How Do Amazon Gift Cards Work In 2026? (All You Need To Know)
Hey there! If you‘re looking for the inside scoop on how to buy, use and redeem Amazon gift cards, you‘ve come to the right place. As an avid online shopper myself, I‘ve purchased my fair share of Amazon gift cards over the years as gifts for others and to buy stuff for myself.
So I‘ve put together this comprehensive guide just for you that covers everything you could possibly need to know about how Amazon gift cards work in 2024. I‘ll provide tips for buying gift cards, walk you through how to redeem them step-by-step, compare Amazon cards to other popular retailers, and answer frequently asked questions.
Let‘s dive in!
A Quick Refresher – What Exactly Are Amazon Gift Cards?
Just to make sure we‘re on the same page, Amazon gift cards are prepaid cards that can be used to purchase anything for sale on Amazon.com (with a couple minor exceptions).
They come in both physical and digital formats and range in denomination from $10 up to $2,000. The gift cards have a claim code that is redeemed online by entering it into your Amazon account.
Once redeemed and added to your balance, the gift card value can be spent anytime you like on the site. The amount never expires!
Now that you‘ve got the basics down, let‘s look at the different ways you can go about purchasing an Amazon gift card for yourself or to give as a gift.
Buying Amazon Gift Cards – Online and In Retail Stores
Amazon has made it super convenient to purchase gift cards through their website or mobile app. But you can also easily grab them at hundreds of retail stores near you. Here‘s an overview of your options:
Purchasing Digital and Physical Gift Cards on Amazon.com
If you want to buy an Amazon e-gift card for instant digital delivery or a physical gift card to print or mail, you can do so directly on Amazon‘s website.
Here‘s how the process works:
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Visit Amazon.com and click Gift Cards in the top navigation menu
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Choose either E-Gift Card for email delivery or Physical Gift Card for one shipped to you
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Select your preferred denomination from $10 up to $2,000
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For e-gift cards, add the recipient‘s name and email address along with an optional gift message
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For physical cards, enter the delivery address you want it shipped to
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Complete checkout with your payment method of choice
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Amazon will email the e-gift card claim code immediately or mail a physical gift card to the address you entered
It‘s a quick and convenient way to send a personalized Amazon gift card digitally or through the mail.
In-Person Purchase Options at Major Retailers
If you prefer to hand select or buy an Amazon gift card in person, you can find them available at hundreds of major retail chains across the U.S. without ever having to visit Amazon‘s site.
Here are some of the most popular stores that you can walk in and easily purchase an Amazon gift card off the rack:
- Walmart
- Target
- Walgreens
- CVS
- 7-Eleven
- Kroger
- Safeway
- Rite Aid
- Staples
- Best Buy
The denominations and packaging may vary slightly between retailers, but the gift cards function the same. You just grab it off the gift card rack, pay at checkout and you‘re good to go.
Many people like the instant gratification of walking out of the store with the actual gift card in-hand. Plus, it allows paying with cash if you choose.
| Gift Card Purchase Options | Online | In Retail Stores |
|---|---|---|
| Denominations | $10 – $2,000 | Varies, usually $25 – $100 |
| Delivery Time | Instant – 3 Days | Immediate |
| Payment Methods | Credit/Debit Card | Any accepted by retailer |
| Customization | Add message (physical card only) | None |
No matter which purchasing method you decide on, the process of redeeming and using an Amazon gift card stays the same. Now let‘s go over how to easily redeem a gift card online.
How to Redeem an Amazon Gift Card in 3 Simple Steps
I want to walk you through step-by-step how to redeem an Amazon gift card, because it‘s an important part of making sure you can actually use the funds.
Whether you received an e-gift card via email or got a physical card for your birthday, you have to redeem it to your Amazon account before you can start spending the balance.
Follow these three simple steps:
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Visit Amazon and click Account & Lists from the top navigation menu
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Under Account Settings, click Gift Cards
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Choose Redeem a Gift Card and enter the gift card claim code
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Click Apply to Your Balance to add it to your account or keep for later use
And that‘s it! The value of the Amazon gift card will now be available in your account and applied to your next purchase.
I recommend redeeming gift cards as soon as you receive them to make sure the funds are there when you are ready to shop. Some key things to keep in mind:
- You can redeem multiple gift cards on one order
- Once added to your balance, gift cards never expire
- Gift cards must be redeemed in the country of purchase
Easy right? Now let‘s look at what cool stuff you can actually buy with your new Amazon gift card balance.
Using Amazon Gift Cards to Buy Millions of Items
One of the best things about Amazon gift cards is that you can buy almost anything Amazon sells using the balance you redeemed.
I‘ll give you some examples of popular ways people like to use their gift cards:
Electronics, Media and Books
You can choose from Amazon‘s huge selection of electronics across every department:
- Kindle eReaders and Fire Tablets
- Echo smart devices
- Streaming media like Fire TV and Fire Stick
- Video games for any console
- Computers, laptops, monitors
- Computer accessories
- Home entertainment like TV‘s and speakers
Plus, access millions of books, movies, music and more:
- Kindle eBooks
- Print books
- Digital movies to buy or rent
- TV shows
- Music albums and streaming with Amazon Music
Clothing, Shoes, Jewelry & Accessories
Amazon Fashion has exploded with tons of name-brand apparel choices:
- Major retailers like Nike, Adidas, Calvin Klein
- Men and women‘s clothing
- Shoe styles for every occasion
- Fine jewelry from Kate Spade, Swarovski and more
- Designer handbags, sunglasses
- Amazon Essentials basic wear
Toys, Baby Products, Tools and Home Items
Outfit the entire house with gift card funds:
- Kitchen appliances large and small
- Smart home tech like Echo and Ring
- Arts and craft supplies
- Baby clothes, strollers, toys, furniture
- Mattresses and bedroom furniture
- Home office chairs and desks
- Power tools, hand tools, generators
- Toys from brands like Lego, Fisher-Price and more
The list could go on forever. But I think you get the idea – almost anything sold directly by Amazon is fair game to be purchased with a gift card balance.
The only exceptions are magazine subscriptions, Kindle Unlimited, Audible memberships and Amazon gift cards. But overall, you have endless options for putting those gift card funds to use!
Comparing Amazon Gift Cards vs Other Major Retailers
To give you a better sense of how Amazon gift cards stack up against other retailers, I put together this handy comparison chart:
| Gift Card Feature | Amazon | Walmart | Target | Starbucks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denominations | $10 – $2,000 | $10 – $500 | $5 – $500 | $5 – $500 |
| Purchase Methods | Online, In-Stores | In-Stores, Online | In-Stores, Online | In-Stores, Online |
| Expiration | Never expire once redeemed | No expiration | No expiration | 24 months |
| Redemption | Online to account | In-store, Online | In-store, Online | In-store, Online |
| Use In-store | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Use Online | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Fees | No fees | $2 purchase fee over $100 | No fees | No fees |
As you can see, Amazon gift cards are very flexible and convenient without any of the fees you often see from other popular cards. The online-only redemption is really the only potential downside compared to broader in-person usage of cards from Target or Starbucks.
But Amazon makes up for that with no fees, no expirations and wide open online redemption possibilities. I‘d say Amazon gift cards come out looking very strong!
Checking Your Amazon Gift Card Balance
If you ever need to check the remaining balance on an Amazon gift card, you easily can without needing to redeem it first. Here‘s how:
For Unredeemed Cards:
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Go to the Amazon Gift Card Balance page
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Enter the Gift Card Number and PIN if you have it
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Select Check Balance to view the amount
For Redeemed Cards:
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Visit Gift cards under your Amazon Account
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View your total Current Balance including any gift card amounts
Checking your balance lets you confirm the correct value before redeeming and allows tracking spending if you‘ve already redeemed.
No need to guess how much is left or worry about losing track!
Can You Buy an Amazon Gift Card with Another Gift Card?
This is one of the most frequently asked questions I see about Amazon gift cards. Unfortunately, you cannot directly use an Amazon gift card to buy another Amazon gift card.
Amazon has this policy in place to prevent gift card trading and resale of their cards. When you go to purchase a gift card using your Amazon balance at checkout, you‘ll get an error.
So if you have an Amazon gift card and want to buy a card for a different retailer, here are you options:
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Swap it for another brand like Target or Starbucks using a gift card exchange site
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Purchase a third-party e-gift card from Gyft, eGifter or Giftcards.com
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Buy a reloadable Visa gift card with your Amazon balance
While you can‘t directly exchange an Amazon card for Amazon credit, you do have alternatives to end up with a different retailer‘s gift card.
Transferring Your Amazon Gift Card Balance
A common question is whether you can transfer an Amazon gift card balance to someone else if you want to gift your card. Let‘s break this down:
Before Redeeming the Card
If your gift card has NOT yet been redeemed to an Amazon account, you can absolutely transfer it to another person:
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Physical Card – Just hand off or mail the intact gift card to the new recipient
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E-Gift Card – Forward the original claim code email to the new recipient
As long as it‘s unused, an original Amazon gift card is transferable.
After Redeeming to Your Account
Once you redeem an Amazon gift card to your own account balance, that value cannot be transferred:
- The balance merges into your available funds
- There is no way to isolate the gift card amount
- You cannot move funds between Amazon accounts
At that point, your options are spending it yourself or exchanging it locally for cash.
So be sure you want to keep an Amazon gift card before taking the irreversible step of adding it to your own Amazon balance!
Getting Cash Back for an Amazon Gift Card
While Amazon‘s official policy is no returns or exchanges for gift cards, there are some handy workarounds if you want to cash one out:
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Sell to a Buy-Back Site – Sites like CardCash and GiftCardGranny buy unused gift cards for ~80% cash back on average. Quick and reliable.
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Swap for a Different Card – CardSwap lets you exchange Amazon cards for popular brands like Target, Walmart, Starbucks etc.
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Sell Privately – List locally on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, Reddit etc. to exchange for cash in-person. More work but higher return.
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Use for Amazon Purchases – Apply the balance to Prime membership, Kindle books, Amazon Fresh orders if you shop there often.
Getting the full face value back is difficult, but you typically can recover 70% to 90% of your unused Amazon gift card balance if needed.
Important Amazon Gift Card Policies and Details
I want to make you aware of some key Amazon gift card policies that are good to know about:
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No Expiration – Amazon gift card balances never expire once added to your account. Unredeemed cards expire after 10 years.
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No Fees – There are no activation, redemption or usage fees. Only a purchase fee on high value cards over $100.
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Non-Transferable – Balances cannot be transferred between accounts, only unused gift cards.
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Country Locked – Can only be redeemed in the country of intended purchase.
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Refunds Go to Balance – Gift card used on a returned item will credit back to your Amazon balance.
Understanding these rules will help avoid any issues or surprises when buying, gifting and using Amazon gift cards.
Avoiding Amazon Gift Card Scams
While buying gift cards directly from Amazon is typically safe, there are unfortunately some gift card scams to watch out for:
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Unsolicited Email Offers – Delete surprise emails claiming you won a gift card or asking for your info.
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Poor Condition Cards – Only buy original cards in pristine packaging from authorized sellers. Avoid potentially tampered with cards.
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Fee Requests – Reject any offer requiring upfront fees to activate, redeem or ship a gift card to you.
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Too Good to Be True Deals – Extremely discounted gift cards or free offers are almost always a scam.
Stick to real retailers like Amazon.com or major chains to avoid these pitfalls. Being vigilant protects you from gift card scammers.
Answers to Your Frequently Asked Amazon Gift Card Questions
I want to wrap things up by answering some of the most commonly asked questions about Amazon gift cards:
Can you use an Amazon gift card internationally?
Yes, Amazon gift cards from one country can be applied to a different country‘s Amazon site. The value automatically converts to the local currency.
Where can I buy an Amazon gift card besides Amazon.com?
Nearly any major retailer like Walmart, CVS, Walgreens, Target, as well as convenience stores and supermarkets sell Amazon gift cards in-store.
How do I check the balance of an Amazon gift card?
You can check the unredeemed balance at Amazon‘s gift card site. For redeemed cards, your total balance with the gift card amount is visible in your Amazon account.
Can you transfer an Amazon gift card balance to PayPal?
No, there is no way to move an Amazon balance directly to PayPal. You would need to cash out the gift card using a buy-back site or local sale.
Do Amazon gift cards expire?
Yes, unredeemed Amazon gift cards expire after 10 years per the Gift Card Terms & Conditions. But once added to your account, that balance never expires.
Can I get a refund for an Amazon gift card?
Amazon‘s policy prohibits returns or exchanges for gift cards. Your only options are reselling sites or exchanging locally if the card is unused.
And there you have it – everything you could possibly need to know about exactly how Amazon gift cards work in 2024! I hope this breakdown gave you tips for purchasing, redeeming and using Amazon gift cards to their full potential.
Let me know if you have any other gift card questions! I‘m always happy to share more Amazon shopping wisdom with fellow deal-seekers like you.