Amazon is discontinuing a feature that many Prime members have quietly leaned on for years. Beginning October 1, 2025, the Prime Invitee program will come to an end. For those who have been sharing free shipping benefits with friends or relatives living outside their household, the change will likely feel like a loss.
Instead, Amazon is introducing a new setup called Amazon Family. This replacement focuses on sharing benefits within a single household. The company says the new system offers a more complete package of perks, but only for people who live at the same primary address. That detail has already stirred plenty of reactions from longtime members who had used Invitee as a flexible workaround for years.
Key Takeaways
The Prime Invitee program officially ends October 1, 2025.
It allowed members to share free shipping with one non-household user.
Amazon Family will replace it.
The new program requires all users to share the same primary address.
Amazon Family expands benefits beyond shipping to include Prime Video, exclusive deals, and more.
New Rules for Sharing Prime Benefits
The old Invitee program was simple. A Prime member could extend free two-day shipping to one other person, even if that person lived elsewhere. For college students or families spread across different cities, it was a practical option and, in many cases, a money saver.
Amazon Family changes that formula. Under the new rules, the account holder and the added adult must live at the same address. The program allows one other adult, up to four teenagers if they were added before April 7, 2025, and up to four children. The shift clearly places the emphasis on traditional family households rather than wider networks of friends.
An Amazon spokesperson described the decision as a way to offer a more complete service. Still, the company is openly encouraging those left out by the change to purchase their own Prime subscriptions. To ease the transition, Amazon is offering a temporary one-year discounted rate for affected users.
More Benefits, Tighter Rules
While Invitee only passed along the free shipping perk, Amazon Family broadens what can be shared. Members in the same household will have access to Prime Video, certain digital content, and exclusive deals in addition to shipping. It is, in many ways, an upgrade, though only for those who meet the residency requirement.
The shift comes as Amazon continues to expand its delivery network, especially into rural areas, and reports steady growth in Prime memberships. Ending the Invitee program looks like a deliberate step to encourage more individual sign-ups and to bring Prime sharing in line with households rather than separate users.
For many, the change will mark the end of a convenient workaround. For Amazon, it represents a tightening of benefits in exchange for a wider, but more restricted, set of features.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What is the Amazon Prime Invitee program?
A: It was a program that allowed an Amazon Prime member to share their free two-day shipping benefit with one other adult, even if that person lived at a different address. This feature will end on October 1, 2025.
Q2: What is replacing the Prime Invitee program?
A: The program is being replaced by Amazon Family, which requires the primary account holder and the other adult to share the same household address to share Prime benefits.
Q3: Can I still share my Prime Video with a friend who lives somewhere else?
A: No. With the new Amazon Family program, all shared benefits, including Prime Video, are limited to people who live at the same primary residence as the account holder.
Q4: Will Amazon offer a discount to people who lose their shared account access?
A: Yes, Amazon is offering a discounted one-year Prime membership for those who were part of the old sharing program. This offer is valid until December 31, 2025.
