Amazon Gift Card vs Amazon Prime Gift Card? [Which is Better?]

Which is better; an Amazon gift card or an Amazon Prime gift card? It might seem like a no-brainer to go with the Prime gift card since it comes with all the perks of being a Prime member. But is it worth the extra money?

An Amazon gift card is redeemable to purchase eligible products on Amazon and its affiliated properties. On the other hand, an Amazon Prime gift card gives the recipient access to Amazon’s Prime membership, which has a variety of perks like free shipping.

In the rest of this article, I’ll take you through the differences between Amazon gift cards and Amazon Prime gift cards. I’ll also cover the benefits of each to help you determine the best option. Let’s get started!

Amazon Gift Cards

Amazon gift cards are prepaid cards used to purchase eligible items on Amazon and its affiliated websites. The card is issued by Amazon and can be loaded with a balance of anywhere from $25 to $500. Once the card is loaded, the recipient can redeem the amount and use it to make purchases on Amazon.

Amazon gift cards are a great way to give someone the perfect gift. You can choose the amount you want to give, and they can use it to buy whatever they want on Amazon.

There are two main types of Amazon gift cards:

• Physical gift cards
• eGift cards

Physical Amazon Gift Cards

Physical Amazon gift cards are plastic cards that come in various denominations. You can purchase them at select retailers, like grocery stores and pharmacies. Alternatively, you can buy them directly from Amazon.

You can use physical Amazon gift cards to purchase on Amazon and its affiliated websites. You can also use them to redeem Kindle books, apps, and games.

eGift Cards

eGift cards are digital gift cards you can purchase and send to someone via email. The recipient will then receive a code that they can redeem on Amazon.

Like physical Amazon gift cards, eGift cards can be used to make purchases on Amazon and its affiliated websites. However, eGift cards are faster in terms of delivery. These cards are delivered either immediately or on your desired delivery date. If you choose a delivery date, Amazon delivers the card to the recipient by 5 am on the specified date.

Pros of Amazon Gift Cards

• They don’t expire: Amazon gift cards don’t have an expiration date, so the recipient can use them whenever they want.
• No fees: There are no monthly or annual fees associated with Amazon gift cards.
• Flexibility: Amazon gift cards can be used to purchase a wide range of items, from books to electronics.
• Convenient: Physical Amazon gift cards can be bought at select retailers, while eGift cards can be sent via email.

Cons of Amazon Gift Cards

• Can’t be used in all stores: Amazon gift cards can only be used to make purchases on Amazon and its affiliated websites. They cannot be used to make purchases at other stores.
• They are limited: You can only use these cards to shop for eligible products. It’s possible that the products you’re looking to buy will be ineligible for purchase using an Amazon gift card.
• Are complicated: You must redeem an Amazon gift card before you can use it to shop. The redemption process can be daunting for some people.
• Are non-refundable: Once purchased, Amazon does not offer refunds for gift cards, and they do not have a return policy for the same.

Amazon Prime Gift Cards

An Amazon Prime gift card gives the recipient access to all the benefits of being an Amazon Prime member. This includes:

• Free two-day shipping
• Exclusive deals and coupons
• Streaming movies and TV shows
• Ad-free music

According to Amazon, there are two types of Prime gift membership:

• One-year Prime gift membership: It costs $139 and can be given to anyone.
• Three-month Prime gift membership: It costs $44.97 and can also be given to anyone.

It’s worth noting that the costs above do not take into account taxes. Therefore, you may be required to pay more depending on the payable taxes in your country. Additionally, there’s a chance that Amazon may raise Prime membership fees in the future.

An Amazon Prime gift card is a great way to give someone the benefits of being an Amazon Prime member without paying for it themselves.

Pros of Amazon Prime Gift Card

• The recipient gets access to a wide range of benefits: Amazon Prime gift cards give the recipient access to all the benefits of being an Amazon Prime member. They can get free two-day shipping on eligible items, exclusive deals, and coupons on services like streaming and listening to music.
• It’s a great way to save money: If you frequently shop on Amazon, an Amazon Prime gift card can help you save a lot of money in the long run due to the coupons and discounted deals.
• It’s a great way to give back: If you are an Amazon Prime member and frequently use its services, gifting someone an Amazon Prime gift card is a great way to show appreciation.
• Eligible for Alexa shopping: Prime members receive notifications on the upcoming deals they want to track with Amazon’s digital assistant. However, you must set up Alexa to notify you about new deals and offers. This is an excellent way to upgrade your smart home systems.
• It’s affordable for students: College students with valid .edu emails are eligible for up to 6 months’ free trial of Amazon Prime Student. The free trial gives students the benefits of prime membership and other special student deals.
• Access to FreeTime Unlimited: You save a lot on FreeTime unlimited for your child to access tons of kid-friendly content.
• Savings on Whole Foods: You get discounted prices at Whole Foods locations as an Amazon prime member.

Cons of Amazon Prime Gift Card

• It’s a recurring expense: After the free trial, you’ll have to pay $44.97 for three months or $139 per year to maintain your Amazon Prime membership. This can be seen as a con because it’s a recurring expense that the recipient has to pay after the free trial period is over.
• Not everyone needs it: Some people might not need all the benefits of an Amazon Prime membership. For example, if you don’t shop online often or you don’t watch many movies or TV shows, then you might not need an Amazon Prime membership. In this case, an Amazon Prime gift card would be a wasted expense.
• It’s only available in certain countries: Amazon Prime is only available in certain countries, so if the recipient lives in a country where Amazon Prime is not available, they would not be able to use the gift card.
• You need to have an Amazon account: You must have an Amazon account to redeem an Amazon Prime gift card. If you don’t have an Amazon account, you will have to create one for free. Thus, an Amazon Prime gift card would not be a good option if you don’t want to create an Amazon account.
• The subscription is expensive: The subscription is an expense that you’ll need to add to your budget and one that some people may not be able to afford. However, it is worth it if you use most Amazon services like Amazon Video and Amazon Music and shop on Amazon often enough that the free two-day shipping would be helpful.
• It can’t be used for other things besides Amazon services: The gift card can only be used for Amazon Prime membership, and you cannot use it to purchase items from other stores.

How To Buy and Gift Someone an Amazon Gift Card

Here is the procedure to buy and gift someone an Amazon gift card:

1. Log in to your Amazon account.
2. Scroll to the “Amazon Gift Cards Store.”
3. Click on “eGift Card.”
4. Select your preferred card style.
5. Input the recipient’s email address, your name, expected delivery date, message, and quantity.
6. Click on “Buy Now” to complete the process.

The recipient will receive an email informing them about your eGift card. The email also contains the gift card claim code for redeeming the gift card. They can use the gift card any time because these cards don’t expire.

How To Buy and Gift Someone an Amazon Prime Gift Card

The process for buying and gifting someone an Amazon prime gift card differs from that of gift cards. Here is the process you should follow to buy an Amazon prime gift card:

1. Log in to your Amazon account.
2. Navigate to “Give the gift of Prime.”
3. Select your preferred membership type.
4. Click on “Add prime to cart.”
5. Click “Proceed to checkout.”
6. Input the recipient’s email address, your name, desired delivery date, and a personalized prime gift card message.
7. Choose the “Save gift option.”
8. Follow the prompts to complete the process.

The recipient will receive a gift email notification on the preferred delivery date. The email will have instructions on how to redeem and use the Amazon Prime gift card.

The following are some tips for using the Amazon Prime gift card:

• The recipient can only use the gift on Amazon. Amazon Prime gift cards cannot be transferred or used on other websites apart from Amazon.
• The recipient can convert the gift to an Amazon gift card. If the recipient is already an Amazon Prime member, they can convert their prime gift card into an Amazon gift card for shopping.

Prime Video membership cannot be sent as a gift.