Amazon Prime Day vs. Black Friday: When Are the Deals Better?

The difference between Prime Day and Black Friday isn’t exactly a mystery to anyone who’s done some online shopping.

We all know Black Friday is the annual shopping frenzy that kicks off around Thanksgiving, where just about every store offers massive discounts ahead of the holidays.

On the other hand, Prime Day is Amazon’s own creation—an event designed specifically for Prime members.

Now, unlike Black Friday and Cyber Monday (which have become almost indistinguishable due to how close they are on the calendar and the fact that both heavily focus on online deals), Prime Day and Black Friday still have some clear distinctions.

But let’s cut to the chase. Most people don’t really care about the history of these shopping holidays.

What they really want to know is: Which has the better deals—Prime Day or Black Friday?

• Also Read: 20 Black Friday Marketing Strategies

Does Amazon have better deals on Prime Day or Black Friday?

Amazon hypes Prime Day like it’s the Olympics of online shopping. With two days in July and now two more in October, it feels like the company throws everything it has into these events.

So, naturally, you’d think Amazon wouldn’t have the bandwidth to offer the same killer deals just a month later for Black Friday, right?

Surprisingly, Amazon’s pricing history suggests otherwise. According to price trackers like Camelcamelcamel, Amazon often goes just as hard for Black Friday as it does for Prime Day.

In fact, you’ll likely see the lowest prices of the year for popular items during three key times: Prime Day in July, Black Friday in November, and Amazon’s mid-October Prime Big Deal Days (basically another Prime Day).

Another thing to keep in mind: Black Friday deals are often more accessible. You don’t need to be a Prime member to access most Black Friday discounts, whereas Prime Day deals are locked behind a membership paywall.

It’s a similar story with Walmart’s Black Friday sales compared to their Walmart+ events. While having a Walmart+ membership can still give you perks like early access, Black Friday deals are open to everyone.

What’s on sale during Prime Day vs. Black Friday?

In terms of what actually goes on sale, there’s a lot of overlap between the two events. You’ll see similar deals on things like robot vacuums, headphones, Apple products, laptops, and kitchen gadgets.

So, if you spot a great deal during Prime Day on something you’ve been eyeing, there’s no need to wait until Black Friday hoping for a better price—it’s probably going to be about the same.

• Also Read: 12 Best Nordstrom Early Black Friday Deals to Kick Off Fall

When is Black Friday better than Prime Day?

That said, there are a few categories where Black Friday takes the win. For instance, TV deals. Aside from Amazon’s own Fire TVs, they don’t really push TV discounts throughout the year.

Best Buy, on the other hand, goes all out for Black Friday, especially with high-end, big-screen options. While Best Buy competes with Amazon during Prime Day, their big TV sales are definitely saved for Black Friday.

Another area where Black Friday shines? Toys. In true holiday spirit, toy deals really ramp up for Black Friday.

Plus, if you’re looking to score a deal on a streaming service subscription (think Hulu or Peacock), you’re more likely to see discounts on Black Friday than Prime Day.