Prepaid cards are a popular form of payment because they aren’t linked to a bank account. Instead, money must be loaded onto the cards in advance, making them a great option for gifts or keeping spending under control.
If you prefer prepaid card payments, you may be wondering if Amazon accepts prepaid cards. I wanted to find this out, too, so I started researching, and here are all the details I discovered!
Does Amazon Accept Prepaid Cards?
Amazon accepts prepaid Visa, Mastercard, and American Express cards on Amazon.com and the Amazon app. Prepaid cards can be used to buy millions of items on Amazon with minimal restrictions, similar to how the site accepts all major credit and debit cards.
If you want to explore all the options for paying with prepaid cards on Amazon, including what you can buy and what the restrictions are, then don’t miss the rest of our guide!
Does Amazon Accept Prepaid Visa?
If you have a prepaid Visa card, you’re able to use it to buy whatever you want on Amazon.
With hundreds of product categories and an ever-changing selection, Amazon is one of the most popular places to use prepaid Visa cards.
The e-commerce retail approaches prepaid Visa much like it does actual credit/debit cards.
You just need to confirm the card details, such as the card number and expiry, before it’s added to your Amazon wallet and used to finalize orders.
In addition to accepting prepaid Visa cards, Amazon also has the Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card.
As the official credit card partner of Amazon cards, it just makes sense for Amazon to take prepaid Visa cards too.
Does Amazon Accept Prepaid Mastercards?
Prepaid Mastercards are an accepted form of payment on Amazon, just the same as credit or debit Mastercard.
To use a prepaid Mastercard on Amazon, just log into your account and add the card under your payment methods, including the card number and expiration date.
When you go to checkout, select the prepaid Mastercard to complete your Amazon purchase.
Amazon treats these cards virtually the same as other Mastercards, apart from not accepting prepaid and credit cards in the same transaction.
This means prepaid Mastercards work to buy all products on Amazon, so long as you have enough money on the card to cover the cost of the order.
Does Amazon Take Prepaid American Express?
American Express rounds out the big three credit card companies that Amazon supports for prepaid card payments.
If you have a Visa, Mastercard, or American Express prepaid card, you can use it just as you would a standard credit or debit card.
After adding the Amex prepaid card to your Amazon account, you can shop for thousands of items in each category. As an accepted form of payment, Amazon doesn’t restrict what you can buy with a prepaid Amex card.
Once it’s time to check out, simply choose your prepaid card as the payment method to complete your order and initiate the fulfillment process.
The good thing about using prepaid cards to pay on Amazon is that they are widely available just about everywhere. Most major retailers sell prepaid Visa, Mastercard, and American Express cards, which are popular as gifts.
So long as the card is valid and has funds on it, you should have no problem using this accepted payment method for Amazon purchases.
Can You Use Prepaid Discover Cards On Amazon?
Out of the four major credit card companies in the U.S., Discover is the only one that Amazon doesn’t support for prepaid card payments.
While Discover credit or debit cards can be used for all purchases on Amazon, the same as Visa, Mastercard, or American Express, currently, prepaid Discover cards are not listed as an approved payment option.
There are other places you can use prepaid Discover cards though, such as Target.
If Amazon updates its accepted payment policies in the future to accommodate prepaid Discover cards, it will be listed on the official Amazon page for approved payment types.
What Are Amazon Restrictions On Prepaid Cards?
Overall, Amazon makes it easy to make purchases with prepaid cards, but there are a few restrictions to keep in mind when paying for millions of items online.
With prepaid Visa, Mastercard, and American Express cards, Amazon doesn’t have the option of entering the three-digit CVV code on the back of the card.
If the issuing bank requires the code, payments may not go through successfully. You also can’t combine these prepaid cards with credit cards on a single order.
Amazon also notes that some banks require prepaid cards to be registered with the name and billing address, and there’s a $1 authorization to ensure the payment method is valid.
The authorization is not a charge, but some banks hold the authorized funds as unavailable until it expires.
In other words, if your prepaid card is linked to a certain bank, an extra dollar may be unavailable for spending until your first payment is processed successfully on Amazon.
Keep in mind that these restrictions only apply to some prepaid cards and other than that, Amazon offers a seamless payment experience with the most popular prepaid cards out there.
If there are any issues with your prepaid card, such as it doesn’t have enough money on it, your Amazon order won’t go through. Don’t worry – you will be notified so you can provide an alternate payment method.
Are Amazon Gift Cards Prepaid?
One last thing to remember about prepaid payments on Amazon is that you can top up your gift card balance or use Amazon Cash to keep spending under control.
Amazon gift cards and Amazon Balance are prepaid, so they especially suit shoppers trying to stick to a certain budget and avoid overspending.
Once loaded up, your Amazon Balance effectively serves as a prepaid card payment method, as you can use this across any Amazon orders.
Whether you received an Amazon gift card as a present or you prefer to add cash to your account at a participating retailer, Amazon supports these prepaid options.
Amazon also outlines its prepaid card and reloading options online, as there are several different ways to boost your Amazon Balance for prepaid peace of mind.
To find out more, you can also see our posts on whether or not Amazon accepts Care Credit, if Amazon takes coupons, and how do Amazon gift cards work.
