Is Amazon Prime worth it for someone who only orders during sales?

Usually no. Amazon Prime (which costs $139 per year or $14.99 per month in the US) is rarely worth keeping year-round if you only shop during major sales events.

For a sales-only shopper, a more strategic approach is to:

• Pay for a single month ($14.99): Activate a monthly subscription during major events like Prime Day (typically July) or the holiday shopping season, then cancel immediately. This gives you full access to Prime-exclusive deals and fast shipping for that specific window at a fraction of the annual cost.
• Utilize free trials: Amazon frequently offers 30-day free Prime trials to accounts that have not had an active membership for a while.
• Group your orders: For non-Prime members, Amazon offers free standard shipping on orders that meet a minimum threshold (typically $35 for eligible items). If you can wait to bundle your purchases during sales, you do not need Prime at all.

Keeping an annual membership is only worth it if the exclusive discounts you receive during those sales net you more than $139 in direct savings, or if you regularly use other included benefits like Prime Video, Amazon Music, or RxPass.