Amazon business account: free, and genuinely useful
An Amazon business account, properly called Amazon Business, is free to register and is a buying account, not a selling one. It gives a UK business three things the consumer site does not: downloadable VAT invoices on purchases, business-only pricing and quantity discounts, and Pay By Invoice trade credit with up to 30 days to pay. If your business buys anything from Amazon, from printer ink to warehouse shelving, there is no good reason to keep buying it on a personal account.
What the free account actually gets you
- VAT invoices without the scavenger hunt. Business sellers on Amazon list VAT-exclusive prices and provide proper VAT invoices, downloadable in bulk through Amazon Business Analytics. Your bookkeeper stops chasing screenshots.
- Business pricing and quantity discounts. A separate price tier on millions of items, plus volume discounts when you buy multiples. Not dramatic on everything, real on consumables.
- Pay By Invoice. Buy now, settle the invoice up to 30 days after shipment, at no charge. Effectively free short-term trade credit once Amazon grants it.
- Multi-user buying. Add team members with roles and approval flows, so purchasing stops happening on the director's personal login.
- VAT number on file. Add or update your VAT registration in account settings; it applies across the account's purchasing.
Business Prime: the £80 question
Business Prime is the optional paid layer, from £80 a year excluding VAT for the smallest tier. It buys faster delivery on eligible items, consolidated Amazon Day deliveries and richer spend analytics. The arithmetic is the same as personal Prime: if the business orders from Amazon most weeks, delivery savings alone usually cover it; if you order monthly, skip it and keep the free account.
What it is not
Amazon Business is not a bank account, does not hold money and has nothing to do with selling on Amazon, which runs through a separate Seller Central account with its own fees. It also does not replace the boring foundation: purchases still need to come out of a proper business bank account if you want clean books and a quiet Self Assessment. Registration takes minutes at amazon.co.uk/business with your business details, and sole traders qualify just as limited companies do.
Questions people actually ask
Is an Amazon business account free?
Yes. Registering for Amazon Business costs nothing and there is no monthly fee. Business Prime, the optional upgrade for faster delivery and analytics, starts at £80 a year excluding VAT.
What is the difference between Amazon Business and Amazon Prime?
Amazon Business is a free buying account for organisations, with VAT invoices, business pricing and multi-user controls. Prime is a personal delivery subscription. Business Prime is the business version of Prime, priced from £80 a year excluding VAT, and requires an Amazon Business account first.
Can a sole trader open an Amazon Business account?
Yes. Any business form qualifies: sole traders, limited companies, partnerships, charities and public bodies. You verify the business during registration and can add your VAT number to the account at any time.
Is an Amazon Business account for selling on Amazon?
No. Amazon Business is for buying. Selling on Amazon happens through a separate Seller Central account with its own fee structure. Plenty of businesses hold both, but they are different registrations.
What is Pay By Invoice?
Amazon's trade-credit option for Business customers: order now, pay the invoice up to 30 days after shipment, free of charge. Eligibility is assessed by Amazon and appears in your payment options once granted.
Figures checked 4 July 2026; confirm details with the provider before applying. We may earn a commission through links on this page.