How to Transfer Money From One Amazon Account to Another

While Amazon does not offer a direct method for transferring money from one customer’s account to another, effective indirect strategies exist to facilitate the movement of purchasing power. This article clarifies the nature of Amazon account balances and details primary methods for sharing funds or access.

Understanding Amazon Balances

Amazon accounts can hold various forms of credit, such as Amazon.com Gift Card balances, promotional credits, or amounts from product refunds. These balances function as prepaid store credit for purchases on the Amazon platform. However, these balances are tied to the individual account to which they were applied or issued.

Amazon’s system is not designed for person-to-person transfers of these internal balances. A gift card balance or refund amount in one Amazon account cannot be directly sent to another person’s Amazon account. Each account maintains its distinct financial standing, necessitating alternative approaches to enable another person to make purchases.

Transferring Funds Using Amazon Gift Cards

The most straightforward method for transferring funds between Amazon users involves purchasing and redeeming Amazon Gift Cards. This process allows one individual to convert their funds into transferable Amazon credit for another person’s account. The sender purchases a digital Amazon Gift Card (eGift card) directly from the Amazon website.

During the purchase, the sender specifies the desired amount for the gift card, which can range from a minimum of $5 up to $10,000 for custom amounts. The sender then designates the recipient’s email address, ensuring it is the email associated with the recipient’s Amazon account. Once the purchase is complete, the digital gift card is typically sent to the recipient’s email address almost instantly, though it can be scheduled for delivery at a future date, arriving by 5 AM on the chosen day.

Upon receiving the email, the recipient redeems the gift card into their Amazon account balance. This is done by accessing the unique 14-digit claim code in the email. The recipient navigates to the “Gift Cards” section within their Amazon account settings (website or app) and enters this code to apply the funds. Once redeemed, the value is added to their Amazon.com Gift Card balance, making it available for purchases.

Managing Shared Amazon Access

Another way users consider sharing purchasing power is through Amazon Household, a feature designed primarily to allow family members to share certain Prime benefits. An Amazon Household can include up to two adults, along with up to four teens and four children. This setup enables the sharing of benefits such as Prime delivery, access to Prime Video, and Prime Reading.

Within an Amazon Household, adult members agree to share payment methods linked to their accounts. This means that credit and debit cards associated with one adult’s account become available for use by the other adult member for purchases on Amazon. However, it is important to understand that this mechanism does not involve the direct transfer of existing Amazon account balances or funds between individuals.

While shared payment methods allow one adult to place orders using a card from the other adult’s linked account, each adult maintains their own separate Amazon account with its distinct order history and personal balances. The shared payment functionality facilitates joint purchasing without requiring a direct transfer of monetary value between the individual Amazon accounts. This distinction is important, as Amazon Household is a tool for sharing access to payment methods and Prime benefits, rather than a system for transferring funds directly between personal account balances.