Amazon is pulling back on one of its best perks, and people have thoughts. Beginning October 1, the retailer will officially shut down the Prime Invitee Program, the option that let members extend free two-day shipping to someone who didn’t live with them.
Members recently received a notice explaining the change: “The Prime Invitee Program, which allowed sharing Prime’s fast, free delivery with others, will end on October 1, 2025. Your invited guests will be notified directly about this change by September 5, 2025.”
From here on out, sharing is limited to Amazon Family. That setup only works if everyone has the same home address, allowing one other adult, up to four teens, and four children to link to the account. Adults also need to share payment methods to prove they live together.
The shift comes just after Reuters reported that U.S. Prime signups before this year’s extended four-day Prime Day didn’t hit last year’s numbers, or even Amazon’s internal targets.
Despite that, the company insists momentum is strong. “Prime membership continues to show strong growth and customer engagement in the U.S. and internationally,” a spokesperson said, noting “record-breaking sign-ups worldwide” during Prime Day and the weeks leading up to it.
For anyone who’s been using a roommate workaround or gifting Prime to friends at another address, the free ride ends this fall.
It’s a move that feels familiar. Netflix pulled the same card last year when it cracked down on password sharing. Like Netflix, the company is betting people will cave and sign up for their own accounts rather than lose access.
The public reacts
As expected, the public has thoughts, especially considering the sheer worth of Amazon. The company is $2.41 trillion as of September, so the idea that they need more money is a little hard to grasp. "Well, I'm sure money is getting tight for them, so..." one person joked on X, formerly known as Twitter.
People took to X to say they're going to Temu, with others suggesting a boycott. "Cool, so I'll be canceling my Prime," "greedy bastards," and "This makes it easier not to shop through Amazon. Thanks, Bezos, for a terrific cost-cutting measure. Onto Temu," are among some of the other Tweets.