Amazon accepts different payment methods, from credit cards and debit cards to digital or gift cards. To further simplify the customer experience, it allows customers to split costs using 2 payment options. How does this work?
Firstly, you need to understand that you cannot split the payment for an order between two cards. In other words, paying with two credit or debit cards will not work.
The only way to split payment on Amazon is to combine a prepaid (credit or debit) card with a gift card. However, if there is nothing in your gift card balance, you can purchase gift cards with a credit or debit card and complete your payment.
This guide covers how to split payment on Amazon and alternative payment plans you can consider (including how they work.)
How to Split Payment on Amazon
There are 7 simple steps you need to take to split payment on Amazon:
- After you are done shopping, go to your cart and click “Checkout.”
- You may be required to fill out your shipping address if you shop on Amazon for the first time. Otherwise, you can skip this stage because it should be filled out automatically.
- Proceed to the payment portal. This interface will provide you with 2 payment options: credit/debit card and gift cards or promotional codes.
- To split payment, you must select the card type you want to use for part of the payment and enter the amount you want to pay with the card.
- Select the gift cards or promotional codes button and enter the amount you wish to deduct from your gift card balance.
- If you have exhausted your gift card balance, you can buy from Amazon using a credit or debit card via Amazon Reload and apply it to your balance.
- Select “Confirm Payment,” and a summary of your order will appear. Here, you can double-check your payment before finalizing the payment.
Note: You can buy as many gift cards to balance a payment. There is also no specific order for splitting payment on Amazon. You can start with any of the wallets.
Is It Safe to Buy Amazon Gift Cards from a Third Party?
While you can buy Amazon gift cards from a third party, buying only from their website or approved retailers is the safest option. The primary reason is to protect you from scammers who may be interested in personal information like your password.
In addition, you cannot pay for non-Amazon items or products you intend to resell with an Amazon gift card. These cards are also not transferable.
What Other Payment Plans Are Available for Amazon Orders?
You no longer have to drop a few items from your order during checkout because your credit card or gift card balance cannot afford it. Instead, check for products that offer other forms of flexible payments and activate them.
This way, you can buy every item on your list and complete their payment later. While these payment plans have eligibility criteria, they can easily make your shopping experience convenient:
1. Amazon Pay Monthly
This is the first payment plan budget-conscious consumers should target. The payment plan allows you to pay over 4 months after selecting it at checkout. Your 4-month payment plan will require 5 installments.
- The first installment must be paid once the product is shipped out. This payment covers shipping, taxes, and handling.
- Subsequent installments (4) are equal payments (usually around 20% of the purchase price) and will be deducted from your credit or debit card every 30 days.
This payment plan does not incur interest charges and is not based on your credit score. However, eligibility is based on the minimum order amount and your order history.
You should also note that you are limited to one product category. This means you can activate Amazon Pay Monthly for one electronic device or piece of clothing.
2. Amazon Equal Pay
This credit card option helps you to split payment over a longer period or if the product you are buying does not support Amazon Pay Monthly. In this case, you can split payments equally between 6 and 24 months without incurring any interest.
This payment plan is only available for Synchrony and Chase Amazon credit card customers. The terms and conditions for both credit card companies differ. For context, below is what to expect:
Chase Amazon Visa Cards
| Months | Minimum order |
| 6 | $50 |
| 12 | $250 |
| 18 | $500 |
Synchrony Amazon Store Card
| Months | Minimum order |
| 6 | $50 |
| 12 | $300 (can be up to $600 via a limited bonus offer) |
| 24 | $600 |
The total amount for the product is charged to your card once the item ships. Hence, your installment payment will be deducted from the minimum monthly payment. Please note that interest charges will apply if you do not pay on time.
Amazon Special Financing
Amazon Special Financing is more suitable for large payments. This service allows you to pay large orders rather than splitting them into equal installments.
Only Amazon store cardholders and Chase Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature cardholders (sometimes) qualify for this financing option. Failure to pay on time will incur interest charges (usually high.)
Aside from being available to only a few customers, their high interest rate may be discouraging.
| Months | Minimum order |
| 6 | $150 |
| 12 | $600 |
| 24 | Only on select products |
Citi Flex Pay
Customers with a Citi credit card can pay for select Amazon products over time (usually 3 to 24 months) with a low interest or 0 percent APR. You only need to choose a Citi card as your payment when completing an eligible Amazon order.
| Months | Minimum order | Promo APR |
| 3 months | $50 or more | 0% |
| 6 months | $149 or more | 0% |
| 12 months | $300 or more | 0% |
| 18 or 24 months | $600 or more | 9.74% |
Amex’s Pay It, Plan It
This is similar to Citi Flex Pay. The flexible payment plan is for American Express cardholders. It allows them to split payments across 3 months or more for orders worth or above $100.
Select American Express (Amex) credit card as your preferred payment method to use this payment plan. After making payment, log in to your Amex account and select which order you wish to cover with Plan It.
Another advantage of the Amex Pay It, Plan It program is that it allows you to pay for up to 10 purchases at once, provided they add up to $100 or more. There are also no interest charges.
Amazon Affirm
Amazon Affirm is a payment plan that allows you to select a payment plan for an eligible purchase. This plan can run from 3 to 24 months, depending on the item and your credit card score.
While it features no prepayment penalty, there is a chance that interest fees will accrue on your order.
FAQs
Can you use a Visa gift card on Amazon for partial payment?
Yes, you can use a Visa gift card for splitting payments on Amazon. If you do not have sufficient funds from your balance to cover the entire purchase, you need to add a second payment option, which is limited to a credit or debit card.
Does Amazon accept Cash App?
Amazon accepts Cash App, provided you have enough money in your card balance.
Does Amazon accept PayPal?
You cannot use PayPal as a direct payment for Amazon orders.
Wrapping Up
Gone are those days when you must remove a few items from your cart to accommodate your account or gift card balance. Now, you can combine both to pay for an order, provided they cover the total cost of the order.
Should both payment options be insufficient to cover your expenses, there are other payment plans you can fall back on. The good thing is that most of these payment supports credit cards and will not charge you any interest if you finish paying on time.
With these options, it is safe to say this is one of the best times to shop online, especially on Amazon.
I hope you found this guide helpful. For further reading, please see how long Amazon takes to ship packages.
Thanks for reading.
