I really wish people would refrain from using the word 'free' in these circumstances. Articles aren't 'free' if you're a prime member. Prime isn't 'free' if you're a print subscriber. Those are the exact things you're paying for. It would be like saying McDonald's will give you a cheeseburger free after you give them $1. You see it all the time. If you pay for a specific thing, and you get several other things, then those things are available at no additional cost. They aren't free. Please, advertisers, stop using this language. It's not just incorrect; it's insulting.
But, not really. By buying prime you're paying for a magazine to show up in your mailbox on occasion. The online thing isn't free per se if you want to amortize the dollars out but it's a bonus. It is not, in fact, the exact product a prime buyer is purchasing. Still yeah I mean nothing is free.Prime isn't 'free' if you're a print subscriber. Those are the exact things you're paying for.