Amazon Business is expanding its Business Prime membership program beyond purchasing and logistics, adding discounted access to accounting, cybersecurity and payroll software as it works to embed itself more deeply into the daily operations of small and midsize businesses — a shift with increasing implications for wholesale distributors.
The company said Thursday that Business Prime members will gain new benefits from Intuit QuickBooks, CrowdStrike and Gusto, broadening the program from a procurement-focused offering into what Amazon is positioning as a more comprehensive operating platform for business customers. Amazon said the expanded benefits could save eligible U.S. members about $1,000 per year.
“Small business owners wear a lot of hats — accountant, HR manager, IT lead — sometimes all before lunch,” Todd Heimes, vice president of Amazon Business, said in a statement. “These new Business Prime benefits are designed to help them work smarter and save money.”
Beginning in 2026, eligible U.S. Business Prime members will be able to subscribe to QuickBooks Online Simple Start for $180 per year, which Amazon said represents a 60% discount from the standard $456 price. The offer includes a direct integration with Amazon Business that automates purchase reconciliation and expense categorization. The QuickBooks benefit will be available to Business Prime Essentials members who are new QuickBooks Online subscribers.
Amazon Business is also adding CrowdStrike Falcon Go cybersecurity protection at no additional cost for U.S. Business Prime members on the Essentials plan and above. Amazon values the Falcon Go service at $59 per device annually. The offer applies to members without an existing CrowdStrike account, while Business Prime Duo members will receive a 50% discount on Falcon Go.
In human resources, Amazon said U.S. Business Prime members can receive 70% off their first 12 months of Gusto’s payroll and HR platform. The promotion applies to new Gusto customers and includes payroll processing, tax filing, employee onboarding, and benefits administration. Standard pricing will apply after the promotional period ends.
The new benefits build on existing Business Prime features, including fast, free shipping on millions of items, guided buying controls, spend visibility tools and flexible payment options. Amazon said Business Prime members saved more than $750 million globally in shipping fees last year, with more than 70% of U.S. orders delivered the same day or next day.
For wholesale distributors, the expansion highlights Amazon Business’s continued push to extend beyond product fulfillment and into core business workflows. By bundling back-office software with procurement and spend management, Amazon is seeking to increase customer reliance on its platform at a time when distributors are investing in digital portals, ecommerce tools, and value-added services to defend customer relationships.
Amazon Business launched in the U.S. in 2015 and has become a growing focus for the company. Amazon said the unit generates more than $35 billion in annualized gross sales, serves more than eight million organizations worldwide — excluding emerging markets — and operates in 11 countries. With the expanded Business Prime offering, Amazon is signaling that its long-term B2B strategy extends well beyond buying and delivery and into the operational infrastructure of business customers.
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