How to add a visa debit card to amazon

Techlicious editors independently review products. To help support our mission, we may earn affiliate commissions from links contained on this page.

Updated on 12/23/2022 with current instructions and screenshots

Trying to use a Mastercard, Visa, or Amex Gift Card on Amazon can cause several headaches. First, simply registering the card as a payment method can be tricky. Amazon requires a name and billing address to register a credit card as a means of payment. Since many gift cards aren’t personalized to you, there is no name or zip code to enter, and Amazon won’t be able to validate the card.

Even if you get through that first hurdle, Mastercard, Visa or Amex gift cards aren’t well-suited to online purchasing. Since Amazon doesn’t allow you to split a purchase among multiple cards, if your gift card is worth $50 and your order is $70, there’s no way to make up the difference, and your transaction will simply be declined. On the flip side, if your order is $47, you’ll be left with a $3 balance on your gift card, which isn’t useful for anything.

However, there are a couple of tricks that will make using a gift card on Amazon a breeze. In fact, there’s probably no better place to use one of these cards than Amazon. Here’s what you need to know.

1. Register your Mastercard, Visa, or Amex gift card with the issuing bank

If your card doesn’t already have your name and zip code associated with it, you’ll need to do that through the financial institution that issued the card. Sometimes there will be a registration URL on the back of the card. If not, look for the name of the institution on the card and then Google “[institution name] gift card registration”. That should get you to the right site. If it's an Amex gift card, use this link. Once there, you’ll be asked to verify the card info, and then you’ll have the option of registering the card with your name and address. This is also a good time to confirm the available balance.

2. Add your gift card as a payment method on Amazon

Next, go to Amazon.com and click on the Account & Lists drop-down to go to Your Account. Click on the "Your payments" box to add your gift card as a new payment source.

3. Swap your Mastercard, Visa, or Amex gift card for an Amazon gift card

At this point, you could start using your Mastercard, Visa, or Amex for purchases on Amazon. The problem is, though, that Amazon doesn’t let you divide purchases among multiple cards. So if you have a $30 gift card, you can’t make purchases for more than $30. And if you make a purchase for less, you’ll be stuck with a small remaining balance that is even more difficult to use.

The trick to get around this is to use your Mastercard, Visa, or Amex gift card to buy an Amazon gift card. With Amazon gift cards, the full amount can be credited to your purchase, and any additional funds required can be paid with your regular credit card.

Click on the Gift cards box in Your Account, then click the Reload Your Balance Button.

On the next screen, enter the balance on your Mastercard, Visa, or Amex gift card in the "Other" box and click the "Buy Now" button. (If you don’t know it, you can get the remaining balance from the issuing institution – see Step #1 above.) Select the gift card you added in Step #2 as the Payment method.

Assuming you properly registered your card and entered the correct balance amount, the transaction should go through, and you will see the full amount reflected in your Amazon Gift Card Balance. Now, you're all set, and when you make a purchase, your gift card balance will be applied automatically until it’s gone. Try it for yourself.

[Image credit: Josh Kirschner/Techlicious, American Express, Mastercard, Visa]

Josh Kirschner is the co-founder of Techlicious and has been covering consumer tech for more than a decade. Before founding Techlicious, he was the Chief Marketing Officer for Inform Technologies, a start-up provider of semantic technology to media companies. Prior to Inform, Josh was a SVP and Managing Director in the financial services industry. Josh started his first company while still in college, a consumer electronics retailer focused on students.

Omar is the founder of OJ Digital Solutions, a website helping e-com brand owners succeed on the most popular e-commerce platforms. He also speaks 7 languages and has his own website helping people build a personal brand.

Table of Contents

Do you have a Visa gift card or two lying around? You can use these gift cards on Amazon.

If you don’t know how to use a visa gift card on Amazon, you’ve come to the right place.

My guide will teach you how to use your Visa gift card to get some fantastic deals on Amazon. I’ll also tell you how to use your Visa gift card balance to make purchases.

Let’s begin.

Table of Contents

• Does Amazon Accept Visa Gift Cards?
• How To Use a Visa Gift Card on Amazon
• How To Add a Prepaid Visa Gift Card To Your Amazon Gift Card Balance
• How to use a Visa Gift Card directly
• What Is the Purpose of Gift Cards?
• Which Method Should You Choose?
• How to Delete a Visa Gift Card as a Payment Option
• The Bottom Line

Does Amazon Accept Visa Gift Cards?

Yes. You can use an Amazon gift card or a Mastercard gift card, and other prepaid cards on Amazon.

Amazon accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and its proprietary Amazon gift cards, but certain restrictions apply.

Review Amazon’s gift card terms and conditions for more information

How To Use a Visa Gift Card on Amazon

Using Visa or Mastercard gift cards on an online retailer like Amazon may seem confusing, but it’s pretty straightforward.

It’s only a matter of changing your payment method when shopping online. The process will also be much easier if you already have a credit or debit card on file.

There are two methods for using a prepaid card or Visa gift card on Amazon:

1) adding it to your Amazon gift card balance or

2) adding the Visa gift card to your payment methods.

These methods also apply to Mastercard gift cards and all other prepaid cards that Amazon accepts.

How To Add a Prepaid Visa Gift Card To Your Amazon Gift Card Balance

Here’s how to add funds to your Amazon gift card balance when you shop online by adding a prepaid card, like a Visa gift card.

1 – Log in to your Amazon account.

2 – Click on the Account option under Your Account from the dropdown menu. You can also hover over the Account & List tab at the top-right corner of the page.

3 – Select Your Payments.

4 – Choose the Amazon Gift Card option under Rewards & balances.

5 – Choose the Reload your balance option.

6 – Input the amount on your Visa gift card and click Buy Now. Ensure you add the exact dollar amount.

7 – Choose the Add a credit or debit card option under the Add a payment method section.

8 – Add the necessary prepaid Visa gift card account details:

• Card number
• Name
• Three-digit CVV code or security code
• Expiration date

Note: You won’t need to provide a billing address.

Amazon will add your visa gift card balance if you follow this process successfully.

How to use a Visa Gift Card directly

Here’s how to add a Visa gift card as one of your Amazon payment options.

1 – Log in to your Amazon account.

2 – Click on the Account option under Your Account from the dropdown menu. You can also hover over the Account & List tab at the top-right corner of the page.

3 – Select Your Payments.

4 – Tap Add a payment method under Cards & accounts.

5 – Click on Credit or Debit cards.

6 – Amazon requires you to enter the Visa gift card info (name, Visa card number, expiration date, etc.)

Note: You won’t need to provide your own address as a billing address. You can use the address of the issuing bank.

7 – Click on the Add option and wait for confirmation.

You can go to your payment method page to choose other payment options (ex., a debit card) once you max out the balance on your prepaid Visa gift cards.

What Is the Purpose of Gift Cards?

Here are some advantages of using gift cards.

They’re Good as Gifts.

A gift card can do the trick if you have no idea what to give someone for a special occasion. Giving a gift card allows people to spend it on what they really want.

Giving a gift card also prevents you from giving a gift someone doesn’t want or already has.

You can also choose which type of gift card to send to make the gift card more personal. You can give multiple cards, such as a physical gift card, an eGift card, or a specialty gift card)

They’re Good for Budgeting

One thing you can do to control your Amazon spending is to purchase only with gift cards. Every month, set aside an amount you’re willing to spend on Amazon purchases.

You can save money by only using gift cards when making purchases on the online marketplace.

They’re Good for Sales

With Black Friday, Amazon Prime Day, Christmas, and many other sales, it’s usually hard to track when a specific item goes on sale.

You can set aside gift cards as an alternative wallet to check out specific products when they go on sale.

You can budget your money for gift cards to have enough balance for the next sale.

Which Method Should You Choose?

Do you use a Visa gift card to reload your gift card balance? Do you use a Visa gift card as a direct payment method?

The answer depends on how you’re using the card.

Giving Gifts

Do you want to purchase a gift card online as a present?

You can use a gift card as your payment option or put more funds on your Amazon gift card balance to complete the transaction.

The more convenient method for giving gifts is to use a Visa gift card directly.

You can purchase multiple Amazon gift cards for different people. Instead of buying one and telling the recipients to split it amongst themselves, purchase one card for each recipient.

Budgeting

It’s better to use your Visa gift card to fund your Amazon gift card balance when making a budget.

Shop online using only your Amazon gift card balance. The key to successful budgeting with gift cards is to reload a specific amount every month.

Let’s say your budget is $100 monthly, but you haven’t found anything worth buying this month. Buy gift cards for the next month anyway since you might find something interesting that costs over $100.

Buying During Sales

Use a Visa gift card to fund your gift card balance when setting aside money for a future sale. When an item on your Wish List goes on sale, you can quickly add the item to your card and go to checkout with your Amazon gift card.

You have two options:

1) gradually add to your gift card balance or

2) place a lump sum.

Regardless of your choice, the crucial thing is never to spend the balance.

How to Delete a Visa Gift Card as a Payment Option

You’ll have to delete the gift card as one of your payment options once you’ve spent the funds on the card. Here’s how

1 – Log in to your Amazon account.

2 – Click on the Account option under Your Account. You can also hover over the Account & List tab.

3 – Select Your Payments.

4 – Click on the payment method and click Delete.

5 – Amazon will ask you if you want to continue. Click Confirm delete.

Immediately delete a Visa gift card once you spend all its funds to avoid failed purchases.

The Bottom Line

I hope my guide has taught you how to add visa gift cards on Amazon. Furthermore, I hope you’ve learned some clever techniques for using your gift card.

How do I add a Visa debit card to my Amazon account?

Do Visa Debit cards work on Amazon?

Why is Amazon not letting me use my debit card?

Can I add a prepaid Visa card to Amazon?