Is Amazon Gift Card a Credit Card? [Here’s What to Know!]

Amazon gift cards are getting a lot of buzz for making our lives so much easier. And the buzz is well deserved, considering how useful they are. However, Amazon gift cards are not to be confused with credit cards.

Amazon gift cards are not credit cards. They are similar to prepaid cards because they come with preloaded amounts. Once that amount is spent, the gift card can be reloaded and reused just like a prepaid card. Amazon also provides its own credit card.

The rest of this article explains the difference between Amazon gift cards and Amazon credit cards and how you can make the most of each for your shopping needs. If this is a topic you would like to explore further, keep reading until the end of the article to learn more. 

How an Amazon Gift Card Works

An Amazon gift card is either a physical or e-card preloaded with a certain amount that is redeemable for purchasing millions of products on the Amazon store and selected affiliates. However, the Terms and Conditions of Amazon gift cards state that eligible goods and services may change at the company’s discretion.

Suggested Read – Do Amazon Gift Cards Expire? [Complete Guide!]

You can purchase an Amazon gift card on Amazon.com or at select physical stores. You can gift them to friends or buy them for yourself. Many Amazon consumers use gift cards to top up their Amazon account balance instead of cashing in through credit or debit cards, which involves entering payment options and card details. 

You can redeem your Amazon gift card in a few simple steps:

1. Get on the Amazon website and log in to your account. 
2. In the “Accounts” section, click on the “Your Payment” option.
3. Head over to the “Gift Cards” section (scroll past your payment methods), click on it, and select the “Redeem a Gift Card” option (as shown in the image above).
4. Next, you will be prompted to ‘Enter a gift card claim code’. Enter the claim code that came in the email with your gift e-card, or scratch away the UV in ka at the back of a physical card. 
5. Click ‘Apply to your account. 

The amount will instantly be reflected in your account.

Once you’ve spent the balance of your gift card, you will no longer be able to make purchases with it. If you run out of balance on your gift card, you will need to reload the balance using this link to continue using it.

Different Amazon Credit Cards

We’ve established that an Amazon gift card is not the same as an Amazon credit card. Luckily, Amazon does have its own credit cards. You can get the credit card that best suits your needs and credit status. The four Amazon credit card options are:

• Amazon Rewards Visa Card
• Amazon Store Card
• Amazon Secured Card
• Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature

Amazon Rewards Visa Card

The Amazon Rewards Visa Card can be used anywhere that Visa is accepted. You can use it anywhere in the US and in around 150 countries worldwide. Prime membership is not required for eligibility for this card. 

However, you will need to have a good credit score of at least 670 to have your application considered. If your card application is approved, here are some benefits you can enjoy as an Amazon Rewards Visa cardholder:

• 3% for all Amazon purchases
• 2% at gas stations, restaurants, and drugstores
• 1% on all other purchases
• No annual fees
• No foreign transaction fees
• $50 Amazon gift card upon approval

To better understand creditworthiness or credit scoring, read this article. 

Amazon Store Card

If your creditworthiness does not qualify you for a co-branded Visa card, you could give the Amazon Store Card a try. However, you can only use the card for Amazon purchases. Unlike Visa cards for Prime and non-Prime cards, this is not accepted at Whole Foods. 

Naturally, the perks of the Amazon Store Card are not as robust as the Visa cards’ perks, but there are some great benefits you can still enjoy as an Amazon Store Card holder. Some of the most notable perks are:

• 0% APR Financing, which lets you make monthly payments on qualifying Amazon purchases with no interest.
• No annual fees.
• Zero fraud liability, you have protection from unauthorized charges made through your Amazon Store card.
• 5% cashback for Amazon Store card holders with Prime membership.
• $10 Amazon gift card upon approval.

Amazon Secured Card

The Amazon Secured Card is the best option for first-time credit card holders who want to start building their credit. This card gives you the chance to increase your creditworthiness, which will later qualify you for other traditional credit cards. 

This card can be used at Amazon.com and Amazon physical stores. To be eligible for this card, an upfront deposit is required. However, when your credit qualifies you for other cards, you may apply without an upfront deposit.

To avail this card, follow the steps below:

1. Once approved, provide a security deposit to activate the Secured Card features. You can deposit anywhere between $100 and the amount your card application was approved for. You can make incremental deposits of $50. 
2. After 12 months of responsible credit building, you may be eligible for the Store Card features. Eligibility doesn’t mean you are obligated to upgrade to the Store Card. Converting is at your discretion. 

Should you decide to close your account, you can always pay off the card balance, and the company will refund your security deposit. And if you choose to convert to the Store Card, you’ll be required to pay off the remaining balance of your Secured Card. 

If you’ve paid off your balance and there is still an amount left, it will be refunded to you as your security deposit. After upgrading to the Store Card, you can enjoy the perks that come with it for zero annual fees. 

Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature

This card is a premium card exclusive to Prime members. It is essentially a regular credit card with added benefits for Amazon Prime members. It differs from the Amazon Rewards Visa Card in that it offers 5% rebates instead of 3% for non-Prime members. 

The rebates apply to purchases made on all Amazon stores and Whole Foods. You can also have cash advances from the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card, but there is a 25.24% interest rate you will need to pay off in full 21 days after the end of the billing cycle. 

As mentioned, to be eligible for this card, you’d have to have Prime membership with a credit score of at least 670. It has the most robust rewards and benefits compared to all the other cards.

Here they are:

• 5% for all Amazon and Whole Foods Market purchases.
• 2% at gas stations, restaurants, and drugstores.
• 1% on all other purchases.
• $200 Amazon gift card upon approval of the card.

Be informed that the vetting process for this card can be substantially longer as it goes through Chase Bank. If your application is not instantly approved, you will receive a notification from Chase regarding the status of your application after they have appraised your credit history. The process can take two to four weeks, so some patience is required.