. You can even try out the service for 30 days for free. 

Just keep in mind that Walmart+ lets you access a lot more items than you’ll find in their stores. Not only can you use the service to stock up on groceries, but you can choose from millions of items available on Walmart.com or the mobile app.

Walmart+ delivery benefits

When it comes to their delivery benefits, Walmart+ promises free delivery for members as soon as the same day. You get the same low prices available in Walmart stores since they don’t tack on extra charges, and one-hour delivery windows are available. Just keep in mind that free deliveries are only available for orders of $35 or more.

Walmart+ in-store benefits

In terms of in-store benefits, Walmart+ offers mobile scan-and-go that lets you shop and check out with your phone when you shop in Walmart stores. This lets you check out without any contact, and it can help you spend less time at the register overall.

You’ll also get 10 cents off per gallon when you fill up at more than 13,000 Walmart and Murphy USA gas stations. This perk can help you save considerable sums of money over time if you drive often for work or leisure.

Walmart+ entertainment

Members can also qualify for a free Paramount+ Essential plan, although separate registration is required. This additional subscription lets members access movies, series and more.

Walmart+ additional savings

Walmart+ members also get some other discounts worth noting, including 25 percent off digital orders at Burger King and a free Whopper with any purchase every three months. 

Another benefit applies to cars you have serviced at Walmart. Members of Walmart+ qualify for free flat tire repair and a free road hazard warranty on new tires purchased at Walmart Auto Care Centers.

How much does Walmart+ cost?

Currently, a membership with Walmart+ will set you back $12.95 per month or $98 per year. However, you can try out the service for free for 30 days before you commit.

Also know that you can get this membership with The Platinum Card® from American Express. This luxury travel credit card comes with a range of benefits in exchange for its $695 annual fee, including a $155 Walmart+ credit that’s doled out in monthly increments of $12.95 to cover the membership fees.

Amazon Prime: The basics

Most of us are considerably more familiar with Amazon Prime considering this service has been around since 2005. Once you’re an Amazon Prime member, you’ll get delivery benefits on everything you buy, access to digital entertainment options and more. In terms of using Amazon Prime for grocery delivery, Amazon’s connection with Whole Foods opens the door to boutique and specialty grocery options from around the world.

In addition, every year, Amazon has at least one major Prime Day event offering savings on many big-ticket items, including deep discounts on Amazon’s own devices, like Echo smart speakers and displays, Fire tablets and Fire TVs, Kindle e-readers and more. 

While Prime Day is behind us for 2024, it’s worth noting that we still have Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days to look forward to this year on October 8th to 9th. This shopping event is only for Amazon Prime members, and it comes with steep discounts on items in nearly any category from clothing to electronics, toys and home decor.

Amazon Prime delivery benefits

Amazon Prime offers free two-day delivery on millions of eligible items, free one-day delivery on more than 15 million items, free same-day delivery for over 3 million items on eligible orders and free two-hour delivery on groceries. There is no longer a minimum order amount to get free same-day shipping through Amazon. Instead, your order must include “at least the stated minimum threshold of eligible items” to qualify. This amount is typically $25. You can also get free no-rush shipping on eligible items.

Amazon Prime in-store benefits

While the general Amazon.com marketplace doesn’t have any “in-store” benefits, Prime members enjoy benefits in-store at Whole Foods, such as 10 percent off sale items (excluding alcohol) and special seasonal discounts throughout the year.

Amazon Prime entertainment

Amazon Prime really stands out from Walmart+ in terms of the entertainment options you get with your membership. With Amazon Prime, you’ll have access to Prime Video, Prime Video channels, Prime Music with more than 100 million songs, FreeTime Unlimited game options, Prime Gaming content each month and photo storage.

You’ll also get Prime Reading access, which includes unlimited use of thousands of eBooks, magazines, comics and audiobooks. Finally, you’ll get free release-date delivery, which means you can be among the first to get new video games, books, movies and more.

Amazon Prime additional savings

Some additional savings and benefits add to the value of an Amazon Prime membership. For example, members get 10 percent off hundreds of food items at Amazon Fresh and a free GrubHub+ membership with $0 delivery fees and additional savings.

Several medical care and prescription benefits also apply, including a membership for RxPass, which lets individuals access some prescriptions for $5 per month. Members can also get free two-day shipping on prescriptions and up to 80 percent off some prescriptions through Amazon Pharmacy.

How much does Amazon Prime cost?

At the moment, Amazon Prime Membership will set you back $14.99 per month or $139 per year. If you want membership with Prime Video access only, you can pay $8.99 per month, instead.

Walmart+ vs. Amazon Prime: How much can you save?

How much you can save with Amazon Prime or Walmart+ depends on a whole host of factors including how much you spend and whether you’re able to take advantage of discounts and special perks. The chart below shows the main features of both Walmart+ and Amazon Prime and how they stack up.

Walmart+ and Amazon Prime comparison

As you can see, you can snag a Walmart+ membership for more than $40 less than you’ll pay for Amazon Prime. However, there are a multitude of reasons you might pick one of these services over the other regardless of cost.

For example, Walmart+ stands out in terms of its fuel savings benefits. If you buy 20 gallons of fuel per week and you score 10 cents off each gallon for an entire year, your fuel savings alone would add up to $104 per year — more than the cost of the annual membership. On the flipside of that, Amazon Prime offers more entertainment options than Walmart+, including access to videos, music, ebooks and more. 

Both types of membership let you score free same-day shipping on eligible orders, and they both offer free delivery within a day or two for millions of additional items. Both also offer free grocery delivery options for members, which can help you save time and energy you’d normally spend in the grocery store.

Interestingly, both of these services can be even more valuable if you sign up for the right rewards credit card. If you’re an Amazon Prime member, for example, you can sign up for the Prime Visa and earn 5 percent back on Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market purchases, 2 percent back at restaurants, gas stations and transit and commuting and 1 percent back on other purchases. 

This card also earns 5 percent cash back on travel bookings through Chase, and it doesn’t have an annual fee (though an Amazon Prime subscription is required). You’ll also qualify for select travel insurance benefits as well as retail benefits like purchase protection and extended warranties, and you can score a $150 Amazon.com gift card upon account approval just for signing up.

On the Walmart front, the Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard®* is no longer available to new applicants. However, there are other cash back and travel credit cards you can use to maximize rewards at Walmart stores. 

We’ve already pointed out that the American Express Platinum card comes with credits for Walmart+ membership, so this card is definitely worth considering. For purchases through Walmart+, consider a flat-rate cash back credit card like the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card to earn 2 percent cashback on Walmart and Walmart.com purchases (and everything else you buy).

Another option for Walmart purchases (and even Amazon spending) is the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express. This card doesn’t charge an annual fee, and it earns 3 percent cash back on up to $6,000 spent at U.S. supermarkets each year (then 1 percent back), 3 percent cash back on up to $6,000 spent on U.S retail purchases each year (then 1 percent back), 3 percent cash back on up to $6,000 spent at U.S. gas stations each year (then 1 percent back) and 1 percent back on other purchases.

When you look at the retail membership details from American Express, you can see that the “U.S retail purchases” category on this card includes Walmart.com, Amazon.com, pet stores, furniture stores, department stores and a range of other places you might shop in-person or online.

The bottom line

While Amazon Prime and Walmart+ offer similar services, they appeal to different types of consumers. Amazon Prime, for example, offers a broad range of entertainment options like video, ebooks and music in addition to delivery perks, whereas Walmart.com focuses more on the shopping side of the experience.

Then again, Walmart+ does come with a Paramount+ Essential plan, plus discounts at Burger King, Walmart Auto Centers and more than 13,000 fuel stations nationwide.

Pros and cons of Walmart+

Pros

• Get unlimited free deliveries on eligible orders
• Speedy grocery delivery
• Fuel discounts at Walmart and Murphy USA stations
• Mobile scan & go feature available in stores
• More affordable than Amazon Prime

Cons

• Fewer entertainment options than Amazon Prime
• Limited grocery delivery if you don’t live near Walmart stores

Pros and cons of Amazon Prime

Pros

• Get free deliveries the same day, the next day or within two days
• Ultrafast grocery delivery within two hours
• Streaming and digital benefits like videos and music
• Access to reading benefits and free eBooks
• Photo storage included

Cons

• More expensive than Walmart+
• In-store shopping benefits limited to Whole Foods

At the end of the day, both of these services could provide the convenience you need when you shop online or order groceries. Make sure to consider the pros and cons of either service before you subscribe.

All information about the Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard® has been collected independently by Bankrate.com and has not been reviewed or approved by the issuer.