Amazon Prime, Walmart+, and Target Circle 360 keep competing for the same slice of your wallet. All three bundle free shipping with a growing list of perks, the prices are close, and each one wants to lock in your household. The official numbers we pulled (current as of mid-2026): Target Circle 360 is $99/yr ($49 with the Target Circle card), Walmart+ is $98/yr (or $12.95/mo), and Amazon Prime is $139/yr (or $14.99/mo).
But those prices are the only part that’s actually similar. The value differs sharply by household type, and the whole point of this article is to give you the math so you don’t pay for perks you’ll never use.
TL;DR: there is no universal winner. Walmart+ wins if you grocery-shop online, drive a lot, or fill prescriptions at Walmart. Amazon Prime wins if you watch streaming, buy a wide variety of things online, or care about fast shipping on misc items. Target Circle 360 wins if you live near a Target and use Drive Up regularly. For many middle-income households the right answer is Walmart+ and Prime together; for a disciplined single household, just Prime.
The Three Memberships at a Glance
| Membership | Price | Free Shipping | Same-Day Delivery | Standout Perk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Prime | $139/yr or $14.99/mo ($69/yr or $7.49/mo for students, ~4 years) | Free 1–2 day on the widest catalog | Yes, on millions of items; Fresh needs a $100 minimum | Prime Video + Music + Gaming + Grubhub+, unlimited photo storage |
| Walmart+ | $98/yr or $12.95/mo | Free, no minimum order | Yes, orders $35+ | 10–15¢/gal fuel discount at 13,000+ stations, Paramount+ |
| Target Circle 360 | $99/yr or $10.99/mo ($49/yr with Target Circle card) | Free 2-day | Yes, orders $35+ via Shipt | Drive Up, 1% back, extended 120-day returns |
Pricing as of August 2026. Walmart+ prices can exclude state sales tax; Amazon charges $2.99/mo to remove ads from Prime Video. Walmart+ and Prime typically run 30-day free trials; Target runs periodic launch pricing.
Amazon Prime — The Broadest Pack
What you get: free 1–2 day shipping on the widest catalog of the three, Prime Video, Amazon Music, Prime Gaming, Prime Reading, exclusive member-only deals, unlimited photo storage, Whole Foods Market discounts, and a free year of Grubhub+. Because Prime catalogs everything, it wins on shipping coverage and on non-grocery, high-frequency misc purchases.
The value math: Prime Video alone is effectively a $10+/mo streaming service bundled in — the strongest streaming value of the three by a wide margin. For a household that already streams, Prime Video largely pays for the membership before you count shipping. Amazon’s own data and independent analyses consistently show members spend more, which is the trap: the membership is great value if you use Amazon anyway, and it nudges you to consolidate spend there.
The catch: Amazon’s grocery delivery (Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods) is pricier than Walmart’s, with a $100 same-day minimum on Fresh in many areas. And it has no fuel discount at all. If you don’t stream and don’t shop Amazon heavily, $139 is a lot for shipping alone.
Walmart+ — The Grocery, Gas & Prescription Play
What you get: free shipping with no order minimum, free same-day delivery on orders $35+, a 10–15¢/gal fuel discount at 13,000+ stations (including Exxon, Mobil, Walmart, Murphy, Sam’s), Mobile Scan & Go, free returns from home, prescription discounts at Walmart Pharmacy, Walmart Cash rewards, and Paramount+ included.
The value math: this is the most groceries-specific membership. Free same-day grocery delivery from Walmart’s massive grocery network is the clear winner on grocery economics. Two fill-ups a week at 10¢/gal savings is roughly $80–$150/yr in fuel alone for a moderate driver — approaching the whole $98 fee. If you order groceries online weekly, the delivery-fee savings alone are worth $300–$600/yr.
The catch: the non-grocery catalog is narrower than Amazon’s, and Paramount+ Essential is a smaller, ad-supported library versus Prime Video. If you don’t grocery-shop online and don’t drive much, you lose the two biggest levers and the subscription loses most of its appeal.
Target Circle 360 — The Drive Up & Shipt Advantage
What you get: free 2-day shipping, unlimited same-day delivery on orders $35+ via the Shipt network, Drive Up (the best curbside pickup in U.S. retail — order in-app, drive up, pop your trunk), 1% Target Circle earnings on every purchase, member-only deals, and an extended 120-day return window. Cardholders get the annual fee down to $49.
The value math: for a Target-heavy household, Circle 360 turns a store run into a same-day delivered order. The $49 cardholder rate makes it the cheapest of the three, and Target’s curated catalog is effective for home, beauty, apparel, pantry staples, and seasonal items.
The catch: Target’s catalog is the smallest of the three, and there is no native streaming service (Apple trial bundles are short-term), and no fuel discount. Circle 360 is best treated as a complement to a big-box membership, not a full replacement. If you don’t live near a Target or don’t use Drive Up, the $99 mostly buys shipping you may already get free.
The Multi-Membership Question
For some households, carrying both Walmart+ and Amazon Prime at $237/yr combined is genuinely worth it. Here’s the math:
- Walmart+ grocery-delivery savings, weekly shopper: $300–$600/yr
- Walmart+ fuel savings, moderate driver: $80–$150/yr
- Walmart+ Paramount+ value: ~$80/yr
- Amazon Prime Video value: ~$120+/yr
- Amazon Prime free shipping on misc purchases: $100+/yr
That is $680–$950/yr of realized value for $237/yr in fees — a clear positive ROI, if you actually use the grocery and streaming channels. But for a household that doesn’t grocery-shop at Walmart, the math collapses. Only buy memberships you’ll use.
Quick Decision Guide
| If you… | Best pick |
|---|---|
| Strong Amazon orderer + streamer, light grocery delivery | Amazon Prime only |
| Grocery-delivery household with drivers | Walmart+ + Amazon Prime ($237/yr) |
| Live near a Target, shop there for everything | Target Circle 360 (add Prime for video) |
| Budget / fixed income, limited online shopping | One membership — usually Walmart+ (grocery + Rx) |
| Student — already eligible for Prime Student | Amazon Prime Student, 50% off for ~4 years |
How to Decide in Three Steps (and Stop Overpaying)
- Run the free trials first. Walmart+ and Prime typically offer 30-day free trials. Use the membership actively for the full 30 days and track what value you actually got.
- Audit your last 90 days. Where does your money actually go — Amazon, Walmart, or Target? That store wins the primary membership.
- Re-evaluate annually. Memberships you’ve held for years often outlive their original value. Ask: did I actually use it, did I get back $X, did pricing change? Most households surface 1–2 subscriptions to drop and 0–1 to add, saving $50–$200/yr just by being deliberate.
The Verdict
None of these memberships are “scams” — they are legitimate, well-reviewed, established programs, and we don’t want to imply otherwise. The risk is not whether they’re real, but whether you’re paying for overlap. Carrying all three means $336+/yr for perks that overlap: fast shipping, curated grocery delivery, and a streaming service you may already subscribe to separately.
RatingFacts recommendation: pick one primary membership that matches where you actually shop, keep a second only if you deliberately use two channels (most people: Walmart+ for groceries/gas + Prime for everything else), and skip the third. Match the membership to your household, not to the marketing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Walmart+ cheaper than Amazon Prime?
Yes — Walmart+ is $98/yr versus Prime’s $139/yr. But the cheaper fee only matters if you use the perks. Prime bundles streaming, which can be worth more than the $41 gap to a household that streams. Walmart+ is cheaper in cash but is grocery-and-gas focused.
What is Target Circle 360 and is it worth it?
It’s Target’s membership ($99/yr, or $49 with the Target card) that adds unlimited same-day delivery via Shipt plus Drive Up and an extended 120-day return window. It’s worth it if Target is your primary store; otherwise the fee mostly buys shipping you may already get free.
Can I have Amazon Prime and Walmart+ at the same time?
Yes, and many households do. For a family that grocery-delivers from Walmart and orders everything else from Amazon, $237/yr combined yields $680–$950/yr of value. But only if you actually use both channels.
Which membership has the best streaming?
Amazon Prime. Prime Video is the strongest streaming bundle of the three. Walmart+ includes Paramount+ Essential (ad-supported, smaller library); Target Circle 360 has no native streaming service.
Do these memberships have gas discounts?
Only Walmart+. Members save 10–15¢/gal at 13,000+ stations including Exxon, Mobil, Walmart, and Murphy. For a high-mileage driver this alone can be worth $80–$150/yr.
