CLEVELAND — With holiday shopping right around the corner, maybe you’re looking to upgrade your online ordering experience with a new membership but can’t decide between Amazon Prime or Walmart+. With both companies vying for your business, the good news is that they’re adding new perks to sweeten the deal. Consumer Reports sorted through the differences to help you decide which service is best for you and your family.
Walmart+ costs a bit less, but both options offer free shipping, deals and discounts for members, grocery delivery, and some streaming music and video perks. Walmart doesn’t have the huge array of benefits that Amazon Prime does, but it has some good key deals that can really help regular Walmart shoppers.
For example, on gas—something not offered by Amazon. You can save up to 10 cents a gallon at Exxon, Mobil, Walmart, and Murphy stations. Plus you can get member gas prices at Sam’s Club.
When it comes to streaming, both offer added perks.
A Walmart+ membership gets you a free subscription to Paramount+ and six free months of Spotify Premium, while Amazon Prime includes Prime Video, Amazon Music Prime, and Prime Gaming.
Additionally, Prime members get unlimited online photo storage and 5GB of video storage.
Recently, Amazon Prime members received access to a free year of Grubhub+, which includes unlimited deliveries from participating restaurants—with no delivery fee.
CR says if you prefer the wider range of benefits, it might be worth it to pay a bit more for Amazon Prime.
The bottom line is that if you’re a regular Walmart shopper, an annual membership can be worth it. Just make sure you’re realistic about how often you shop there.
And Amex Platinum cardholders can come out even further ahead, because they now get a free monthly membership to Walmart+.
Consumer Reports says if you’re still not sure, try the 30-day free trials that Walmart+ and Amazon Prime offer.
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