Shopping for groceries can be really time-consuming, and while convenient and fast meal options may come cheap, they also tend to be pretty unhealthy. Luckily, more and more options are popping up to help maximize the value of your time. In this article, I will explain the difference between Amazon Prime Pantry and Amazon Prime Fresh. These two services will help you conveniently order food online straight to your door with quick shipping.
What is Amazon Prime Pantry?
Amazon has announced that it’s discontinued its Amazon Pantry (originally known as Prime Pantry) service, instead rolling those household goods and shelf-stable pantry items into the main Amazon website where they can be ordered alongside the rest of Amazon’s products. Read more
Amazon Prime Pantry launched on Amazon in 2014. Offering customers another option to shop grocery products, which is still targeted, but more widely available. Taking advantage of the 100 million-plus Prime-member households, Amazon offers a special service to order grocery and household items. Unlike Amazon Fresh, Prime Pantry does not offer perishables like meat, dairy, vegetables or items requiring refrigeration. In Amazon’s words:
“Prime members in select regions can shop for groceries and household products in everyday sizes, such as a single box of cereal, with Prime Pantry. It offers low priced products and exclusive savings, such as deals and coupons….you can choose between thousands of items available, including snacks, breakfast foods, beverages, beauty, and personal care items, and household products and save a trip to the store. You can shop on Prime Pantry Store or by using the free Amazon app.”
(Pictured: Amazon Prime Pantry Basic Goods)
Prime Pantry Cost – How Much Is Prime Pantry Membership
Amazon stopped running the Prime Pantry program. So there is no cost since the membership doesn’t exist. You just order food alongside regular amazon products.
Similarly, did you know that Amazon has a Coupons program for Amazon Prime members? I had no idea this existed until I dove a little deeper into Amazon as research for this article. In short, you can browse Amazon’s catalog of coupons and click Clip Coupon to get an instant discount on that item at checkout.
(Pictured: Amazon Prime Pantry Logo)
What is Amazon Prime Fresh?
Amazon Fresh quietly began grocery delivery nearly a decade ago. Rolling out services very gradually, and almost in a stop-start way, testing markets and metropolitan areas. Amazon often partnered with local specialty stores. It is currently available in some U.S. states, London, Tokyo, Berlin (including Potsdam), Hamburg and Munich. Amazon also uses the Fresh service to deliver from local restaurants in some areas. But the service is not widespread.
Amazon Fresh offers everything you’d find at a regular grocery store, including perishables, frozen foods and fresh, local offerings. With Amazon’s acquisition of Whole Foods Market in 2017, the grocer has become a big draw of the Amazon Fresh service. Customers can shop Whole Foods on the Amazon site easily, and Whole Foods was featured in Amazon events like Prime Day 2018, as Amazon continues to hone in on the partnership.
(Pictured: Amazon Fresh Produce and Toiletries)
Prime Fresh Cost
This service delivers a wide array of foods for $14.99 per month added to your Prime membership, which itself costs either $12.99 per month or $99 a year. With the subscription, orders over $50 are free. Anything fewer costs an extra $9.99.
If you are already an Amazon Prime member, I highly recommend using Amazon Fresh. If you are not a Prime member, I would not suggest it because it can get pricey.
Visit Amazon’s Website to learn more or begin a free trial.
(Pictured: Amazon Fresh Logo)
What Is Prime Now?
Prime Now is a service that is free for all Amazon Prime members. Prime Now offers free delivery within two hours for an array of groceries and household products, even toys, electronics, and pet supplies. And given their acquisition of Whole Foods, you can also get fresh produce, meat and dairy sent directly from those stores (in case you missed it, they lowered Whole Foods prices on more than 500 items last week, and Prime members get even more savings)—but depending on where you are, other grocery stores may also be part of the service. For an additional fee, you can also have products like electronics or printer ink delivered to your door within an hour. As amazing as this service may sound, it’s only available in select locations; however, the list of areas that have access to this program is ever-changing. You can search for your zip code on their site to see whether or not you qualify.
Amazon Prime Now Cost:
Free for Prime members
(Pictured: Amazon Prime Now Logo)
Overall Recommendation: Amazon Prime Fresh
I would suggest going with Amazon Prime Fresh. With reasonable membership fees and one of the biggest available markets, It might just beat out the competition depending on where you live and how you shop. If you are a current Prime member and can get AmazonFresh in your area, I think it is certainly worth a try. Amazon Fresh is the better value! Sign up for Amazon Fresh Today.
