Yes, you can use a Visa gift card on Amazon.com, in two ways: add it as a payment method, or reload your Amazon balance with it. Amazon accepts Visa prepaid and gift cards as a payment method, but a prepaid card can’t be combined with a credit card on the same order.
Which way is better depends on whether the card balance covers the whole order. Below: how to choose, the steps for each method and what to try when a payment is declined.
Choose the right method first
The choice comes down to the card balance compared with your order total. Use this table to pick before you start.
| Your situation | Best method | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The card balance covers the whole order | Add the card as a payment method | It takes the fewest steps. Amazon doesn’t let you add a credit card to cover a difference. |
| The card balance is less than the order total | Reload your Amazon balance | Amazon lets you pay with an Amazon gift card balance plus one credit or debit card. |
| You hold several prepaid cards | Reload with each card | Amazon doesn’t let you split payment among multiple credit or debit cards, and a reload consolidates prepaid balances into your Amazon gift card balance. |
| A card is close to expiring | Reload before it expires | Amazon says reloaded funds never expire, so the card’s value is not lost to its own expiry date. |
Here is an illustrative case. A $25 card can’t pay for a $25.07 order on its own, and Amazon won’t let a credit card cover the 7 cents. Reloading the $25 first, then paying with the balance plus one credit or debit card, handles it.
Before you start
Check where the card works
A Giftronaut US Virtual Visa works only in the United States, and a Canada Virtual Visa only in Canada. The Global Visa Reward Card is a separate card that is accepted at Visa merchants in 225 countries, online and in store, according to Giftronaut’s International Visa gift cards guide.
Check the balance
For a physical card, call the number on the back or use the issuer’s website. For a Giftronaut Virtual Visa, return to the original reward email and follow its link to see your remaining balance and transactions.
Check the expiry
A Giftronaut US or Canada Virtual Visa is single-load and can’t be reloaded. It expires 6 months after issuance or when its balance reaches $0, whichever comes first. The Global Visa Reward Card is also valid for 6 months from issuance.
Register the card if its issuer requires it
Amazon says some card issuers require you to register a prepaid card before you use it. Follow the instructions that came with your card.
Plan for tax and shipping
For a Giftronaut US or Canada Virtual Visa, a purchase above the available balance, including tax and shipping, is declined (Giftronaut’s Visa guide).
Method one: add the card as a payment method
Use this method when the card balance covers the whole order.
- Sign in to Amazon, open Your Account and select Your Payments (Amazon’s payment methods guide).
- Select Add a payment method, then Add a credit or debit card. You can also add the card while placing an order: on the Select a Payment Method page, choose Add a credit or debit card.
- Enter the card number, expiration date and CVV. If Amazon asks for a billing address on a Giftronaut US or Canada Virtual Visa, enter your own address.
- At checkout, choose the card as your payment method.
- Check that the total is not more than the card balance before you place the order.
If the total is higher than the balance, you can’t cover the difference with a credit card on the same order. Lower the total, or use the second method.
Method two: reload your Amazon balance with the card
This moves the card’s value into your Amazon gift card balance. You can then pay with that balance and cover the rest of an order with one credit or debit card. Amazon describes the steps in its balance reload guide.
- Go to Amazon Reload.
- Choose or enter the amount to add, at or below the card’s remaining balance.
- Click Buy Now and select the Visa gift card as the payment method. It must already be saved in your Amazon payment methods, so add it first as shown above if it isn’t.
- Click Place your Order, then check the new balance at amazon.com/balance.
What a reloaded balance can and can’t do
Amazon says reloaded funds never expire and have no fees, and that reload purchases are not refundable or redeemable for cash, except as required by law. Amazon’s gift card terms also say your balance cannot be used to purchase other gift cards, prepaid open loop cards or certain third-party gift cards. For the full picture, see our post on whether Amazon gift cards expire.
What is not confirmed
Amazon lists prepaid Visa cards as accepted payment methods and describes reloading with a prepaid card, but the pages we opened don’t say which cards or amounts a reload accepts. Giftronaut’s Visa guide doesn’t mention Amazon Reload either. Don’t count on a reload until it goes through. If it is declined, add the card as a payment method when it covers the whole order, otherwise lower the order total or use another payment method, and ask the card’s support if you need to know why (for a Giftronaut Virtual Visa, Giftronaut support).
If your Visa gift card is declined on Amazon
| Check | What to do | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Order total above the balance | Include tax and shipping. Lower the total, or reload your balance and pay with it plus one credit or debit card. | Any prepaid card |
| Prepaid card combined with a credit card | Remove the credit card. Amazon says a prepaid card can’t be combined with a credit card on one order. | Any prepaid Visa |
| Card not registered | Register it if its issuer requires that, following the card’s instructions. | Cards whose issuer requires it |
| Wrong country | Use the card in the country it was issued for. | Giftronaut US or Canada Virtual Visa |
| VPN switched on | Turn it off and retry on a standard connection. | Giftronaut US or Canada Virtual Visa |
| Billing address | Enter your own address if Amazon asks for one. | Giftronaut US or Canada Virtual Visa |
| Subscription or recurring payment | Pay with another payment method. Giftronaut lists recurring billing among the things its US and Canada Virtual Visa commonly doesn’t support. | Giftronaut US or Canada Virtual Visa |
If the checks don’t help, a Giftronaut recipient can use Giftronaut’s in-house support team for reward problems by chat or at support@giftronaut.com. Giftronaut’s Visa guide also points to Visa’s cardholder support for activation, balance or usage issues.
How Giftronaut fits if you send rewards
If you are the one sending rewards, this is what Giftronaut adds for your recipients:
- Recipient choice: a Giftronaut Choice Card lets each recipient choose their own reward when they redeem, in their local currency.
- Visa options: US and Canada Virtual Visa cards work online or in a mobile wallet, and the Global Visa Reward Card works at Visa merchants in 225 countries, as of publication.
- One reward email: recipients return to the original reward email to view their card details and balance, and have their own in-house Giftronaut support team for reward problems.
- Simple pricing: no platform fees, contracts, or subscriptions. See the international gift card page for the full range.
Let recipients choose how they spend their reward
Try a sample Giftronaut Choice Card to see what your recipients see when they redeem.
Conclusion
Add your Visa gift card as a payment method when it covers the whole order, and reload your Amazon balance when it doesn’t. Check the balance, country and expiry first. Sending rewards instead of receiving them? A Giftronaut Choice Card lets each recipient pick the reward that suits them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use more than one Visa gift card on one Amazon order?
Not as separate payment methods. Amazon doesn’t let you split payment among multiple credit or debit cards. Reload your balance with each card instead.
What if my Visa gift card balance is less than my order total?
Lower the order total, or reload your Amazon balance first. Amazon lets you pay with that balance plus one credit or debit card.
Why was my Visa gift card declined on Amazon?
Check the declined-payment table above first. Still declined? Giftronaut’s in-house support team handles recipient reward problems by chat or at support@giftronaut.com.
Can I spend a reloaded Amazon balance on other gift cards?
Amazon’s terms say your balance can’t buy other gift cards or prepaid open loop cards. Buying gift cards with a Visa card isn’t addressed.
Can I save a Visa gift card that is about to expire?
Reload your Amazon balance before it expires, and leave time in case it’s declined. Amazon says reloaded funds never expire and have no fees.
Can I use a Giftronaut Virtual Visa for a subscription on Amazon?
Giftronaut’s Visa guide lists recurring or subscription billing among things its US and Canada Virtual Visa commonly doesn’t support. Use another payment method.
