Alyssa Powell/Business Insider
- AmazonFresh and Prime Pantry are both add-ons to Amazon Prime memberships.
- AmazonFresh is like a digital grocery store - complete with fresh produce, perishables, items from local stores, and Whole Foods products - that you can have delivered to your doorstep. Prices are low, and orders over $35-$50 (depending on zip code) get free shipping.
- Prime Pantry is where you can shop for single-serving pantry staples and household supplies, as well as bulk items, without high minimums or shipping fees. For $4.99 per month, you get free shipping on orders above $10. For no additional fee, you get free shipping on orders over $35. Otherwise, orders under $35 have a $5.99 shipping fee.
- AmazonFresh members also get free shipping on all Prime Pantry orders. Start a free AmazonFresh 30-day trial here.
AmazonFresh and Prime Pantry are both perks for Amazon Prime members in select areas, though they differ in what you can purchase from each service and their monthly add-on fees. However, if you belong to AmazonFresh, you already get all the advantages of Prime Pantry as an inclusion in your membership - whether you've been using them or not.
AmazonFresh is Amazon's $14.99/month grocery delivery service that lets you order fresh groceries (including perishables, produce, and Whole Foods' 365 brand products), everyday essentials, favorites from local shops and restaurants, and more delivered next-day. Shipping is $9.99 if you don't meet the local minimum, which ranges between $35-$50 depending on the area. You can start a free 30-day trial here.
Prime Pantry is free for Prime members, and it's where you get shelf-stable pantry staples and household products in everyday package sizes - like a single box of cereal, or a personal-sized snack - that would otherwise be too cheap to qualify for free shipping individually, as well bulk items that may be typically expensive to ship and obnoxious to pick up in-store. While the service is free for Prime members, you can pay $4.99 per month to get free shipping on all orders over $10. Otherwise, you have to meet the $35 minimum to get free shipping, and orders under $35 have a $5.99 shipping fee.
If you belong to AmazonFresh, you'll also automatically get free shipping on all Prime Pantry orders as an added benefit. Since AmazonFresh has a 30-day trial, you could technically test drive both services in one month - getting both free shipping on every Prime Pantry order and AmazonFresh delivery without adding any monthly fees onto your Prime membership.
Note: Currently, a Prime Pantry promotion changes the above pricing. From now until July 31, all Prime Pantry members receive free shipping on everything - meaning no $10 minimum to meet. Prime members without a Prime Pantry membership also receive free shipping on orders over $25, rather than $35.
- Who can use it: Prime members in eligible cities.
- What you can buy: groceries (including perishables and produce), everyday essentials, favorites from local shops and restaurants
- Cost of service: $14.99/month.
- Delivery fee: Orders under the local minimum ($35-$50) have a $9.99 shipping fee. Those that exceed the local minimum get free shipping automatically.
- Delivery options: Get groceries delivered to your doorstep/doorman or pick it up yourself. Pickup is available in select cities for free and without an order minimum.
- Attended delivery: You choose a one-hour time slot when you'll be available to receive it in person, and your order will be delivered in paper bags rather than temperature-controlled totes.
- Doorstep delivery: You choose a two-three hour time slot when Amazon can leave your items on your doorstep or with your doorman in temperature-controlled totes. Only choose this option if the delivery person can access the necessary parts of your building like the lobby.
- Pickup (only available in select cities): Pick up your order from your chosen pickup location within the time slot you chose - for free and without an order minimum.
Main AmazonFresh perk: being able to order Whole Foods products, local favorites, and groceries (including fresh produce and perishables) to your door while paying highly competitive Amazon prices.
- Who can use it: Prime members in select regions.
- What you can buy: household items, pantry staples, and cleaning supplies in bulk or in personal sizes.
- Cost of service: free for Prime members when orders reach $35, or $4.99/month to reduce the minimum to $10.
- Delivery fee: Orders under $35 will have a $5.99 shipping fee, but orders over $35 get free shipping. Prime members can add a membership to Prime Pantry for $4.99/month to get free shipping on all orders over $10. AmazonFresh members get free shipping on all orders.
- Delivery options: Depends. Prime Pantry is delivered using ground shipping, so orders take anywhere from one to four days to arrive. You can track your order.
Main Prime Pantry perk: being able to buy affordable, individually sized products that would normally not qualify for free shipping on their own, plus bulk items that often are costly to ship, without having to meet a high shipping minimum.
In short, AmazonFresh is like a full grocery store online - complete with fresh fruits, local favorites, and Whole Foods products - that you can get delivered to your door. Prime Pantry, like its name, is really more for pantry staples in both bulk and personal sizes. And if you have an AmazonFresh membership, you get the full perks to both services.
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