How to use vanilla gift card on amazon in 2022 [Full Guide]

Do you know that Amazon accepts vanilla gift cards? If you want to send a gift to a friend, a vanilla gift card allows you to give it a custom look, and similar to visa gift cards, it can be used in many checkouts.

In this article, you’ll learn how to use Vanilla gift card on Amazon. You will also see why it’s not best practice to directly purchase with this card, and what other options there are.

How To Use Vanilla Gift Card On Amazon: The Best Guide

Vanilla Gift Cards is a company that makes physical and electronic gift cards (Visa and MasterCard).

The biggest selling point of a Vanilla card is that you can create a custom gift card by uploading a photo to their website. Also, you can choose from their line of premade cards that celebrate various holidays.

A Vanilla card is an attractive option to enhance what can sometimes be an impersonal choice of gift.

There are some drawbacks to Vanilla gift cards. However, let’s talk about how to use the card first.

How To Use Vanilla Gift Card On Amazon Website

There is more than one option to add a vanilla card to your Amazon account. Let’s take a look at three of these options:

The Standard Way

You can follow the standard procedure for adding gift cards to add a vanilla card as a payment method.

Here’s how to do that:

1. Proceed to Your Payments by following this link.
2. Click on Add A Payment Method.

3. Click on Add a credit or debit card and enter your details from there.

While this method is easy and fast, it’s not the best way to add a Vanilla gift card on Amazon.

In Checkout

During checkout, you can also add a vanilla gift card in three easy steps. Similar to the standard method, you can always reuse this card in future payments.

1. During checkout, click Add a credit or debit card.

2. Enter your card details in the popup that appears on your screen.

3. Click Add your card and you’re good to go!

The Recommended Way

Although the two methods above work, you face the problem of an unused balance on your card.

One disadvantage of Vanilla gift cards is they cannot be reloaded. If you buy a product and the amount left on the card isn’t enough to make another purchase, the balance might go to waste.

You can circumvent this by adding your Vanilla gift card to your Amazon balance instead. This way, you don’t have to worry about the balance after using the card.

Here’s how to do that:

1. Proceed to your account and click on Gift cards.

2. Click Reload your balance.

3. Enter the amount left on the gift card, your address, and other requested details.

You can now proceed to pay through your Amazon balance.

The best thing about this method is that you can add different cards.

How To Use Vanilla Gift Card On Amazon Application

Adding and using a Vanilla gift card on the mobile application is similar to the desktop.

Here’s how to add the card and use it:

1. Open the mobile application and proceed to your profile. This is the second option from the left on the navigation bar.
2. Tap on Your Payments.

3. Tap on Add a payment method.

4. Enter your card details and proceed.

You can also reload your Amazon balance using the mobile application.

Is A Vanilla Gift Card The Best Option?

Simply put, no. A vanilla gift card has so many shortcomings.

When you purchase a Vanilla card, you have a limit of $500. If you need to load $1000 in a gift card, you would need a different card from Vanilla.

Also, there are fraudulent activities that the company, InComm Payments, couldn’t debunk. After your first purchase with a Vanilla gift card, you may lose the balance left on it to hackers.

Additionally, there is a 24-hour delay after you buy a new card before it’s activated. Because you can face difficulties using this card at gas filling stations, the company recommends you pay before you fill your card.

A better option is a Visa gift card. See How to Use Visa Gift Card on Amazon to learn more.

Final Thoughts

Vanilla gift card has their advantages like the ability to customize a gift card. However, it has its disadvantages. The insecurity of your funds and the inability to reload the balance are two great ones.

If these caveats are compromises you can make, you will surely enjoy using the card.