Amazon is quietly taking away one of the most valuable perks of its Prime membership: the ability to share benefits with someone outside your household. Beginning October 1, 2025, the Prime Invitee program will officially shut down, cutting off access for people who relied on it to extend fast, free delivery and other perks to family or friends living elsewhere.
I’ve taken advantage of this perk myself. When my daughter graduated from college and moved away, I added her to my Prime account so she could continue to enjoy free shipping and other benefits. Now that Amazon is pulling the plug, she’ll have to pay for her own subscription if she wants to continue with Prime. To say I’m unhappy about losing this benefit would be an understatement.
Even if you shared your Amazon Prime membership with your spouse or another adult residing in your home through the Amazon Invitee program, that person will lose their benefits. You'll need to add them to your Amazon Family (previously Amazon Household), which can consist of another adult and up to four children in the same residence.
If the person you previously shared your Amazon Prime benefits with doesn't live in your home, the company is offering them a steep discount on Amazon Prime. They can sign up for their own Prime membership and pay just $14.99 for 12 months (versus the regular $139.00 for a year) if they act between September 5 and December 31.
I may be cynical, but the timing feels strategic. Amazon chose October 1 as the cutoff date, just before the next Prime Day sale usually kicks off. It’s hard not to see this as a way to boost subscription numbers right before one of Amazon’s biggest shopping events of the year.
[Image credit: screenshot via Techlicious, laptop mockup via Canva]
