How to pay your Amazon balance or add money to your account
You can add money to your Amazon account or pay an outstanding balance through your account settings. Amazon accepts credit cards, debit cards, and bank transfers depending on your account type and location. The process takes a few minutes and your payment posts immediately in most cases.
The steps differ slightly depending on whether you're paying a past-due balance, adding funds for future purchases, or updating a payment method on file. Most people use the payment method already linked to their account, but you can add a new card or bank account if needed.
Key Takeaways
- You can add a payment method or pay a balance through Account Settings > Login & Security or Your Account > Payments.
- Amazon accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, and debit cards in most regions, plus bank transfers in some areas.
- Payments from a linked card or account post immediately, but bank transfers can take one to three business days.
- If you have an Amazon Business account, you may have access to additional payment options like invoicing or net terms.
Adding or updating a payment method
Go to Your Account and select Payments. From there, choose Add a payment method. You can enter a credit card, debit card, or bank account number. Amazon will ask for the card number, expiration date, and CVV (the three-digit security code on the back), or your bank's routing and account numbers if you choose a bank transfer.
Once you've entered the information, Amazon will verify it—usually instantly for cards. For bank accounts, Amazon may make two small deposits to your account and ask you to confirm the amounts to prove you control the account. This verification step can take a few business days.
You can set one payment method as your default, which Amazon will use for future purchases unless you choose a different one at checkout. You can also delete old or unused payment methods from this same screen.
Paying an existing balance or past-due amount
If you have an outstanding balance on your Amazon account—from a returned item, a disputed charge, or a subscription you cancelled—you'll see a notice when you log in. Go to Your Account, select Payments, and look for any balance owed. Click Pay Now or the balance amount itself.
Amazon will show you the exact amount due and let you choose which payment method to use. If you don't have a payment method on file, you'll need to add one before you can pay. After you submit the payment, you'll receive a confirmation email with a receipt and transaction number.
If the balance is from a subscription or recurring charge you want to stop, paying the balance doesn't cancel the subscription—you'll need to manage that separately in Your Account > Memberships & Subscriptions or Your Account > Digital Content and Devices.
Payment methods Amazon accepts
Amazon takes Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover credit and debit cards in the United States and most other countries. Some regions also accept local payment methods—for example, iDEAL in the Netherlands or Boleto in Brazil. If you're outside the US, check your country's payment options when you add a method.
Bank transfers (ACH in the US) are available in some regions but not all. If your bank account is may be able to access, you'll see it as an option when you add a payment method. Bank transfers typically take one to three business days to post, while card payments are instant.
Amazon does not accept PayPal, Google Pay, Apple Pay, or other digital wallets for account payments, though you may be able to use them at checkout for purchases if you've linked them to your Amazon account separately.
What happens after you submit a payment
Card payments post to your account immediately, and you'll receive a confirmation email within minutes. Your account balance updates right away, so you can place new orders or access services that were blocked by the past-due amount.
Bank transfer payments can take one to three business days to clear, depending on your bank and Amazon's processing time. You'll still receive a confirmation email when you submit the transfer, but the balance won't update until the funds arrive.
If a payment fails—because the card was declined, the account was closed, or the information was incorrect—Amazon will send you an email explaining why and ask you to try again with a different payment method. You can retry from the same Payments page.
Payment issues and what to do
If your payment was declined, check that the card number, expiration date, and CVV are correct. Verify the billing address matches what your bank has on file. If the card is valid but still declines, contact your bank to ask if they're blocking the charge (some banks flag online purchases as suspicious).
If you submitted a bank transfer and it hasn't posted after three business days, log into Your Account > Payments and check the transaction status. If it shows as pending, wait another day or two. If it shows as failed, you'll need to add a different payment method and try again.
If you see a charge on your account that you didn't make, go to Your Account > Login & Security and review your recent activity. If the charge is fraudulent, contact Amazon Customer Service through the Contact Us page—do not reply to any emails claiming to be from Amazon, as those are often phishing attempts.
Amazon Business and other account types
If you have an Amazon Business account, you may have access to net terms or invoicing options in addition to standard payment methods. These allow you to pay after you receive an invoice rather than at the time of purchase. Check Your Account > Payments to see what options are available for your account.
Amazon also offers Amazon Pay, which lets you use your Amazon account to pay on other websites. This is different from making a payment to Amazon itself—it's a way to use your stored payment information elsewhere. If you're looking to pay Amazon directly, use the steps in this article instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I pay my Amazon balance with a gift card?
No. Amazon gift cards are stored as account credit and are used automatically at checkout, but you cannot use them to pay an outstanding balance on your account. You must use a credit card, debit card, or bank transfer to pay a past-due amount. Gift card credit will apply to future purchases once the balance is paid.
How long does it take for a payment to show up?
Card payments appear instantly. Bank transfers take one to three business days. You'll receive a confirmation email immediately after you submit either type of payment, but your account balance may not update until the payment clears.
What if I want to remove a payment method from my account?
Go to Your Account > Payments and find the payment method you want to delete. Click the three dots or Remove button next to it. You cannot delete your default payment method unless you set a different one first. Amazon will keep the method on file for a few days in case a pending charge needs it.
Can I pay someone else's Amazon account balance?
No. Payments must come from the account owner or someone with access to that account's login. If you want to send money to someone else, you can purchase an Amazon gift card and share the code with them instead.
Is there a fee to make a payment on Amazon?
No. Amazon does not charge a fee for adding a payment method or paying a balance. Your bank or card issuer may charge a fee if you use a wire transfer or international payment method, but Amazon itself does not.