How to Cancel Amazon Prime UK and Keep Prime Video (2026)

Here’s something Amazon doesn’t tell you clearly: Prime Video and Amazon Prime are not the same thing.

Most people cancel Prime and panic when they lose access to everything — the free delivery, the video streaming, the music, all of it — because they didn’t know these were bundled together.

But there’s a way to keep Prime Video on its own for £5.99 a month instead of paying £8.99 for the full Prime bundle you might not even use.

And if you just want to get rid of everything completely, that’s straightforward too — once you know where Amazon hides the cancel button.

I’ve done both. Cancelled the full bundle and switched to Video only when I moved to a flat where deliveries kept getting stolen from the building entrance. Didn’t need Prime delivery anymore but wasn’t giving up The Boys. Here’s exactly what I did.

Before you read further:

⏱️ Time to cancel: 5 minutes
💷 Prime cost: £8.99/month or £95/year
📺 Prime Video standalone: £5.99/month
🔄 Cancellation type: Instant or end of period (your choice)
💰 Refund possible: Yes, within certain conditions
📅 Updated: February 2026

First: Understand What You’re Actually Paying For

Amazon Prime is a bundle. When you pay £8.99 a month, you’re getting:

Free next-day delivery on millions of items
Prime Video (films, TV, Amazon Originals)
Prime Music (2 million songs)
Prime Reading (rotating ebooks)
Amazon Photos (unlimited photo storage)
Prime Gaming (free games monthly)
Early access to Lightning Deals
Prescription delivery discounts

When you cancel Prime, you lose all of this.

But here’s the thing most people miss:

Prime Video is available as a standalone subscription at £5.99/month. You don’t need full Prime to watch your shows.

So before you decide to cancel, figure out which situation you’re actually in.

Which Situation Are You In?

Situation 1: You want to cancel everything

You don’t use Prime delivery much, you’re done with the shows you were watching, and £8.99 feels wasteful.

Solution: Full cancellation. Skip to “How to Cancel Amazon Prime Completely” below.

Situation 2: You mainly watch Prime Video but rarely use delivery

You’re paying £8.99 for a streaming service essentially. You could be paying £5.99 instead.

Solution: Downgrade to Prime Video only. Skip to “How to Switch to Prime Video Only” below.

Situation 3: You mainly use delivery but barely watch anything

You’re using the delivery service, not really the streaming.

Solution: Keep Prime or check if you’d save money elsewhere. Your call.

Situation 4: You got charged and didn’t realise you were still subscribed

Free trial ran out, or you forgot you signed up.

Solution: Cancel immediately and check if you qualify for a refund. See “How to Get a Refund” section.

How to Cancel Amazon Prime Completely

Amazon actually makes this reasonably findable, unlike some other subscriptions. But they do throw a few “are you sure?” screens at you to try and keep you.

On desktop (recommended — easier to navigate):

Step 1: Go to amazon.co.uk and make sure you’re logged in.

Step 2: Hover over “Returns & Orders” in the top right corner.

Step 3: Click “Account” from the dropdown.

Step 4: Look for “Prime” section — it usually shows near the top of your account page.

Step 5: Click “Manage Prime Membership.”

Step 6: On the Prime management page, look for “Manage Membership” on the right side.

Step 7: Click “End Membership.”

Step 8: Amazon will show you what you’re about to lose — all the benefits listed out. This is their first attempt to keep you. Click “Continue to Cancel.”

Step 9: Amazon shows you the cancellation options:

“End now and get a partial refund” — cancels immediately, you get money back for unused days
“End on [renewal date]” — keeps your benefits until the period ends, no refund but you get full value

Choose which works for you. (More on refunds below.)

Step 10: Confirm your choice.

Step 11: You’ll see “Your Prime membership has been cancelled” confirmation on screen.

Amazon will email your registered address immediately with cancellation confirmation. If you don’t see it within an hour, check spam.

On the Amazon app:

Step 1: Open the Amazon Shopping app (not Prime Video app).

Step 2: Tap the three lines (☰) in the bottom right.

Step 3: Tap “Account.”

Step 4: Tap “Manage Prime Membership.”

Step 5: Tap “Manage Membership.”

Step 6: Tap “End Membership” and follow the prompts.

The app version works fine, but the desktop version gives you clearer options around refunds. If you’re looking to get money back, do it on desktop.

Important: What happens immediately after cancelling?

If you choose “End now”:

Prime Video access stops within minutes
Free delivery stops immediately
All other Prime benefits end straight away

If you choose “End on renewal date”:

Everything keeps working until your paid period ends
On your renewal date, access stops
No further charges

How to Switch to Prime Video Only (Keep Watching, Pay Less)

This is the option most people don’t know exists.

Instead of cancelling Prime entirely, you can downgrade to Prime Video standalone for £5.99/month.

You keep:

Prime Video (all shows, films, Amazon Originals)
Access to Prime Video channels (like BritBox add-on etc.)

You lose:

Free delivery (goes back to standard paid delivery)
Prime Music, Reading, Gaming, Photos
Early Lightning Deal access

For a lot of people, this is the right move. Especially if you’re mainly paying for the streaming anyway.

How to downgrade:

Step 1: Go to primevideo.com (not amazon.co.uk).

Step 2: Click your profile icon in the top right.

Step 3: Click “Account & Settings.”

Step 4: Go to “Amazon Prime” tab.

Step 5: Look for “Prime Video Channels” or the option to manage your streaming subscription separately.

Important note: Amazon doesn’t make this downgrade super obvious from the main Amazon account page. Going through primevideo.com directly is the clearest route.

Alternatively, call Amazon customer service (0800 279 7234) and ask them to switch you to Prime Video only. This takes about 5 minutes on the phone and they’ll confirm the new price immediately.

Price difference:

Full Prime: £8.99/month
Prime Video only: £5.99/month
Monthly saving: £3/month (£36/year)

Small saving but worth it if delivery isn’t your thing.

How to Get a Refund on Amazon Prime

This is where it gets genuinely useful.

Amazon has one of the better refund policies on subscription cancellations. You can get a partial or full refund in certain situations.

Full refund (rare but possible):

Amazon will typically give you a full refund if:

You were charged for annual Prime and haven’t used any Prime benefits yet
You’re cancelling within 3 days of being charged
You didn’t know you were signing up (free trial ended without clear notice)

Partial refund (more common):

If you’ve been using Prime but want to cancel mid-month or mid-year:

Amazon calculates your “unused” days
Refunds proportionally
This shows up when you click “End now” during cancellation

How to request a refund:

Option 1: During cancellation (easiest)

When you reach Step 9 in the cancellation process, Amazon shows you “End now and get a partial refund” with the exact amount you’d receive.

If you see a refund amount shown and you’re happy with it, click this option. The refund goes back to your original payment method within 3-5 working days.

Option 2: After cancellation via chat

If you’ve already cancelled and want to request a refund:

Go to amazon.co.uk/help
Click “Contact Us”
Select “Prime” → “Prime Membership” → “I want to cancel my Prime membership”
Choose “Chat” (fastest) or “Phone”

What to say:

“I recently cancelled my Amazon Prime membership. I was charged on [date] and haven’t made much use of the benefits. I’d like to request a refund for the unused portion.”

Amazon customer service is generally decent. If you’re polite and haven’t been using Prime heavily, they often refund without too much argument.

Realistic expectations:

Annual Prime members who cancel early: likely to get partial refund
Monthly Prime members mid-cycle: usually get partial refund with “End now” option
Someone who’s streamed 40 hours of Prime Video this month: less likely to get much back

The Annual vs Monthly Decision

If you’re unsure whether to cancel, consider this:

Monthly Prime at £8.99:

£107.88 per year
Cancel anytime
More flexibility

Annual Prime at £95:

£95 per year (saving ~£13)
Paid upfront
Harder to get a full refund if circumstances change

If you’re thinking about cancelling, don’t sign up for annual. Pay monthly. It costs a bit more but gives you flexibility without the refund complications.

What Happens to Things You’ve Bought or Downloaded

This confuses people. Here’s the breakdown:

Films and TV you’ve purchased (not rented) on Amazon:

These are yours permanently
Cancelling Prime doesn’t affect purchased content
You can still watch them without a subscription

Films rented:

Standard rental periods apply (usually 30 days to start, 48 hours once started)
Cancelling Prime doesn’t affect current rentals

Prime Video content (included with Prime):

Access stops when Prime ends
You can’t download these to keep
That’s streaming for you

Amazon Photos:

You have 30 days after Prime ends to download your photos
After 30 days, photos over the free storage limit may be deleted
If you use Amazon Photos, download everything before your Prime ends

Prime Music downloads:

Stops working when Prime ends
You can’t keep the downloaded tracks
Transfers back to free Amazon Music (limited selection)

Prime Reading books:

Any books borrowed through Prime Reading disappear
You don’t get to keep them
Purchased Kindle books are unaffected

The Free Trial Situation

If you’re cancelling because a free trial is ending, here’s the good news: you can cancel during the trial and keep your benefits until it expires.

How free trials work:

You sign up for “30 days free”
Amazon takes your card details but doesn’t charge yet
After 30 days, you’re charged automatically

The smart move:

Sign up. Immediately cancel (during the trial). Amazon shows: “Your trial will continue until [end date], then it won’t renew.”

You get the full 30 days free. No charge at the end. No forgetting to cancel.

This isn’t a trick – it’s exactly how it’s meant to work. Amazon just bets most people won’t do it.

Watch Out for Amazon Prime Student

If you signed up through Amazon Prime Student (free for 6 months, then 50% off for students), the cancellation process is the same but the pricing is different:

Prime Student: Free for 6 months (new users)
Then: £4.49/month (50% off standard price)
Eligibility: Valid university email address

If your student email has expired or you’ve graduated, Amazon will eventually detect this and move you to full price. Worth checking.

To cancel Prime Student, the process is identical to regular Prime: Account → Manage Prime → End Membership.

Prime on Someone Else’s Account (Amazon Household)

Amazon allows “Household” sharing where you can link two adult accounts.

If you share Prime with a partner or family member:

If you’re the Prime account holder:

Cancelling affects everyone in your household
Your linked adult will lose Prime benefits too
Talk to them first

If you’re sharing someone else’s Prime:

You can leave the household without affecting their Prime
Go to Account → Amazon Household → Leave Household

This doesn’t cancel Prime for the main account holder. Just removes you from the shared benefits.

Remove Your Payment Method After Cancelling

Once you’ve cancelled Prime, consider whether you still need your card saved on Amazon at all.

If you still buy things on Amazon regularly, keep it. But if you’re stepping back from Amazon entirely:

Remove saved card:

Account → Payment options
Click your saved card
Click “Delete”

Also worth checking if you have any Amazon credit or gift card balance. Use it or make a note of it before you disengage completely.

Verify Your Cancellation

After cancelling, actually check it worked:

Day 1:

Look for cancellation email from Amazon
Check your Account → Manage Prime → Should say “Prime membership cancelled” or “Ends on [date]”

Your old billing date:

Check bank statement
No charge should appear
If it does, contact Amazon immediately

Day after your membership ends:

Try to use free one-day delivery in checkout
You should see standard delivery prices instead
Confirms Prime is actually gone

What If Amazon Keeps Charging You

Shouldn’t happen if you cancelled properly, but if it does:

Immediately:

Log into Amazon
Check Account → Manage Prime (is it showing as cancelled?)
If not showing cancelled, something went wrong – cancel again
Screenshot everything

Contact Amazon:

amazon.co.uk/help → Contact Us → Prime
Chat or phone
Say: “I cancelled on [date] but was charged on [date]. Cancellation confirmation email attached. Please refund.”

Amazon is usually quick to fix billing errors. They know their reputation depends on it.

If Amazon won’t budge:
Contact your bank and dispute the charge. Provide your cancellation email as evidence.

Is Prime Actually Worth £8.99 a Month?

Honest take: it depends entirely on how much you order.

Prime pays for itself if you:

Order from Amazon at least 3-4 times a month
Actually watch Prime Video regularly
Use Prime Music or Photos

Prime is a waste if you:

Order once a month or less
Have Netflix, Disney+, and other streaming already
Forget it exists most months

A lot of people have Prime out of habit from when they ordered more. Worth actually thinking about it.

For the delivery alone: a standard Amazon delivery without Prime is usually £3.99. If you’re ordering 3+ times a month, Prime pays for itself on delivery alone.

But if you’re honest with yourself and you’re placing one order a month? Pay the delivery fee. Cancel Prime. Save £5 a month.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I cancel Prime and keep my Amazon account?

Yes. Cancelling Prime only removes the membership benefits. Your Amazon account, order history, saved addresses, wishlists — all of it stays completely intact. You’re just a regular (non-Prime) Amazon customer.

If I cancel Prime, can I still buy on Amazon?

Absolutely. You just won’t have free delivery on most items. You’ll pay standard delivery charges (usually £3.99 for most items, free on orders over £25).

How long before my renewal should I cancel?

Technically you can cancel right up until your renewal date. But to be safe, cancel 2-3 days before. Amazon’s systems don’t always process instantly, and cutting it too close risks getting charged.

Can I get a refund on an annual Prime membership?

Yes, if you haven’t used the benefits much. During cancellation, choose “End now” to see if Amazon offers a partial refund. If it’s early in your annual period, the refund can be significant. If you’re 10 months into a 12-month plan, the refund will be small.

Does cancelling Prime affect my Alexa devices?

Some Alexa features use Prime Music. Without Prime, you’ll lose the Prime Music integration but Alexa itself continues working normally. Smart home features, alarms, timers — all unaffected.

Can I pause Prime instead of cancelling?

No. Amazon doesn’t offer a pause option. It’s either active or cancelled.

These are separate from Prime. Subscribe & Save discounts are lower without Prime (you get 5% instead of 15% on most items). But the orders themselves continue unless you cancel them separately.

If I cancel now, can I rejoin later?

Yes, anytime. You just lose any introductory offers (like free trials). If you cancelled annual Prime mid-year and got a refund, you can re-subscribe — but you’ll pay full price from day one.

Summary

To cancel Amazon Prime completely:
Account → Manage Prime → End Membership → Choose end now (with refund) or end on renewal date → Confirm

To keep Prime Video only (£5.99/month):
Go to primevideo.com or call 0800 279 7234 and ask to switch to Prime Video only

For a refund:
During cancellation choose “End now” to see partial refund amount, or contact Amazon support via chat after cancellation

Remember:

Download your Amazon Photos before Prime ends (30-day window)
Purchased films/content stays yours regardless
Your Amazon account stays active after cancelling Prime

Cutting back on other subscriptions?

Last Updated: February 2026
Amazon Prime UK pricing confirmed: February 2026

Something changed? Amazon updates their interface regularly. Contact us if steps look different and we’ll update immediately.