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3 Ways to Get Free Amazon Shipping Without Prime

by Suzanne Kantra on November 14, 2022

If you don't subscribe to Amazon Prime, you can qualify for free shipping if your order is $25 or more – and it ships from Amazon. But what if you don't need $25 worth of stuff? Even then, there are ways to qualify for free or low-cost shipping.

Add filler items

Filler items, as the term sounds, are those you purchase just to fill your online shopping cart to meet a minimum price. Amazon makes it easy for you by letting you search for "add on items under" plus the amount you need. You can also check out SFiller.com, which enables you to search for a product with a maximum value in specific categories and with keywords.

Buy within 24 hours of placing an order that qualifies for free shipping

Under Amazon's Extended Free Shipping policy, you can enjoy free shipping on orders for 24 hours after placing an order that qualifies for free shipping. The items in your new order must be shipped by Amazon and to the same address as the qualifying order, but there is no minimum purchase amount.

Purchase lightweight items from Amazon Marketplace sellers

Many small, lightweight items don’t cost much to ship, and Amazon Marketplace sellers often offer them with free shipping to get more orders. You'll find these offers in the "New from" tab under the price and in the "Other Sellers on Amazon" section below. Items will often be more expensive than Amazon and take longer for delivery, but when you factor in the $5.99 shipping that Amazon charges, it can end up being less expensive to buy from the Marketplace seller. Just make sure to check out the reputation of the seller. You can check their reputation by clicking on the "New from" box.

Screenshot of Amazon showing pricing for mascara with free shipping from a Marketplace seller for $7.95 or from Amazon for $6.89 but requiring a minimum purchase of $25.

Join an Amazon Household

Do you know someone with an Amazon Prime account? Amazon Prime members can share their benefits with you by adding you to their Amazon Household. When you join an Amazon Prime member's Household, you'll receive free 2-day shipping, access to Prime Video, and more. Check out my story on How to Share Your Amazon Prime Benefits with Someone Else for Free to find out more.

Updated on 11/14/2022 to reflect new Amazon free shipping policies

[Image credit: Screenshot via Techlicious, Amazon boxes on porch via BigStockPhoto]

For the past 20+ years, Techlicious founder Suzanne Kantra has been exploring and writing about the world’s most exciting and important science and technology issues. Prior to Techlicious, Suzanne was the Technology Editor for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia and the Senior Technology Editor for Popular Science. Suzanne has been featured on CNN, CBS, and NBC.

Topics

Shopping, Tips & How-Tos, Money Savers

Discussion

From Kay on February 24, 2016 :: 5:14 pm

I just had to order a micro USB card. Amazon’s price was 12.60. They added tax and then a whopping EIGHT BUCKS to ship that tiny thing. One of Amazon’s sellers with a 99% rating was offering it for 12.74, no tax, and free shipping. Which one do you think I picked? I can wait five days.
Check those other sellers, folks!

From maria rose on February 24, 2016 :: 6:25 pm

As a long term Amazon Prime member, I fail to see the problem with the cost of membership.I order frequently and the membership cost more than adequately is made up in the lack of shipping costs. And I can forgo 2day shipping for credit on account for credit for shipping on the Amazon Pantry and Amazon Fresh sections. Maybe because the items I shop are found on Amazon helps but I don’t want to have to spend a certain amount to get free shipping..

From Don Myers on October 19, 2019 :: 5:46 pm

Your not smart enough

From Kralon on November 29, 2022 :: 1:14 am

“You’re not smart enough”

From Michael A Shipman on August 17, 2023 :: 9:28 pm

i can agree for a few years now i have been shopping on amazons fresh store they offer decent items like a regular grocery store and got free shipping if i spent$at least$35.00 or more yet now they want us to spend $100 for a $6.95 delivery fee or $150. to get free delivery i have shopped on amazon prime for years and even recommened them to other friends but now really as a senior citizen and on a fixed income $150.00 is a lot to spend all at once i guess safeway and fred meyer will be getting my business as they only charge a monthly one time fee as opposed to a per order fee like amazon has decided to do!

From Elizabeth on November 02, 2024 :: 2:23 pm

Who’s Fred myer and what’s the website please 🙏🏼

From BJB on February 24, 2016 :: 10:42 pm

Why doesn’t Amazon offer a reduced Amazon Prime fee for senior citizens?

From maria rose on February 25, 2016 :: 7:53 pm

I am a senior citizen and I ask you this question——-Are you looking for reduction on prices that are already reduced or lower shipping cost overall. If you only order once in awhile on Amazon then don’t get the Prime membership BUT if you order at least once weekly the Prime membership more than covers the yearly cost of shipping You are already getting reduction in cost of items. You can buy one item for $5.99 daily and pay shipping or pay the $99 yearly and pay no shipping every day and buy everyday.

From Bre on February 09, 2018 :: 11:47 pm

Once you are old enough to have worked you entire lifetime and be at the point of retirement, you don’t need a discount.

College students pay more for a year of college than you most likely did for your entire college degree. They can’t work part time and pay it off. They can’t get jobs right out of college anymore because a certain generation (BOOMERS) refuses to or can’t find a way to retire. PLUS the whole point of amazon offering the college discount is so when the students graduated they’ll be so addicted to prime, they won’t think twice about paying for it in full… you know, when they actually get to start a career at the age of 30. Amazon loses money by offering seniors a discount seeing as, well they can’t make money off you in your next stage of life.

From Ginny on June 22, 2018 :: 1:26 am

What’s the anger about??

From Sabine on June 24, 2018 :: 6:39 pm

While this is an honest interpretation of what is occurring in the market for recent grads, especially those between 2008-2010, it does come across as angry. Maybe it’s fear due to the uncertainty you face.

But you are not a Boomer. Hey, maybe you have more opprlortunities now than ever before. You aren’t at the point of retirement so you have no idea what your future will hold. Believe me life isn’t what it seems and changes unwxpectedly at every turn. Especially as we age and care for others.

How would you feel if you were in their shoes? Please try your best to refrain from judgement, if only to help yourself. You never know, maybe you too will be on a tight budget & working at 65 +years of age with no one to back you up. How will you feel then? Would you like to read someone’s words the way you expressed yourself? It’s likely you have no idea what retirement actually entails. You are blessed to have a voice, but use it to be kind and uplift. That will give you more in the long run if you are concerned about discounts.

Criticism and judgement only serve to hold you down and keep you separate from those you can learn from.

Best wishes with your career & your outlook on life. You have what it takes! We all do…if we work together.

From Carl on April 19, 2024 :: 2:38 pm

WHY IS YOUR GENERATION SO HATEFUL ???

From Jdjd on October 18, 2018 :: 1:19 am

Get a grip ..

From Judy on October 29, 2019 :: 3:56 am

I am a senior who gladly put 4 kids and 6 grandkids through college and all graduated debt free. I worked hard all my life from the age of 15, saved my money and knew I wanted to provide education for my children and grandchildren. If your circumstances are different, I feel for you but don’t blame a single segment of the world’s population for your issues. I retired with a social security income (fixed) that I earned, paying my taxes to support my future and to ensure the seniors who worked before me got help in their retirement. That’s the way it works when people look out for each other. As for Amazon making money off seniors, I order weekly- books, gifts to be sent to family and friends, medications to be mailed to me and any variety of purchases as needed. I am grateful that I don’t have to get in my car, waste time and gas running to a store - contributing to the climate crisis, gridlock and resource wasting. I spend several hundred dollars a month on Amazon and much of it is for others. I’m not the only senior who lives this way, many others help their families with food and other necessities out of their monthly social security checks. So the next time you speak before knowing what you are talking about think about this: with more seniors representing a tax paying portion of the population than any other age group, we are essentially keeping the economy going for you and yours until you get your act together. Best of luck, I hope you find a career, not just a job.

From JKJ on January 07, 2020 :: 2:05 pm

Wow just wow! You’re obviously young because you don’t know much, lol. Instead of getting angry with “older” folks why not direct that anger at the problem you’re speaking of…..college tuition costs. Go ahead and get ahold of the government who took over the college tuition loan business and subsequently tuition sky rocketed! Which by the way, has NOTHING to do with boomers as you call them. And obviously you think you’re just a little more important than ...……..anyone else in the world!

From Lisa on March 01, 2020 :: 11:12 am

I could not agree more with your statement! These supposed young adults feel that they are owed something just for being born. Ummm, college has always been expensive, and I worked a part time job to afford my education, and yep, sure as sugar went into debt. Then I found a low paying very low paying full time job, and worked my good old part time job and the full time job, as I recall my 20’s were spent working. No seaside jaunts to Caribbean for me, college break? Why an opportunity to work more hours! Vacations, nope skipped them and took the money. I have worked for 35 years at a full time plus OT when it’s available plus part time jobs here and there. Get over self young selfish one, you are no different than the rest of us.

From MIKE TRACY on February 04, 2023 :: 7:13 pm

We who were born before 1952 had college tuition of less than $300/year and were able to buy our first homes for under 40K.
If you want to know why things will be so much harder for those born since 1990, look at who is now in charge, and what our Natiinal Debt is.
You will see much higher taxes starting in 2026 in order to pay for this lunacy and inflation.

From DD ARR on January 03, 2024 :: 9:23 am

You’re the one who made the choice to attend college and take on debt. Blaming seniors for your own problems is foolish. Those of us that were smart enough to figure out that college is useless unless you are going to study law, medicine, engineering, architecture, technology, physics, agriculture, and a few other useful careers.
Furthermore, saying that there is no jobs because seniors won’t retire and ‘‘should have planned for it before’’ is so ignorant that it hurts my brain. FYI, millennials and gen z would need 2.8 children on average per couple to maintain the boomer population numbers, which is not even close to happening.

From Lupe on June 26, 2022 :: 5:39 pm

I wood to free shipping ,66 ys t.y so much

From Lynell Hiney on August 13, 2022 :: 11:21 pm

You can get 50 percent off the monthly membership fee if you have food stamps.

From Gina Burke on November 02, 2016 :: 9:17 pm

can i sign up for the 30 day free trial off the prime membershipship then order a bunch of things to get free shipping and then cancel the mebership once the trail is over. or will i still get charged for shipping/membership?

From Lynell Hiney on August 13, 2022 :: 11:25 pm

I think I tried that… They knew who I was because of my email address. One trial membership per person.

From Donna on November 03, 2016 :: 6:11 pm

I have done that of using pre-order items to total $49 and then canceled the items once order was delivered. Tried it again about 2 months ago & Amazon must have caught on to the trick cuz they wouldn’t let me cancel & I had to purchase the pre-order DVD when it came out.

From John Jay on January 02, 2017 :: 3:14 am

Prime membership is over-rated, unless you order from Amazon every week. Most people don’t.

Prime is overly complicated, bordering on deceitful. Only a minority of items are “eligible” for free shipping, even once you’ve paid a lot to be a Prime member.

It’s been frustrating, having bought Prime myself, to discover most items I’m trying to purchase are not “eligible” for Prime free shipping. Amazon is gouging customers.

From Julia Ruiz on February 15, 2017 :: 10:45 pm

I have ordered several items from amazon .How do I get a price on an item without joining primetime

From Sam Carson on September 05, 2017 :: 1:43 pm

I just started using Amazon and my first order was over 70 dollars and I paid over 8 dollars for shipping. Now I am about to place another order for over 50 dollars and I am being charge again. I thought even if I do not use Prime if I spend more than 50 I got free shipping. All I am getting are CD’s and they don’t weigh much. What is the problem?
Thank you for your help. Sammy

PS All items are eligible for free shipping.

From Josh Kirschner on September 06, 2017 :: 12:10 pm

Free shipping applies to those items shipped by Amazon. If your products are coming from a third-party vendor, shipping fess may apply. There are other limitations that may be affecting your order. You can read more detail on Amazon’s shipping policies here: http://amzn.to/2j3ZrrO

From Holly Penny on September 16, 2017 :: 12:30 am

I had Amazon Prime mainly because I needed a fan right away. I bought some other things but at the end of the month it was easy to cancel and I was not charged.

From Maria Rose on September 16, 2017 :: 1:47 pm

As someone who has used and paid for the Prime membership for many years, it is slightly confusing to me how people feel the cost is too much and only sign up for trial memberships to cancel after the trial period. Sounds like you also sign up for trial memberships for streaming on Netflix and Hulu and quickly cancel, too.
If you find the yearly membership cost a burden, then pay the shipping cost, which by the way are set by the carriers which Amazon uses—USPS, UPS, etc. I personally would rather pay once a year to get guaranteed free 2 day shipping.
If you have ever mailed/shipped a package cost is determined by size of package, weight, type of shipping ,speed of shipping and where it is going. The slowest/cheapest form of shipping takes anywhere from 2-3 weeks and is hard to track. At least with Amazon, I get a tracking record to follow for every package. Biggest problem I have ever had was with the delivery personnel not putting package at my door but leaving it elsewhere. In those cases, I wrote in to Amazon and that problem was resolved fast.
I don’t buy just from Amazon and there are places I pay for the shipping and I chose the carrier and speed of my delivery (part of cost of buying). I get free shipping from B&N because I am a member which means I pay a yearly fee.
I can only assume that those who are complaining of the Prime membership fee, don’t shop often on Amazon and do most of their online shopping elsewhere. It is your budget, it has worked for me.
I know for a fact if you are noted as a overly complainer ( constantly returning items just to get money back after using item , start a Prime membership and cancel, etc.—You will be blacklisted off site for a year, minimum and may have to get special permission to return as a customer. Amazon does note those who attempt to fraud system. Another reason, I enjoy shopping with them.

From Crystal on September 21, 2017 :: 1:35 am

Amazon is just greedy, like the owner. Amazon prime should not be so expensive almost $100 per year, no thank you. I refuse to pay this amount due to not being able to afford it. Because of the high shipping on items, my ordering from Amazon has decreased a lot. It used to be were Amazon Prime could be shared with others, but that has stopped. I shop more on Ebay and get much better deals there.

From Maria Rose on September 21, 2017 :: 10:14 am

Perhaps overtime you may take the time and add up all those shipping charges over the year from the various places and actually see the total cost. I have a total year budget laid out and yes that is a hit (yearly) but compared to not having it, the cost savings over the year is sugnificantly less than paying the cost per order.
I compare it to buying a bus pass which gives you free rides if you buy a weekly or monthly pass versus paying everytime full fare.

From Lynell Hiney on August 13, 2022 :: 11:40 pm

I can’t drive, from a brain injury & a bad back. I know, for me, having delivery service available simplifies my life. It can be easier & faster to pop an order in than to get ready, drive to, then walk around a whole store (like Walmart). I’ve found that Target doesn’t charge for pickup orders (only they don’t take food stamps online yet). But Walmart charges $7 for pickup orders & the membership fee is more than Amazon. At Amazon, since I have food stamps, my membership is half, at $6 monthly.

From plzAnswer on February 26, 2018 :: 12:36 pm

If I’m in Serbia, will I still get free shipping?

It sais that we need to add to cart only items with FREE Shipping on product page, none of products are for me with free shipping.

I added one item that’s 23.99$ and it sais $81.45 Shipping

When I go to view my cart it sais : Add 1.01$ more to get free shipping.

I added another item that’s 19.99$ and $56.52 Shipping

Than I went back to view my cart and it sais Your order qualifies for FREE Shipping.

Now, I’m asking, If I will still get free shipping with that message and $43.98 Subtotal with no Prime??

From Josh Kirschner on February 26, 2018 :: 9:47 pm

Shipping rates will vary depending on what you order, which Amazon site you order from (Germany vs US, etc.) and whether the item is hipped from Amazon or a third-party vendor. However, if your cart says free shipping and the total doesn’t show shipping charges when you sign out, then I would be pretty confident that the shipping will be free. If there is an error, the will likely contact you about it, not charge you unexpected shipping fees after the fact.

From Judy Bresnahan on January 09, 2019 :: 9:31 pm

Amazon uses the P.O. To deliver a lot of things now. The p.o. Delivers only to the front desk of my apt. Building not my door,
It’s a nuiscance. I am a senior citizen and can’t lug packages from the lobby. So I see no use to joining prime. Will try other vendors!!

From Ann Cobban on February 01, 2019 :: 2:40 pm

I have the same question other seniors ask. Why does Amazon not offer a decent discount for seniors. Not all of us can afford your monthly or yearly cost to subscribe.

From Judy Bresnahan on February 01, 2019 :: 3:33 pm

I use other vendors that deliver to my 6th
Floor apt. door. Big packages delivered to
the lobby are a headache. Amazon is inconsistent whether a small or large package is delivered by the Post Office.
I have no problem with delivers by FedEx or
UPS.

From MariaRose on February 28, 2021 :: 4:39 pm

I have made multiple responses to this site as regards continuing Amazon Prime membership, which works for my needs. If anyone disagrees with me, don’t make a comment that I am stupid because I don’t agree with your view, make instead a constructive argument showing your stand. I know very well that some people like to go for the cheapest version of a service agreement and have different ideas about how they achieve it, which is great for their situation. But remember that I am speaking from experience of a long term use of Amazon service and long term shopping experience. Do what works for you, and stop being critical of alternate opinions for whatever reasons you choose. No one is perfect, so act like an adult and think before you remark on an opposing view. This is my 2021 view of life—life will never be a dream world, I just live with the best tools I can.—Which is why I don’t Facebook, as there are too many censors to real opinions and no constructive conversations.

From omar binladen on October 20, 2021 :: 12:04 pm

how much in would cost me to send a 14 kilo box to the usa i need help i dont nothing guys help

From Robert Fallona on September 15, 2022 :: 3:59 pm

o Bre & the others who are so entitled, calm down. I like most bombers went to work in our teens. My 1st job was bagging groceries & my 1st day was my 16th birthday. I enjoyed the money & freedom & worked 30+ hrs year round & took every shift I could. I then went on to college at night & paid every cent myself. In the 50 yrs in retail I never made a ton, but raised a family. I had Prime for awhile & while I could afford it just canceled. In the last year I ordered 2-3 times & not once did I watch Prime Video nor listened to Prime Music. At $139 a year it’s nuts.

From Rob K on December 06, 2022 :: 3:46 pm

I don’t understand why they keep adding a bunch of features that no one wants. I already have Spotify, I don’t need an Amazon Music membership. I rarely find anything on Amazon Prime Video to watch, so I don’t need that either. Just give me a reduced price membership with free shipping only and skip all the other fluff including the one free book a month or whatever the Audible deal is they are offering.

From Ina Rooker on January 16, 2023 :: 12:00 pm

I have been charged for prime membership a couple of months. I did not ask for prime nor do I want it. Please, please cancel the prime charges. Roger Rooker

From June on August 19, 2023 :: 2:02 am

No Maria it’s NOT worth $120/yr.. so it is for you.so what?

From Axel Hose on February 16, 2024 :: 8:56 pm

I know you wrote this over a year ago but Amazon stopped the extended ordering benefit a few months back with no announcement that they were doing so. You have to find out the hard way.

From Lisa on February 08, 2025 :: 9:13 pm

Bre- The parents of the Boomers had it better than the Boomers. They could afford a house, a car and children on ONE middle class income. Don’t blame the Boomers for the economy, we would love to pay under $20K for a home like our parents did. Fyi-minimum wage is almost ten times today what it was in 1972. Put down that $10 specialty coffee and get over it.