Amazon gift card balances cannot be transferred directly to a bank account

An Amazon gift card balance lives in your Amazon account only. Amazon does not offer a way to move that balance to a checking or savings account, even if you own both. The money is locked to purchases on Amazon.com and affiliated services — you cannot cash it out.

What you can do instead depends on what form your gift card is in. If it is a physical card or a code you have not yet redeemed, you have options before you add it to your account. If the balance is already in your Amazon account, your paths are narrower.

Key Takeaways

  • Amazon gift card balances cannot be transferred to a bank account under any circumstances — the money stays in your Amazon account.
  • If you have not redeemed the card yet, you can sell an unused physical card or code to a third-party reseller for cash, though you will receive less than face value.
  • Once a gift card is redeemed into your Amazon account, the only way to convert it to cash is to buy something and then return it for a refund to your original payment method.
  • Amazon will not issue refunds to a bank account if the original gift card was the payment method — refunds go back to the gift card balance.

Selling an unredeemed gift card for cash

If you have a physical Amazon gift card or a code you have not yet entered into your account, you can sell it to a reseller. Sites like Raise, CardCash, and Decluttr buy gift cards at a discount — typically 70 to 95 percent of face value, depending on demand and the card's condition.

The process is straightforward: you provide the card number and PIN (or the code), the reseller verifies it has the balance you claim, and they send you cash via bank transfer, PayPal, or check. The discount exists because the reseller is taking on the risk that you might have already used part of the balance, or that the card is counterfeit.

This option only works before you redeem the card. Once you enter the code into your Amazon account, the balance is locked there and cannot be sold.

Buying and returning items to convert balance to cash

If your gift card balance is already in your Amazon account, the only path to cash is indirect: buy something, return it, and request a refund to a bank account instead of back to the gift card.

Here is how it works in practice. You purchase an item using your Amazon gift card balance. You then initiate a return through your Amazon account — go to Your Orders, select the item, and choose Return or Replace Item. Amazon will ask where you want the refund. If you select a bank account or credit card as the refund destination, Amazon will send the money there instead of back to the gift card balance.

The catch: the item must be returnable. Most items sold by Amazon directly are returnable within 30 days. Items sold by third-party sellers vary — some allow returns, some do not. Clearance items, digital content, and certain categories like food and hazardous materials are not returnable. If the item you buy is not returnable, this method fails.

You also lose money on the transaction if the item has depreciated or if you pay return shipping. A $50 gift card spent on a $50 item might net you $40 or $45 after return costs, depending on the item's condition and whether Amazon covers return shipping.

Why Amazon does not allow direct transfers

Amazon treats gift card balances as store credit, not cash. This is a deliberate business choice. Gift cards are designed to keep money in the Amazon ecosystem — once you have a balance, you are likely to spend it on Amazon rather than elsewhere. Allowing transfers to bank accounts would defeat that purpose.

From a technical standpoint, Amazon could enable transfers, but they have chosen not to. This is different from some other retailers (like Target or Walmart) that also do not allow transfers, and different from prepaid debit cards, which function like bank accounts and can be used anywhere.

What happens if you receive a refund to a gift card balance

If you return an item that you originally bought with a gift card, Amazon defaults to refunding the money back to your gift card balance, not to a bank account. You have to actively select a different refund destination during the return process.

This is important if you are trying to use the buy-and-return method. When you start the return, Amazon will show you the refund destination options. Make sure you select your bank account or credit card, not "Original Payment Method" — if you choose the latter, the money goes back to the gift card balance.

Third-party services that claim to convert gift cards

You will find websites and apps that advertise converting gift cards to cash when ready or with minimal loss. Most of these are resellers (like the ones mentioned earlier) that buy your card at a discount. Some are scams.

Red flags include requests for the card number before they quote a price, promises of 100 percent value, or pressure to act quickly. Legitimate resellers show you the offer before you hand over the card details, and they verify the balance before sending money.

No service can transfer an already-redeemed Amazon gift card balance to your bank account. If a site claims it can, it is not legitimate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer my Amazon gift card balance to someone else's account?

No. Amazon gift card balances are tied to the account they were redeemed into and cannot be transferred, gifted, or moved to another person's account. If you want to give the balance to someone else, you would have to buy items and have them shipped to that person, or give them the unredeemed code before you redeem it yourself.

What if I bought something with a gift card and the seller refunded me directly?

If a third-party seller issued a refund outside of Amazon's system, that refund goes to the payment method you used at checkout. If you used a gift card balance, the seller cannot refund to your bank account — they can only refund to Amazon, which puts the money back into your gift card balance. Only Amazon-issued refunds through the official return process can go to a bank account.

Can I use my Amazon gift card balance to pay a credit card bill?

No. Your Amazon balance cannot be used to pay bills, transfer to other accounts, or purchase gift cards for other retailers. It can only be spent on Amazon.com and certain affiliated services like Whole Foods or Amazon Fresh.

Do I have to pay taxes if I sell a gift card to a reseller?

That depends on the amount and your location. Selling a gift card is generally not considered taxable income because you are selling an asset at a loss (you receive less than face value). However, if you sell multiple cards regularly or at a profit, it could be considered business income. Consult a tax professional if you are selling gift cards in volume.