The e‑commerce giants Amazon and Flipkart aggressively compete with premium subscription plans that promise exclusive benefits. Flipkart’s latest launch, Flipkart Black, puts it neck‑and‑neck with Amazon Prime. Since both plans cost very similar amounts, the controversy over which one to choose is long‑standing.
**How Much Does It Cost?**
Amazon’s comprehensive offering:
– Monthly Plan: ₹299
– Three‑month Plan: ₹599
– Annual Plan: ₹1,499
– Prime Light Plan: ₹799 for twelve months (no certain perks)
– Value‑only 12‑month plan: ₹399 for shoppers focussed on discounts.
Flipkart Black offers a single annual plan at ₹1,499 but at launch it is sold for ₹990 as an introductory discount.
**Delivery, Deals, and Reward Cash‑Back**
Amazon Prime excels in fast delivery, offering one‑day and same‑day delivery for thousands of products. Members also receive early sale access, exclusive lightning deals, and Prime Day discounted prices.
Flipkart Black shifts focus to financial incentives: a 5% SuperCoin cash‑back on every shopping transaction across Flipkart and Flipkart Minutes, with a monthly ceiling of 800 SuperCoins. SuperCoins are transformed into instant purchase discounts.
Other Flipkart member perks include exclusive “Black Deals” on premium electronic items, extra banking offers during sales, and an early‑sale advantage similar to Amazon’s.
A remarkable feature unique to Flipkart Black: a ₹1 flight cancellation or rescheduling fee for bookings made via Cleartrip or Flipkart Travel. This travel convenience is not offered with Amazon Prime.
**Entertainment Libraries**
Flipkart Black packages a one‑year YouTube Premium subscription (market valuation ₹1,490), granting ad‑free video streaming, downloadable offline viewing, background playback, and complimentary YouTube Music.
With Amazon Prime, members enjoy Prime Video with Indian and international films and series, Prime Music, Prime Reading for e‑books and periodicals, as well as Prime Gaming—gifts that include in‑game rewards and free titles.
In short, the better plan depends on whether a customer prioritises rapid delivery, a broad entertainment selection, and early sale access (Amazon Prime), or favour cashback, travel perks, and a bundled YouTube Premium (Flipkart Black).
