Want to get Amazon Prime? A major feature is changing in October — and the new rules may surprise you

Amazon has confirmed that it will discontinue its long-running Prime Invitee Programme from October 1, 2025. The feature previously allowed Prime members to share free two-day shipping benefits with another adult, even if they lived at a different address.

The move marks a significant change in how users can share Prime benefits. Notices about the change have already been sent to account holders, and invited guests will be notified soon.

New System: Amazon Family

In place of the Invitee Programme, Amazon is introducing Amazon Family, a new sharing model that requires all members to live in the same household.

According to the company’s help page, Amazon Family will allow one Prime member to share their benefits with:

However, all members must reside at the same physical address as the primary account holder.

Amazon confirmed the change to CNBC, stating that this new structure aligns better with their service goals and is now the only way to share Prime benefits.

What This Means for Users

From October, users who previously benefited from shared Prime memberships across different addresses will no longer have access unless they purchase their own Prime plan.

Amazon has clarified that while Family members can leave and rejoin, anyone leaving a household must wait 12 months before joining another.

To manage Amazon Family settings, members can:

1. Go to Prime Membership settings

2. Open the Share Prime Benefits section

3. Add adults through invitation or joint sign-in (for verification)

4. Add children by selecting Add Child

Despite this structural shift, Amazon maintains that Prime membership is growing strongly.

An Amazon spokesperson said, “Prime continues to see strong growth and customer engagement in the US and internationally.”

They also noted that Prime Day 2025 and the surrounding weeks brought record-breaking sign-ups across the globe.