'About Time!': Netizens Cheer Amazon As Prime Invitee Sharing Is Axed After 16 Years On October 1

Amazon will end its Prime Invitee programme on 1 October 2025, shutting down a feature that let subscribers share free shipping with people outside their household.

The move brings an end to a 16-year perk and signals a pivot towards stricter household-based membership rules under Amazon Family.

The Prime Invitee programme, launched in 2009, enabled subscribers to extend their free two-day shipping benefit to one other adult, regardless of where they lived.

While the feature was quietly closed to new sign-ups in 2015, existing invitees continued to enjoy the perk until now. Amazon confirmed that all remaining invitee accounts will lose access next month.

Amazon Family to Replace Invitee Model

In place of the Invitee programme, Amazon is rolling out a stricter household-based structure under the Amazon Family umbrella. Under this new model, Prime benefits can only be shared with individuals residing at the same primary address. This includes one additional adult, up to four teens (added before 7 April 2025), and up to four child profiles.

The company says the change is designed to 'ensure shared benefits remain confined to a single household,' and will require verification of shared payment methods and billing addresses.

Amazon is offering a discounted one-year Prime membership for $14.99 to affected invitees who wish to transition to individual accounts. This promotional rate is available until 31 December 2025, after which standard pricing of $14.99/month or $139/year will apply.

Online Reaction: 'About Time!'

The announcement has triggered a flurry of responses across social media platforms. While some long-time users expressed frustration at losing a beloved perk, others welcomed the change, arguing that the Invitee programme had long been exploited.

One subscriber to The Wall Street Journal wrote: 'I'm happy with Amazon's decision. I have operated with the philosophy in Mark Manson's mega-bestselling book 'The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F...' way before the book ever came out. Put another way, 'Nothing really matters — and so what if it did!'

Others took a more critical stance. One user questioned the fairness of the change, saying:

'So those of us who have been Prime members for years, and never attached any other family members or friends to the account, end up paying the most of any Prime members over time? How about giving us Prime for a year at $14.99 to thank us for our profitable loyalty?'

Another added: 'So many retailers offer free shipping, I fail to see the point of Prime. Walmart hosts several vendors online, mostly with free shipping. Same with Home Depot, Wayfair, the list goes on. The programming by itself isn't worth the subscription.'

The shift reflects a broader industry trend, as major companies including Netflix, Disney+, and Costco have also begun tightening policies around account and benefit sharing. For Amazon, the move signals a push toward reinforcing household-based membership models and curbing long-standing loopholes.

Why Now?

Amazon's decision comes amid a reported slowdown in Prime sign-ups during its July promotional period. Despite record sales during its four-day Prime Day event, the company fell short of its internal membership targets, prompting speculation that the Invitee model may have been cannibalising full-price subscriptions.

A spokesperson for Amazon told CBS News, 'The Invitee program, which enabled sharing of the Prime shipping benefit only, is being phased out, and Prime members can instead share a broad range of Prime benefits with Amazon Family.'

These benefits include:

• Free two-day delivery
• Prime Video and Amazon Music
• Prime Reading and Kindle content
• Grubhub+ membership
• Fuel discounts at BP, AMCO, and participating AMPM locations

What It Means for UK Users

While the Invitee programme was primarily a US-based feature, many UK users with American accounts or family members abroad have been affected. The change also signals Amazon's broader intent to tighten benefit access globally, with similar household-sharing restrictions already in place for UK Prime accounts.

UK subscribers are advised to check their account settings and ensure that any shared benefits comply with Amazon's updated household policy. Gift orders and deliveries to different addresses remain unaffected.