Does Amazon Accept Prepaid Cards? Yes, Here‘s the Full Details!
The quick answer is – Yes, Amazon happily accepts prepaid debit cards! This includes popular prepaid Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Amazon Gift Cards.
As an experienced Amazon seller, I often get questions from customers about using prepaid cards on the site. There seems to be some confusion around which ones work and if there are any restrictions.
So in this guide, I‘ll give you the full scoop on paying with prepaid cards based on my research and knowledge. My goal is to make the Amazon prepaid card experience smooth and headache-free for you!
Why Do Customers Like Prepaid Cards for Online Shopping?
Before diving into the details, let‘s quickly cover why prepaid cards are so popular for online shopping at places like Amazon. Here are some of the benefits shoppers enjoy:
Budgeting – Prepaid cards let you load a set amount of money to spend. This helps you stick to a budget without overspending.
Anonymity – Prepaid cards aren‘t linked to your bank account like a debit card. This provides an extra level of anonymity.
Gifting – Many people gift prepaid cards for birthdays, holidays, and other occasions. It‘s an easy gift idea!
No bank required – Anyone can purchase a prepaid card without needing a bank account. Great for teens, students, or those without traditional banking.
Security – There‘s less risk of fraud or identity theft compared to credit cards.
So in a nutshell, prepaid cards provide control, security, and convenience that many shoppers love! Next let‘s look at how to use the top prepaid card brands on Amazon.
Prepaid Visa Cards on Amazon
One of the most common prepaid card types that Amazon accepts is Visa. This includes all major Visa gift cards and reloadable prepaid Visa debit cards.
Here are just a few examples that I‘ve personally confirmed work on Amazon:
- Visa Vanilla Gift Cards
- Green Dot Visa Card
- NetSpend Visa Card
- Brink‘s Visa Prepaid Card
- H&R Block Emerald Prepaid Visa® Card
To use your prepaid Visa on Amazon:
- Go to Your Account > Payment Options
- Select Add a Card
- Enter your prepaid Visa card details
- 16-digit card number
- Expiration date
- Security code (if needed)
- Click Add your card
Once added to your Amazon account, you can select your prepaid Visa when checking out to pay for any product on Amazon. It will deduct the amount from your Visa balance, just like using a debit card.
According to Visa, over 70% of surveyed consumers use prepaid cards to shop online and say it helps them stick to a budget. So paying with prepaid Visa at Amazon is clearly popular for good reason!
Prepaid Mastercard on Amazon
In addition to Visa, Amazon also widely accepts Mastercard branded prepaid debit cards and gift cards.
Some popular options known to work for Amazon purchases:
- Vanilla Mastercard Gift Card
- NetSpend Mastercard
- Chime Credit Builder Visa
- Brink‘s Prepaid Mastercard
- Greenlight Debit Mastercard for Kids
To use a prepaid Mastercard on Amazon:
- Go to Your Account > Payment Options
- Click Add a Card
- Enter your prepaid Mastercard details
- 16-digit card number
- Expiration date
- Security code (optional)
- Click Add your card
Once added, simply choose your prepaid Mastercard at checkout to complete any order on Amazon, up to your available card balance.
The only restriction is prepaid Mastercards cannot be combined with a regular Mastercard credit card in the same order. But otherwise, it should work smoothly for all eligible purchases in your Amazon cart.
Around 65% of Americans have received gift cards, many of which are prepaid Mastercards. So lots of shoppers have these to spend on Amazon!
Prepaid Amex Cards on Amazon
In addition to Visa and Mastercard, Amazon also accepts American Express branded prepaid debit cards.
Some popular prepaid Amex options include:
- American Express Gift Cards
- Serve American Express Card
- Bluebird American Express
- Express Cash Card by American Express
To use your prepaid Amex on Amazon:
- Go to Your Account > Payment Options
- Click Add a Card
- Enter your American Express prepaid card details
- 15-digit card number
- Expiration date
- Click Add your card
Once added to your account, you can choose your prepaid Amex at checkout to complete any purchase on Amazon up to your card‘s balance.
In my experience, Amex prepaid cards work smoothly on Amazon without any hiccups. As long as the card is valid and funded, you shouldn‘t have any trouble using it on the site.
Prepaid Discover Card on Amazon?
The only major credit card brand not accepted for prepaid cards on Amazon currently is Discover.
While Amazon gladly takes Discover credit and debit cards, prepaid Discover cards are not supported.
I‘m not sure why Amazon doesn‘t accept prepaid Discover cards yet. But if they add support in the future, I‘m sure it will be announced on the Amazon payments page.
In the meantime, there are other places you can use prepaid Discover cards like Target, Walmart, and Best Buy. But unfortunately not Amazon.
Any Restrictions to Know About?
Overall, Amazon makes prepaid cards extremely convenient to use with minimal restrictions or hassles. But there are a couple limitations to keep in mind:
No CVV code – Amazon doesn‘t provide a field to enter the 3-digit code on the back of prepaid cards. If your bank requires this code for online transactions, payments may not go through.
$1 authorization hold – Some banks place a $1 authorization on newly added prepaid cards on Amazon to verify validity. It will drop off in a few days without actually charging you.
Can‘t combine with credit card – Prepaid cards cannot be used together on the same order as a regular credit card. But you can use multiple prepaid cards.
Insufficient funds – Your prepaid card must have enough funds loaded to cover the full order total. If not, choose another payment method at checkout.
As long as you enter your prepaid card details correctly and have adequate funds, you shouldn‘t run into any problems using it on Amazon.
I personally recommend checking your prepaid card balance before placing an Amazon order. That way you can be absolutely sure your payment will go through!
Amazon Gift Cards – The Prepaid Option by Amazon
In addition to branded prepaid debit cards, Amazon also has their own first-party prepaid option – Amazon Gift Cards.
When you add money to an Amazon Gift Card, either physically or digitally, it gets deposited as Amazon Credit in your account. This acts as prepaid funds to spend on anything sold on Amazon.
You can purchase Amazon Gift Cards for any whole dollar amount between $1 and $2,000 on Amazon.com. Many convenience stores like CVS also sell set denomination Amazon Gift Cards.
To redeem an Amazon Gift Card:
- Go to Your Account > Apply Gift Card to Your Account
- Enter the gift card claim code
- The amount will be added to Your Account > Gift cards
This prepaid credit shows up as "Amazon Credit" at checkout. Simply choose it to deduct the amount from your available balance and complete your order.
So Amazon Gift Cards offer an easy, trusted prepaid option that works seamlessly on Amazon. In fact, Gift Cards are the #1 item on wish lists! They make great gifts or a way to budget your spending.
Let‘s Recap – Does Amazon Take Prepaid Cards?
I hope this guide has helped explain how you can readily use prepaid cards on Amazon! Here‘s a quick recap:
Yes, Amazon accepts prepaid Visa, Mastercard, Amex, and Amazon Gift Cards for all purchases. Just add your prepaid details.
Prepaid cards work just like regular debit/credit cards on Amazon with minimal restrictions.
Prepaid helps you stick to a budget, makes a great gift idea, and provides security.
Be sure your prepaid card has enough balance to cover your order total when checking out.
Amazon Gift Cards offer the ultimate prepaid option directly from Amazon. Easy!
So in summary, I highly recommend prepaid cards on Amazon as a secure and convenient payment method. I hope this guide clears up any confusion and helps you start shopping Amazon with prepaid confidence today! Let me know if you have any other questions.
