I Got a Free Walmart+ Membership and Ditched Amazon Prime — Here’s Why

Following yet another late delivery, I recently canceled Amazon Prime after 15 years. Although I previously viewed the $139 annual membership as a convenient online shopping option with fast shipping and entertainment, the value of a Prime membership has eroded.

Here’s why I canceled Amazon Prime and how I’m using a free Walmart+ membership for easy online shopping — with more flexibility in credit card rewards.

4 Reasons Why I Canceled Amazon Prime

I’ve been an Amazon Prime subscriber since 2010, when I joined with a student membership for just $39 annually. I’ve also been a Prime Visa card holder since 2018, but I canceled my Amazon Prime membership this year because its value has steadily declined while other options have become more attractive.

1. Shipping Delays

In the past few years, I’ve experienced numerous delivery delays. I used to be able to count on Amazon Prime for last-minute birthday gifts or panic purchases before taking a trip, but I’ve learned from experience that’s no longer the case.

I can’t count how many times Amazon has let me down, but it finally added up to too many. It’s still more convenient than visiting a brick-and-mortar store, but it’s always a roll of the dice. Even when items arrive on time, I’ve felt that the selection of same-day or next-day items has become more limited.

2. Product Quality

The product quality has also declined. Too often, items have looked better in the photos than in reality, electronics are dead on arrival, and anything but name-brand clothing probably won’t last more than a year — or even a few months.

I rarely order personal care or food items on Amazon anymore. In many reviews, buyers question whether they’ve received genuine products or if they’ve gotten products that weren’t the real deal but were in identical packaging.

3. Limited Media Benefits

Aside from shopping benefits, Prime Video and Amazon Music are among the main benefits of an Amazon Prime subscription. But those services aren’t great unless you pay extra for them — a cost that’s on top of the $139 annual Amazon Prime fee. Paying for an Amazon Prime subscription is just a stepping stone to pay even more fees for music, books, and videos not included with the membership.

Without a paid Amazon Music Unlimited subscription ($10.99 per month for Amazon Prime members), the music selection on Amazon Music is limited, and going ad-free on Prime Video now costs $2.99 when it used to be free.

I gave up long ago trying to find value in Prime Reading, as I usually don’t see books I want to read available. I could subscribe to Kindle Unlimited ($11.99 per month) for a better selection (and yet another fee), but instead, I use the Libby app connected to my local library for free.

4. Membership Cost

While the value of membership benefits has declined, Amazon Prime’s price has only increased. I first subscribed as a student for $39 annually, then paid the regular price of $79 annually. Now it costs $139 annually, and I’ve wondered for a while how much value I’m really getting from my membership.

Comparing Amazon Prime vs. Walmart+ Benefits

Before I explain why I’m using Walmart+ instead of Amazon Prime, let’s compare how Amazon Prime and Walmart+ stack up.

Why I’m Using Walmart+ Instead of Amazon Prime

I’ve paid annually for Amazon Prime for 15 years and had Walmart+ free for a couple of years, thanks to a monthly statement credit with the Amex Platinum card. The monthly Walmart+ credit is just one of the many benefits I enrolled in from the Amex Platinum card that easily exceed the $695 annual fee (rates & fees).

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Over the past few years, I’ve found Walmart+ to be more versatile than Amazon Prime. I get the convenience of online shopping but the speed of local delivery. It also offers discounts that extend beyond shopping with Walmart, such as a free Paramount+ Essential Plan (separate registration is required) and discounts on gas and Burger King.

I sometimes order items for local pickup at Walmart stores, but often select free shipping, even when I’m not ordering much. Shipping is free with no order minimum. When I place a shipping order with Walmart+ for items available at my local store, it’s not unusual to see an estimate that I’ll receive it the next day. Realistically, I often get it the same day, sometimes in an hour or less.

I also save money here and there with Walmart Cash, which is available through promotional offers. Walmart Cash works like a digital coupon: I can earn $1 or so back in qualifying products, and I get that $1 stored in my Walmart Cash on my account to use for future orders.

Walmart’s free returns from home offer a lot of convenience and make sense for online shopping. If you can order from home, you should be able to get your money back without having to drag items to a drop-off point, but Amazon hasn’t picked up returns from home for years. With Walmart+, I only have to make sure someone is home to hand off a return.

How My Credit Cards Made Switching Easy

The Prime Visa card is an excellent credit card if you have Amazon Prime and frequently shop on Amazon. However, the redemption options are limited, and other cards may offer more flexibility with rewards.

I have had the Prime Visa card for several years and have earned at least 5% back on every purchase. (Sometimes I got 6% back when I selected no-rush shipping.) The Prime Visa card is the only card you can use to earn unlimited 5% back on Amazon year-round.

The Discover it^® Cash Back Card and Chase Freedom Flex^® typically offer Amazon.com as a quarterly bonus category that you can activate at some point in the year. However, that’s only for 3 months out of the year, and your 5% cash-back earnings are limited to the first $1,500 spent each quarter.

When we look at redemption value, the 5% back I earned with the Prime Visa card wasn’t as competitive with other cards in my wallet. Each point I earned was worth 1 cent, but I could easily exceed that value by earning flexible rewards, such as American Express Membership Rewards points or Chase Ultimate Rewards points.

Downgrading My Prime Visa Card

As soon as I canceled my Amazon Prime membership, my Prime Visa card was downgraded to the Amazon Visa. I still get the same cardholder benefits, including purchase protection and extended warranty, but I no longer earn 5% back on Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and Chase Travel purchases.

Instead, I earn 3% back on those purchases, which isn’t bad. Both the Prime Visa card and Amazon Visa card earn 2% back at restaurants, gas stations, and on local transit and commuting. All other purchases earn 1%.

Cards I’m Using on Amazon.com Instead of the Prime Visa Card

I used my Prime Visa card for every Amazon purchase without a second thought for years. It was loaded into my account and earned at least 5%, so it was an easy choice. My Amazon credit card strategy is slightly different since I only earn 3% on Amazon purchases.

I won’t necessarily have a go-to card for Amazon purchases anymore, but I’ll keep a few loaded in my Amazon.com account. These include:

• Amazon Visa card, earning 3% back
• Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card, earning 4x points
• Chase Freedom Unlimited^®, which earns 1.5% cash-back
• Any card earning a welcome bonus offer

I’ll most likely default to the Freedom Unlimited card unless I’m working on a welcome offer with a new card. With the Freedom Unlimited card, I earn 1.5% cash-back on Amazon.com. That’s less than the 3% I’d earn with the Amazon Visa card, but it offers more flexibility because I also have a Chase Sapphire Reserve^® and can convert my Freedom Unlimited card earnings to Chase Ultimate Rewards points to transfer to travel partners for more value.

The Hilton Surpass card isn’t a bad option either. If I’m trying to reach $15,000 in annual spending on the card for a free night certificate or need more Hilton Honors points for an upcoming booking, spending on Amazon.com can help me reach that goal.

What I Miss (and Don’t Miss) About Amazon Prime

Although I canceled Amazon Prime, it’s still a helpful service. I only canceled because I didn’t want to keep paying for a membership that offers declining value with an increasing price, especially when I get Walmart+ for free.

I’ll miss the fast, free shipping for sure, but now I’m checking Walmart first for products I need quickly.

I immediately noticed the shipping downgrade from Prime, and Amazon won’t let me forget it. With each product listing, I see delivery estimates for Prime members vs. nonmembers.

For example, if I ordered an external hard drive, I could get it the same day as a Prime member or wait 4 days to get it as a nonmember. Either way, the shipping would be free, since the item is over the $35 free shipping minimum for items fulfilled and shipped by Amazon.

I’ve noticed Amazon tends to have a greater product selection than Walmart. But having fewer options isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as I tend to get analysis paralysis, overthinking purchases that could be simpler. When I need something that is only available on Amazon, I have to plan and shop earlier.

I only occasionally used Prime Video, as I have other streaming options, including the Paramount+ Essential Plan I get with my Walmart+ order and the Disney+ bundle I get included with the digital entertainment credit from my Amex Platinum card (enrollment required). I quit using Amazon Music and Prime Reading long ago.

Bottom Line:

While I still have near-immediate delivery and shipping available with Walmart+, I think it will be good for my shopping budget to no longer have Amazon Prime as an option. Although I’ve had plenty of disappointing late deliveries, Amazon Prime made it too easy to spend money online, and I’ve paid a membership fee every year for the privilege. Being forced to plan ahead a bit may make it easier to spend less and consider whether I really need those last-minute purchases or not.

Final Thoughts

Canceling my Amazon Prime subscription after 15 years felt like a big decision, but it was a practical choice. I’m no longer locked into a pricey membership that doesn’t fit my shopping habits anymore. Walmart+, which I get thanks to my Amex Platinum card, offers many of the same conveniences as Amazon Prime (and a few it doesn’t).

And I’m more motivated to use cards other than the Prime Visa card, earning flexible rewards to get more value from my purchases.