Amazon Cuts Legacy Users Off from Free-Shipping Perk

Amazon Cuts Legacy Users Off from Free-Shipping Perk

Effective October 1, 2025, Amazon will discontinue the long‐standing Prime Invitee program, meaning legacy users who received free two-day shipping without a full Prime subscription will no longer be eligible. This move significantly reshapes how Prime benefits are shared.

What’s Changing?

Goodbye, Prime Invitee

• The Prime Invitee program, launched around 2009 and decommissioned for new users in 2015, allowed Prime members to share their free-shipping perk with up to four other adults, regardless of where they lived. That exception has now persisted for “legacy” users but is set to expire.The Wall Street JournalThe Verge

• Starting October 1, users who still enjoy Prime shipping via this program will lose access unless they sign up themselves.The Wall Street JournalInvestopediaCNBC

New Structure: Amazon Family

• In place of the Invitee program, Amazon is consolidating benefit sharing under Amazon Family (formerly known as Amazon Household).

• With Amazon Family, Prime members can share benefits only with:

  • One other adult living at the same primary address

  • Up to four teens (added before April 7, 2025)

  • Up to four child profilesNew York PostInvestopediaCNBCCBS News

Benefits that can be shared include:

• Free two-day shipping

• Prime Video, Prime Reading, Amazon Music

• Other digital perksNew York PostInvestopediaCBS News

Transitional Discount Offer

• If you're a former Invitee user, Amazon is offering you the option to subscribe to your own full Prime membership for $14.99 for the first year.

• After that, the standard price applies: $14.99/month or $139/year.The Wall Street JournalMidland Daily NewsInvestopedia

• According to CBS News, this discounted rate is valid through December 31, 2025.CBS NewsMidland Daily News

Why This Matters

• Analysts estimate that tens of millions of users currently benefit from shared Prime shipping. By ending the Invitee program, Amazon aims to convert these users into paying subscribers.The Wall Street JournalInvestopedia

• The change aligns with a broader industry pattern, think Netflix and Costco, of cracking down on sharing to boost individual account subscriptions.Investopedia

• It comes on the heels of a recent Prime Day event that fell short of growth expectations in U.S. signups.InvestopediaNew York Post

What Users Are Saying (from Reddit)

Some legacy users have shared phrasing that reflects concern:

“My sister (who pays for Prime) shared it with other family members, including me, since over 7 years ago… I still get Prime shipping and I’ve never been charged for Prime.”Reddit

“Any action other than auto-renewal on your primary account will remove the grandfathered benefit forever. You basically have to leave the account untouched… if you wish to retain the grandfathered Prime shipping benefit.”Reddit

These comments underscore how many rely heavily on the Invitee setup, and some do so without any visibility into who shares their benefits.

What Legacy Users Should Do Now

ActionDetailsChoose to subscribeSign up for your own Prime membership at $14.99 for the first year, then standard rates apply.Consider Amazon FamilyIf you live with a Prime member, you can still share benefits through Amazon Family.Prepare for changeStarting October 1, legacy free-shipping privileges outside your household will end, orders may incur shipping costs.Evaluate alternativesIf you were relying only on shipping, compare whether other options (like bulk shipping or other retailers) may be more cost-effective.

October 1, 2025, marks the end of an era. Amazon’s decision to eliminate the legacy Prime Invitee program reflects a strategic push toward expanding its paying Prime base. For those who've enjoyed free shipping under the radar, it’s time to weigh the $14.99/year membership deal, or accept that benefit sharing is now strictly household-based.