If you get SNAP, your EBT card can do a lot more than pay for groceries. The discounts you can get with SNAP benefits include half-price Amazon Prime and Walmart+ memberships, a monthly phone or internet subsidy, free or $5 museum admission for you and up to three guests, dollar-for-dollar matches on fresh produce at farmers markets, online grocery ordering, and a faster path into home energy assistance. Some of these are federal programs with fixed subsidy amounts; others are voluntary offers from private companies that accept your EBT card as proof of eligibility.
Half-Price Prime and Walmart+ Memberships
Amazon Prime Access charges SNAP participants $6.99 per month instead of the regular $14.99.1Amazon. Everything You Need to Know About Prime Access, One of Amazon’s Discounted Prime Memberships You sign up on Amazon’s Prime Access page by uploading an image of your EBT card or a SNAP participation letter and entering your cardholder name, card number, and state of issuance. Some verifications take up to seven business days, but Amazon lets you use Prime benefits during that window, and new members get a free 30-day trial.2Amazon. Sign Up for Prime Access
Walmart+ Assist runs the same 50% discount, bringing the membership to $6.47 per month or $49 per year.3Walmart. Walmart+ Assist Membership You verify through a third-party service by submitting a SNAP award letter and matching government-issued ID. Approval lasts a year before you have to re-verify. Both discounted memberships include the same benefits as the full-price versions.
Monthly Phone and Internet Discount Through Lifeline
Lifeline is the federal subsidy that knocks $9.25 off your monthly phone or internet bill when you participate in SNAP.4FCC. Lifeline Support for Affordable Communications That amount is set by federal regulation and applies nationwide. Households on Tribal lands can qualify for up to $34.25 per month.5GovInfo. 47 CFR 54.403 – Lifeline Support Amount
You apply through the National Verifier, the eligibility system run by the Universal Service Administrative Company.6USAC. National Verifier It checks automated databases first. If those don’t confirm your SNAP participation, you upload a document like your award letter for manual review. Once approved, you take the confirmation to a participating phone or internet provider to activate the discount on your account.
One thing to know if you come across older guidance: the Affordable Connectivity Program, which offered a separate $30 monthly broadband subsidy, ended on June 1, 2024.7FCC. Affordable Connectivity Program Lifeline is the active federal subsidy now.
Provider Low-Cost Internet Plans
Some providers layer their own low-income plans on top of Lifeline. Comcast’s Internet Essentials offers 75 Mbps for $14.95 per month to qualifying households, typically with a free modem and no credit check.8Xfinity. Apply for Internet Essentials or Internet Essentials Plus from Xfinity Eligibility criteria vary, so check with your provider to confirm SNAP participation qualifies you.
Free or $5 Museum Admission
Museums for All gives EBT cardholders free or reduced admission (up to $5.00 per person) at more than 1,600 participating institutions, including science centers, children’s museums, botanical gardens, art museums, and zoos.9Museums for All. Museums for All The discount covers the cardholder plus up to three additional guests, so a family of four can visit for well under standard admission.10Museums for All. Museum FAQs
Bring your physical EBT card and a photo ID to the ticket counter. Most participating venues handle this in person rather than through their online booking systems. The Museums for All site has a locator tool for finding nearby participants.
Double Your Produce Dollars at Farmers Markets
Double Up Food Bucks is the most widespread matching program at farmers markets and select grocery stores. For every SNAP dollar you spend on fresh fruits and vegetables, the program matches it with an equal amount in tokens, vouchers, or store credit, usually capped at $20 per day.11Double Up Food Bucks. Frequently Asked Questions The matching funds can only be spent on more produce, not on meat, bread, or processed items.
How you collect the match depends on the venue. At farmers markets, you usually stop by a central information booth, tell them how much SNAP you want to spend, and get physical tokens to use at individual vendor stalls. At participating grocery stores, the credit often applies automatically at checkout. The Double Up Food Bucks site has a directory of participating markets and stores.
Ordering Groceries Online With EBT
You can use SNAP benefits for online grocery orders at participating retailers, which helps if you don’t have reliable transportation or live in a food desert. The USDA’s online purchasing program has expanded since 2017 and now includes Amazon, Walmart, and several regional chains across most states.12USDA Food and Nutrition Service. Stores Accepting SNAP Online
At checkout, you enter your EBT card number and PIN in a secure payment portal. Only SNAP-eligible food items can be paid for with your benefits. Delivery fees, service charges, and tips have to come from another payment method. The USDA site maps which retailers accept SNAP online in each state.
Easier Qualification for Home Energy Assistance
SNAP participation can shortcut your way into the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which helps cover heating and cooling costs. Federal law lets states treat SNAP households as categorically eligible for LIHEAP, skipping the separate income verification.13LIHEAP Clearinghouse. LIHEAP Categorical Eligibility – States and Territories Many states use this option, though not all. Where it applies, you submit your SNAP award letter and a recent utility bill to your local LIHEAP agency and the eligibility review is essentially automatic.
LIHEAP is run through state block grants, so assistance amounts and application windows vary. Some states only take applications during winter; others accept them year-round. Your local community action agency or state energy assistance office can tell you whether categorical eligibility applies and when the application period is open.
Keeping Your EBT Information Safe
Signing up for these discounts often means uploading a picture of your card or your SNAP paperwork to a third party. When you do, cover up your case number and anything not specifically requested. If a signup link routes you off the retailer’s official site to an unfamiliar domain, stop and verify before entering card details.
Using your EBT card as proof of eligibility for the programs above is fully within the rules. Misrepresenting your eligibility or misusing SNAP benefits is not, and it can lead to disqualification, criminal charges, and prison time.14USDA Food and Nutrition Service. SNAP Fraud Prevention If you think your card information has been compromised during a verification process, call your state’s EBT customer service line and request a replacement.