Amazon Prime has two main ways to share: a household account and Prime Video separately
Amazon Prime membership includes fast shipping, Prime Video streaming, Prime Music, and other perks. You can share most of these with family members in two different ways, depending on who you want to share with and what they need access to.
The first method is Amazon Household, which lets up to two adults and four teens or children on the same account share Prime benefits, payment methods, and content libraries. The second is sharing your Prime Video login directly with someone outside your household — they can watch on their own device but cannot use Prime shipping or other benefits.
Which method works depends on whether the people you want to share with live with you and whether they need shipping benefits or just video streaming.
Key Takeaways
- Amazon Household lets two adults in the same home share one Prime membership, including shipping, video, and music, without paying twice.
- You set up Household through your Amazon account settings, and each adult gets their own login and payment method option.
- Family members outside your household can watch Prime Video using your login, but they cannot use Prime shipping or other benefits.
- Teens and children added to Household have limited access — they can watch video and use some features but cannot make purchases without permission.
- If someone leaves your household, you remove them from Household and change your password to stop Prime Video sharing.
Setting up Amazon Household for people in your home
To set up Household, sign into your Amazon account on a computer or the Amazon app, go to Account & Lists, select Your Account, then find Household settings. You will see an option to invite an adult. That person receives an email invitation and creates their own login if they do not have one already.
Once they accept, both of you share the Prime membership, but each person keeps their own shopping history, wish list, and recommendations. You can choose whose payment method covers the Prime subscription — usually the person whose account started it — or split other purchases however you want.
If you have children or teens, you add them separately through the same Household menu. They get a child or teen account with parental controls. Teens can browse and watch but cannot make purchases without approval. Children have even stricter limits.
The key limit: Household only works if everyone lives at the same address. Amazon checks this during setup and can ask for proof if the addresses do not match.
Sharing Prime Video with people outside your household
If someone does not live with you but wants to watch Prime Video, you can share your login credentials directly with them. They sign into the Prime Video app or website using your email and password, and they can watch anything in your library.
This method gives them video access only — they cannot use Prime shipping, Prime Music, or make purchases. If you share your password this way, they can see your watch history and recommendations unless you use a separate profile within Prime Video.
Amazon does not prevent password sharing, but their terms of service state that Prime membership is for your household use. Sharing with people outside your home is technically against the rules, though enforcement is uncommon. If you want to share video with many people, adding them to Household (if they live with you) is the supported method.
What each family member can and cannot do
An adult in your Household has full access: they can order items with Prime shipping, watch Prime Video, use Prime Music, and access other Prime benefits. They see their own recommendations and shopping history, separate from yours.
A teen account can watch Prime Video, use Prime Music, and browse products, but cannot make purchases without parental approval. Parents set spending limits and control what content the teen can access.
A child account is the most restricted. Children can watch age-appropriate Prime Video content and use some features, but cannot make any purchases or access adult content.
Someone who only has your Prime Video login (not in Household) can watch video on any device where they sign in, but they cannot use shipping, music, or shopping features. They also cannot change your account settings or payment method.
Removing someone from Household or stopping Prime Video sharing
If an adult leaves your household or you want to stop sharing, go to Household settings in your Amazon account and remove them. They lose access to Prime shipping when ready, but they keep their own Amazon account and purchase history.
If you shared your Prime Video login with someone and want to stop, change your Amazon password. This signs them out of Prime Video on all devices. You can then create a new password and keep it to yourself, or share it only with people you want to have access.
If a teen or child leaves your household, remove them from Household the same way you would remove an adult. They lose all access to Prime benefits.
Costs and payment when sharing Prime
Amazon Prime costs the same whether one person or two adults use it — you pay one membership fee and both benefit. You choose which payment method covers the subscription, or you can split other purchases however you want.
If you share your Prime Video login with someone outside your household, there is no additional cost to you. They watch using your membership.
If you want each person to have their own separate Prime membership instead of sharing, each person pays their own subscription fee. This is useful if you live separately or want completely independent accounts.
Common problems and what to do
If someone in your Household cannot see Prime Video or shipping benefits, check that they accepted the Household invitation and that their account is fully set up. Sometimes it takes a few hours for access to appear.
If you shared your Prime Video password and the person cannot sign in, they may be using the wrong email address. Make sure they are signing in with your email, not their own.
If you removed someone from Household but they still have access to Prime Video, change your password. This forces them to sign out everywhere.
If you are trying to add a second adult to Household and Amazon says you already have two, you must remove one adult before adding another. Amazon limits Household to two adults at a time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have more than two adults sharing one Prime membership?
No. Amazon Household allows only two adults per membership. If you need more people to have Prime benefits, they would need their own separate memberships or you would need to remove one adult and add another.
Does the second adult need their own Amazon account?
Yes. When you invite a second adult to Household, they must have an Amazon account or create one to accept the invitation. They then use their own login to access shared benefits.
What happens to Prime Video if I remove someone from Household?
They lose access to Prime Video when ready. If you want them to keep watching, you would need to share your login password separately, though this is outside the Household system.
Can I use Household if we live in different states?
No. Amazon requires everyone in a Household to live at the same address. If you live separately, you cannot use Household — you would need separate Prime memberships or share your login for video only.
Does sharing Prime Video with someone count against my account?
Sharing your login is against Amazon's terms of service, but they do not actively prevent it or charge extra. However, if Amazon detects unusual activity, they may ask you to change your password or restrict access.