Amazon Prime lets you share your membership with up to three other adults and unlimited children through two different methods

Amazon offers two ways to share Prime benefits with family members. The first is Prime Household, which lets you add up to three other adults to your account and share most Prime perks — free shipping, Prime Video, Prime Music, and Prime Reading. The second is Amazon Household, an older feature that combines two adult accounts (usually a couple) and lets them share purchases and set parental controls for children. Most people use Prime Household because it's simpler and doesn't require merging accounts.

The person who pays for Prime stays the account owner. Family members you add don't need their own Prime membership — they use the benefits through your account. Children added to either setup can watch Prime Video and use other services, but you control what they see through parental controls.

Key Takeaways

  • Prime Household lets you add up to three other adults to your account without merging anything, and each person keeps their own Amazon login and purchase history.
  • You can remove a family member from Prime Household at any time, and they lose access to Prime benefits immediately but keep their own Amazon account.
  • Prime Household members in different countries cannot share the same account, and each region has its own Prime membership.
  • Children added to Prime Household or Amazon Household can watch Prime Video and use other services, but you set age restrictions through parental controls.
  • If you switch from Amazon Household (merged accounts) to Prime Household, you'll need to separate your accounts first, which takes a few days.

Setting up Prime Household step by step

Go to amazon.com, sign in with the account that pays for Prime, and open the menu in the top left corner. Select Account & Lists, then Your Account. Scroll down and click Household settings (or search for "household" in the Account page). Click Manage your Household.

You'll see a section called Add an adult. Click that button and enter the email address or phone number of the person you want to add. Amazon sends them an invitation. They accept it from their own email, and once they do, they're part of your Prime Household. They can now use Prime Video, free shipping, and other Prime benefits on their own account without you sharing your password.

You can add up to three adults this way. Each person keeps their own Amazon login, their own purchase history, and their own recommendations. They don't see your orders, and you don't see theirs — the account stays separate except for the Prime benefits themselves.

Adding children and setting up parental controls

In the same Household settings page, you'll see a section for Add a child. Click that and enter the child's name and birth date. You don't need to create a separate Amazon account for them — they use the household account to access Prime Video and other services.

Once a child is added, go back to Household settings and click Parental controls. You can set an age restriction for Prime Video content — options are typically All ages, 6+, 12+, 16+, or 18+. When the child tries to watch something above their age level, Amazon asks for a PIN you set. This PIN also controls whether they can purchase anything through the household account.

Children can be added to Prime Household or to the older Amazon Household setup. Prime Household is simpler if you're just sharing Prime benefits. Amazon Household is better if you want to merge two adult accounts (like a couple) and share a payment method for all purchases.

Removing someone from Prime Household

Go back to Household settings and click Manage your Household. You'll see a list of everyone in your household. Next to the person you want to remove, click the three-dot menu and select Remove from household. Confirm the removal.

Once you remove someone, they lose access to Prime benefits immediately. They keep their own Amazon account and any purchases they made, but they can no longer use your Prime shipping, Prime Video, or other Prime perks. If they want Prime again, they'll need their own membership or to join someone else's household.

The account owner (the person paying for Prime) can remove anyone at any time. If you're an adult member and the owner removes you, you'll get a notification that you've been removed.

What happens with Prime Video and other services

Everyone in your Prime Household can watch Prime Video on their own devices using their own login. They see their own watchlist and recommendations. If you set up a child account, that child can also watch Prime Video, but only content that matches their age restriction.

Prime Music, Prime Reading, and Prime Photos are included for all household members. Grocery discounts through Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods also apply to the whole household. However, some benefits like Prime Gaming (free games and in-game content) are tied to the individual account that has an active Prime membership — in this case, your account.

If someone in your household has a Prime Video subscription separate from Prime (through a third-party channel like Paramount+ or Starz), that subscription is tied to their individual account and doesn't share with others in the household.

Regional restrictions and moving between countries

Prime Household members must be in the same country. If someone moves to a different country, they can't stay in your household. They'll need to leave your household and start their own Prime membership in their new country, or join someone else's household there.

Amazon Prime itself varies by country — the price, the shipping speed, and which shows and movies are available on Prime Video all differ. So if a family member travels for a few months, they can still use Prime Video while abroad, but they can't be a permanent household member in a different country.

Switching from Amazon Household to Prime Household

If you've been using the older Amazon Household feature (where two adult accounts are merged), you can switch to Prime Household instead. This lets you separate your accounts while keeping Prime benefits shared.

Go to Household settings and look for the option to Separate accounts. Amazon will ask you to confirm, and the separation takes a few days to process. Once it's done, you and the other adult are no longer linked — you each have your own account, your own purchase history, and your own payment method. Then you can set up Prime Household if you want to keep sharing Prime benefits.

During the separation, make sure you know which payment method is attached to the Prime membership. The person whose card is on file will be the account owner in the new Prime Household setup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I share Prime with someone who lives in a different country?

No. Prime Household members must be in the same country as the account owner. If someone moves abroad, they need to leave your household. They can start their own Prime membership in their new country or join a household there, but they can't stay linked to your account.

What if someone in my household cancels Prime — do they lose access?

If you (the account owner) cancel Prime, everyone in your household loses Prime benefits immediately. If another adult in your household wants to cancel their own membership, they can't — they're using your Prime membership, not their own. They can only leave the household entirely.

Can I see what other people in my household are watching on Prime Video?

No. Each person's watchlist and viewing history stays private. You can see who's in your household and manage parental controls for children, but you can't see what adults are watching or what they've purchased.

Do I need to share my Amazon password to add someone to Prime Household?

No. You send them an invitation to their own email address, and they accept it using their own login. They never need your password. This is one of the main advantages of Prime Household over sharing a single account.

What if someone in my household buys something — do I have to pay for it?

Only if they use a shared payment method. In Prime Household, each adult keeps their own payment method by default. If an adult in your household makes a purchase, it charges their card, not yours. For children, you control whether they can make purchases at all through the PIN you set in parental controls.