Amazon Business customizes the well-known Amazon shopping experience to meet the unique needs of companies. Since its launch in 2015, it has become a preferred marketplace for over five million businesses worldwide. Unlike Amazon Business Prime, which provides enhanced services like expedited shipping, exclusive deals and advanced analytics for a fee, Amazon Business is free to use for organizations looking to streamline their purchasing processes and enhance cost savings.

Should your company sign up for a free Amazon Business account, or invest in Amazon Business Prime? The key features and benefits below can help you decide if the platform is right for you.

What is Amazon Business?

Amazon Business isn’t just about buying office supplies—you can find professional-grade and industry-specific products that you won’t see on the regular Amazon site.

What else sets it apart? For starters, there’s business-only pricing and quantity discounts, so you can save when buying in bulk. Plus, you’ll get free shipping on eligible orders. They’ve also thrown in some business analytics tools to help you keep track of your spending.

If your business is tax-exempt, Amazon’s got you covered with their Tax Exemption Program. And for companies with multiple buyers, you can set up multi-user accounts with custom permissions—perfect for keeping everyone on the same page.

Amazon Business Prime

If you need additional features, consider Amazon Business Prime. This is a paid subscription that offers extra perks like faster shipping, more time to pay, and clearer spending insights. The membership fees vary depending on what you need, but plans start at $69 for a single user.

In short, both Amazon Business and Amazon Business Prime bring the convenience of Amazon shopping to the corporate world, along with some added bells and whistles to make life easier for businesses of all sizes.

Benefits of Amazon Business Accounts

Discover the robust features of Amazon Business, designed to streamline purchasing for organizations of all sizes. With an intuitive platform that leverages machine learning for personalized recommendations, competitive pricing, and flexible payment options, Amazon Business enhances efficiency while driving significant cost savings.

Here are some of the key features you can expect:

  • Intuitive platform: The platform’s intuitive interface leverages machine learning to provide personalized product recommendations. A mobile app extends this functionality, allowing for on-the-go purchase management and approval processes.
  • Products and pricing: One key strength is Amazon Business’ extensive product selection and competitive pricing structure. The platform enables comprehensive product and price comparisons. It also supports diverse and sustainable sourcing options and offers substantial savings through bulk purchases and recurring delivery discounts.
  • Cost savings: Amazon Business allows you to save money through tiered quantity discounts, a Request for Quote feature for high-volume purchases and Subscribe & Save options for frequently ordered items. These features can lead to significant cost reductions across the board.
  • Simplified purchasing: The platform also helps simplify your purchasing workflows. Business Prime users can create multi-user accounts with customizable roles and approval processes. For organizations requiring more advanced analytics, Amazon Business Analytics, exclusively available through Business Prime, provides detailed insights.
  • Integrations: Amazon Business seamlessly connects to over 100 eProcurement systems. This ensures a secure and efficient purchasing experience that aligns with existing procurement protocols.
  • Flexible payment options: Businesses have access to flexible payment options, including shared payment methods and Pay by Invoice. Eligible organizations can also benefit from tax-exempt purchases through the Amazon Tax Exemption Program.

Fees for Amazon Business Accounts

Amazon offers a free Amazon Business account. However, for those seeking more features and benefits, Amazon Business Prime has several membership tiers. These accounts are a tailored membership program that provides fast, free shipping, spend visibility, guided buying and other exclusive tools. There are five different membership plans to suit businesses of all sizes, from solo entrepreneurs to large enterprises.

Duo

The Duo plan is free for existing Amazon Prime members. In other words, if you already have a personal Prime account, you’ll get access to Duo for free. This program is ideal for small businesses or individuals who want to keep their business and personal purchases separate. It includes fast, free Business Delivery, convenient shipping options, free survey and analytics tools. There is also the potential for five percent back or 90-day payment terms on eligible purchases. However, only one user can be on this plan.

Essentials

For small businesses needing access for multiple team members, the Essentials plan at $179/year accommodates up to three users. It includes all Duo benefits plus spend visibility tools and guided buying features. 

Small

The Small plan, priced at $499/year, is for small—to medium-sized businesses with up to 10 users. It adds extended terms with Pay By Invoice and enhanced spend visibility insights.

Medium

Larger businesses can opt for the Medium plan at $1,299/year, supporting up to 100 users and offering increased access to spend visibility tools. 

Enterprise

For large enterprises with extensive purchasing needs, the Enterprise plan at $10,099/year provides unlimited users, top-tier access to all Business Prime benefits, advanced Guided Buying capabilities, and 60-day payment terms.

Advantages of Amazon Business Prime

Across all plans, you can expect certain features: fast, free shipping options, business shipping with features like designated “Amazon Day” deliveries, spend visibility tools, guided buying to ensure compliance and strategic purchasing. There’s also an option for getting either five percent back or 90-day payment terms with the Amazon Business Prime American Express Card, on eligible purchases. 

Who Should Apply for an Amazon Business or Business Prime Account?

Organizations of all sizes can benefit from Amazon Business and Business Prime accounts:

Small Businesses and Startups

Cost savings and efficiency are key for small businesses and start-ups. The platform’s business-only pricing, bulk discounts and tools to streamline purchasing and expense tracking are especially helpful. The platform’s familiar shopping interface makes it easy for small teams to navigate and manage business purchases without a steep learning curve. 

Large Enterprises

For larger companies, Amazon Business offers a scalable solution to centralize procurement and streamline operations. Managing procurement across multiple departments and locations can be complex. Amazon Business simplifies this by providing multi-user accounts, approval workflows and advanced analytics tools. Large enterprises can easily monitor their organization’s spending, track compliance and automate processes, which simplifies handling high-volume purchasing.

Government and Public Sector Organizations

Government entities and public sector organizations often face strict procurement regulations and complex purchasing needs. Amazon Business helps by offering features like Guided Buying, which ensures that employees adhere to purchasing policies and budget guidelines. The platform also provides access to a vast catalog of professional-grade products and offers transparency that helps with compliance and reporting.

Nonprofits

For nonprofits operating on limited budgets, every dollar counts. An Amazon Business account helps maximize resources by offering business-only discounts, competitive pricing and simplified purchasing processes. The platform enables organizations to set up tailored lists of essential business items, making it easier to make informed decisions and streamline their procurement.

Amazon Business Can Empower eCommerce Growth

When it comes to eCommerce, Amazon is king. Anyone who enjoys the platform’s personal shopping options will find their business accounts helpful. Depending on your needs, a free account may suffice—but organizations with specialized needs or multiple users will require a paid Business Prime account. Whichever account level you choose, Amazon’s Business and Business Prime offerings are a great way for your company to save money and time, while accessing helpful features and perks.