Company page
Amway
Public-record notes and questions to ask before joining Amway as an independent business owner.
Quick decision snapshot
- Cost to start
-
- First-year registration: $0
- Renewal: $55 plus optional $16 IBOAI membership
- Disclosure headline
- Amway's 2025 U.S. disclosure reports average annual earnings of $750 before expenses for IBOs at Founders Platinum level and below, including IBOs who did not report product sales.
- Main limitation
- Whether public income summaries account for ordinary participant expenses, including training, travel, events, samples, shipping, taxes, and unsold product.
- Ask before paying
-
- Does the disclosure show net income after expenses, or gross payments before expenses?
- Read the Amway income disclosure guide.
- Request the income disclosure, compensation plan, expense list, and exit rules.
- Use a short script if you need time, documents, or a clear no.
What it costs to get started
| First-year registration | $0 |
|---|---|
| Renewal | $55 plus optional $16 IBOAI membership |
What people actually earn
Amway's 2025 U.S. disclosure reports average annual earnings of $750 before expenses for IBOs at Founders Platinum level and below, including IBOs who did not report product sales.
| Data year | 2025 |
|---|---|
| Average annual earnings | $750 before expenses for U.S. IBOs at Founders Platinum and below |
| No sales/no payment | 38% had no reported product sales, sponsored no IBO, and received no payments |
| Reported as | Before expenses |
Read the full Amway income disclosure guide →
Company overview
Amway is a privately held direct selling company. It uses a multi-level pay structure through independent business owners.
This page does not evaluate individual experiences. It summarizes public disclosure topics and questions a person can ask before joining.
What the company discloses
- Amway publishes a 2025 U.S. Income Disclosure that says there is no first-year registration cost, with renewal costs after the first contract year.
- The disclosure reports average annual earnings of $750 before expenses for U.S. IBOs at Founders Platinum level and below, including IBOs who did not report product sales.
- It also reports that 38% of U.S. IBOs had no reported product sales, did not sponsor another IBO, and received no payments from Amway in 2025.
- The public record includes historical FTC materials about Amway and earnings claims.
What is not clear from public disclosure
- Whether public income summaries account for ordinary participant expenses, including training, travel, events, samples, shipping, taxes, and unsold product.
- How net income after expenses differs for people who join, become inactive, or leave during a reporting period.
- How many participants mainly buy for personal use, sell to customers, or pursue the business opportunity.
Regulatory/public record
- The FTC issued a 1979 final order in an Amway matter. It addressed, among other issues, earnings claims and sales practices.
- The FTC legal library also lists a 1986 civil penalty matter about required earnings disclosures in a newspaper ad.
Questions to ask before joining
- May I see the most recent income disclosure before paying any fee or buying product?
- Does the disclosure show net income after expenses, or gross payments before expenses?
- What percentage of participants earned no compensation from the company in the most recent year?
- What recurring purchases, training, subscriptions, events, or business tools are expected but not required?
- What is the written refund or buyback policy for starter materials, inventory, and subscriptions?
Is Amway a pyramid scheme?
People often search whether a company like this is a pyramid scheme or a scam. This page does not apply those labels: whether a company meets a legal definition is a matter for regulators and courts, not a label to settle during a recruiting conversation.
A more useful first question is where the money comes from: whether pay depends on real sales to customers outside the business, how much depends on recruiting, and what participants keep after expenses. See how to evaluate the pyramid-scheme question before relying on a label either way. Any regulator or court record specific to Amway is summarized in the public-record section above, with attribution.
Common costs to check:
- Product, samples, shipping, and taxes.
- Starter kits, renewal fees, websites, apps, or back-office tools.
- Training, events, tickets, travel, meals, lodging, and childcare.
- Advertising, giveaways, displays, packaging, or payment fees.
- Licensing, exam prep, background checks, or required continuing education.
- Unsold inventory and unpaid time.
Gross income is not the same as money kept after these costs.
Useful related pages
Choose the next page by your situation:
- If you have not paid, start with Before You Pay.
- If you already paid, review records, recurring charges, and cancellation rules.
- If you feel pressured, use a script before continuing the conversation.
Sources
-
Company disclosure
Income Disclosure
-
Regulatory public record
In the Matter of Amway Corporation, Inc., et al.
-
Regulatory public record
1986 Annual Report
-
Regulator guidance
Business Guidance Concerning Multi-Level Marketing
Correction request
To request a correction, email corrections@boringanddevastating.com with this page URL, the specific text at issue, and supporting public sources.