For years, Amazon Prime members have enjoyed a hidden gem of the subscription: the ability to share free shipping with friends and family living outside their homes. That quiet but powerful perk is now on the chopping block.
Soon, members will no longer be able to extend the benefit to others. The change raises big questions.
Why is Amazon pulling the plug? When does it kick in? And what can subscribers do to adapt?
Prime Invitee Program Ends October 2025
The free shipping sharing feature, known as the Prime Invitee Program, lets members share Prime's fast and free two-day delivery with one other adult outside their household.
Amazon has confirmed the program will officially end on 1 October 2025, as first reported by CNBC.
'We are writing to inform you that the Prime Invitee Program, which allowed sharing Prime's fast, free delivery with others, will end on October 1, 2025,' Amazon told consumers in notices.
Invitees—the people receiving shared benefits—will get their notifications by 5 September 2025. After that date, they must purchase their own Prime membership to keep enjoying free shipping.
Why Amazon is Making the Change
Amazon is restructuring how Prime benefits are shared. Internal documents revealed that sign-ups ahead of Prime Day 2025 fell short of previous years and company targets. The tech giant is now focusing Prime benefits on people living in the same home, rather than across multiple addresses.
This shift means the end of the Invitee Program and more promotion of the Amazon Family plan, which supports benefit sharing among household members only.
While Amazon emphasised ongoing global growth in Prime memberships, it said a streamlined model tied to residential addresses offers more security and easier account management.
What Amazon Recommends
For members who previously shared perks with friends, Amazon suggests switching to the Amazon Family plan. This option allows two adults plus children and teens in the same home to share Prime benefits, including fast shipping, Prime Video (with ads), and Prime Reading.
Invitees can ask the main Prime member to add them to an Amazon Family account. Otherwise, they will need to sign up for their own subscription.
The Family plan requires all adults to share a primary address and payment methods for verification, and members may only be removed from the plan once per year.
Amazon Family Explained
Amazon Family essentially extends Prime to households. It allows two adults at the same address to share shipping and digital perks, while maintaining separate Amazon accounts.
Families can add up to four children and four teens (added before April 7, 2025).
By eliminating external free shipping sharing, Amazon is pushing users to consolidate benefits within households. The change reflects the company's strategy to tighten account controls while still offering a family-friendly way to share perks.
