Check your balance on Amazon.com directly
The fastest way to see how much money is on your Amazon gift card is to go to Amazon.com, sign in to your account, and look at the balance in your account settings. Amazon shows your gift card balance in one place, and you can check it anytime without calling anyone or waiting for a response.
To find it: sign in, go to Account (usually in the top right), then select Gift cards or Your account > Gift cards. The page displays your current balance in dollars and cents. If you have added multiple gift cards to the same account, Amazon adds them together and shows the total.
This method works whether you bought the card yourself, received it as a gift, or redeemed a code. The balance updates when ready after you spend money, so you can check it right after making a purchase to confirm the new total.
Key Takeaways
- Your Amazon gift card balance appears in your account settings under Gift cards, and you can check it anytime by signing in.
- Amazon combines the balance from multiple gift cards on the same account into one total.
- The balance updates right away after you make a purchase, so you can verify the new amount when ready.
- If you have not yet redeemed a physical card or code, you will need the card number or claim code to add it to your account first.
- Contact Amazon's customer service if your balance does not match what you expect or if you cannot locate the gift cards section.
Redeem a gift card code before checking the balance
If you have a gift card code but have not yet added it to your account, you must redeem it first. The code is usually printed on the back of a physical card or sent to you in an email. Once you redeem the code, the dollar amount transfers to your account balance and appears in the Gift cards section.
To redeem: sign in to your account, go to Account > Gift cards, and select Redeem a gift card. Enter the code exactly as it appears (Amazon codes are case-sensitive), then click explore to your balance. The money is now part of your account and ready to spend.
If the code does not work, check that you typed it correctly, including capital and lowercase letters. If you still see an error, the code may have expired or already been used. Contact Amazon customer service with the code and the card packaging or email to investigate.
What happens to your balance when you make a purchase
When you buy something on Amazon using your gift card balance, the amount is deducted automatically. Amazon uses your gift card balance first before charging any other payment method on file. If your purchase costs more than your balance, Amazon charges the remaining amount to your credit card, debit card, or other payment method.
Your balance updates when ready after the purchase completes. You can check your account right away to see the new total. If you return an item, Amazon refunds the money back to your gift card balance, not to the original payment method.
Physical cards versus digital codes
Amazon sells gift cards in two formats: physical cards you receive in the mail and digital codes sent by email. Both work the same way once redeemed — the balance appears in your account and you spend it the same way. The only difference is how you receive the code.
Physical cards arrive in an envelope and have the code printed on the back. Digital codes come as a link in an email, and you can redeem them when ready without waiting for mail delivery. Some digital cards let you customize the message and delivery date before sending.
Either format can be checked the same way: sign in to your account and look at the Gift cards section. There is no separate process for physical versus digital cards once they are redeemed.
Troubleshooting a balance that does not match
If your balance seems wrong — lower than expected or missing entirely — start by checking whether all your gift cards have been redeemed. If you have multiple codes, each one must be redeemed separately to add to your total. An unredeemed code will not show up in your balance.
If you recently made a purchase, remember that pending orders may not deduct from your balance right away. Wait a few minutes and refresh the page. If the balance still looks incorrect after a purchase has completed, or if you see charges you did not make, contact Amazon customer service with the date and amount of the transaction.
Keep the original card or email with the code in case you need to prove you owned it. Amazon can look up the code in their system and investigate whether it was redeemed to the correct account.
Using your balance across Amazon services
Your gift card balance works on Amazon.com for physical items, digital content, and services. You can use it to buy books, movies, music, apps, or anything else sold on the main site. The balance also works on Amazon Prime Video purchases and some other Amazon-owned services, though not all.
The balance does not work on third-party seller fees, Amazon Web Services (AWS), or some subscription services outside the main Amazon ecosystem. When you are at checkout, Amazon shows you which payment methods are accepted for that specific item, so you will know before you complete the order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I check my balance without signing in?
No. Amazon requires you to sign in to your account to see your balance. This protects your account from unauthorized access. If you do not have an account yet, you can create one for free using an email address and password.
Does my balance expire?
Amazon gift card balances do not expire. You can use the money anytime, even years after you receive the card. However, the physical card itself may wear out or be lost, so it is safer to redeem the code as soon as you receive it.
What if I lost my gift card code?
If you have already redeemed the code, your balance is safe in your account and you do not need the code again. If you have not redeemed it yet and lost the code, contact Amazon customer service with the card packaging, receipt, or email confirmation. They can look up the code if you can prove you own the card.
Can I transfer my balance to someone else?
No. Once a gift card code is redeemed to your account, the balance is tied to that account and cannot be moved or transferred. If you want to give money to someone else, you must purchase a new gift card in their name instead.
Why does my balance show zero even though I have a gift card?
The most common reason is that the code has not been redeemed yet. Check your email or the back of the physical card for the code, then redeem it in your account settings. If the code was already redeemed, the balance may have been spent on previous purchases.