What Happened to AmazonSmile? (And What Replaced It)

Amazon shut down AmazonSmile in February 2023. Over a decade it donated about $500 million to more than a million nonprofits — but only at a 0.5% rate on Amazon purchases. Amazon ended it to cut costs, saying the impact had become too 'spread out.' Independent alternatives, including local-first options like Good Circles, have since filled the gap.

Why did Amazon end AmazonSmile?

Amazon announced the shutdown in January 2023 and closed the program that February, during a broad round of cost-cutting. The company said that because donations were spread across so many organizations, the per-charity impact was small — so it chose to wind the program down and concentrate giving elsewhere.

What AmazonSmile actually did

When you shopped at smile.amazon.com, Amazon donated 0.5% of eligible purchases to a charity you selected. Over roughly a decade it gave about $500 million across 1M+ nonprofits. It was effortless — but the rate was tiny, it only worked on Amazon, and nonprofits never learned who their supporters were.

What can you use instead?

Good Circles — a local-first marketplace where you shop local businesses, save about 10%, and fund a nonprofit you choose. See the AmazonSmile alternative »
ShopRaise / iGive — donate a percentage of purchases at major national retailers.
Goodshop — coupons paired with donations.
Bookshop.org — an ethical Amazon alternative for books.

Compare the best AmazonSmile alternatives »

The better model now

AmazonSmile asked you to give a sliver of an Amazon purchase. The newer, local-first model flips it: you shop the businesses in your own community, you actually save money, and a much larger share funds a cause you pick — keeping dollars circulating where you live.

Looking for the AmazonSmile replacement?

Good Circles lets you shop local, save ~10%, and fund a nonprofit you choose.

See the AmazonSmile alternative

FAQ

Is AmazonSmile coming back?

Amazon has given no indication it will return. The program ended permanently in February 2023, and shoppers have moved to independent alternatives.

What is the best AmazonSmile replacement?

It depends what you want. Good Circles is the only option that lets you shop local, save about 10%, and fund a nonprofit you choose. ShopRaise and iGive are strong for donations on national-retailer purchases.