Amazon has made it more expensive to subscribe to Prime month-to-month

Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos. (credit: Steve Jurvetson)

Amazon on Friday announced that it has raised the price of its Prime membership program for those who subscribe on a month-to-month basis.

The plan previously cost $10.99 a month, but it will now cost $12.99 a month. That means the price of subscribing to the monthly Prime plan for a full year has jumped 18 percent, from $131.88 to $155.88. Those who currently subscribe to the monthly plan will see the price hike take effect on their first payment after February 18.

The e-commerce giant said it has also raised the rate of its cheaper Prime plan for students from $5.49 a month to $6.49 a month. The Prime Student plan launched this past October.