Yes, you can transfer money from Amazon to your bank account in most cases
If you have a balance in your Amazon account—from refunds, gift card sales, or seller payouts—you can move that money to a linked bank account. The method depends on why you have the balance. Refunds and gift card proceeds go through Amazon's standard transfer system. Seller payouts use a different route entirely. Both take several business days, and both require you to have already added a bank account to your Amazon profile.
The catch: you cannot transfer money you have not earned or received. You cannot pull funds from your Amazon credit card or your Amazon Prime membership fee. You can only move money that Amazon already owes you.
Key Takeaways
- Refunds and gift card sales transfer through your Amazon account settings, taking three to five business days to reach your bank.
- Seller payouts require enrollment in Amazon's payout program and follow a separate schedule, usually weekly or biweekly depending on your seller type.
- You must add a valid bank account to your Amazon profile before any transfer can begin.
- Amazon does not charge a fee to transfer money to your bank, but your bank may charge a fee for receiving ACH deposits.
Transferring a refund or gift card balance from your Amazon account
When Amazon refunds you or you sell a gift card on Amazon, the money lands in your Amazon account balance first. To move it to your bank, sign into your Amazon account and go to Account Settings, then select Gift Cards or Your Account depending on your account type. Look for an option labeled Transfer Balance to Bank Account or Withdraw Funds. You will see your current balance and a list of linked bank accounts.
Select the bank account where you want the money to go, confirm the amount, and submit. Amazon will process the transfer as an ACH deposit, which typically takes three to five business days. You will receive a confirmation email with a reference number. Do not delete this email—keep it in case your bank asks about the deposit.
If you do not see a transfer option, your account may not have a linked bank account yet. Go to Account Settings > Payment Options and add your bank's routing number and account number. Amazon will verify the account by depositing two small amounts (usually under $1 each) and asking you to confirm them. This verification takes one to two business days.
How seller payouts work if you sell on Amazon
If you are an Amazon seller, your earnings go into a seller account, not your regular Amazon account. You cannot transfer seller funds through the gift card or refund system. Instead, you manage payouts through Seller Central. Sign in, go to Payments, then Deposit to Your Bank Account. You will see your available balance and a schedule showing when Amazon will deposit funds.
Amazon pays sellers on a schedule that varies by seller type. Professional sellers typically receive payouts weekly or biweekly. Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) sellers may have a different schedule. The payout goes directly to the bank account you registered when you created your seller account. If you want to change the bank account, go to Settings > Bank Accounts and add a new one.
Seller payouts are also ACH transfers and take three to five business days after Amazon initiates them. You can see the exact date Amazon will send each payout in your Seller Central dashboard. If a payout is delayed or does not arrive, check your bank's transaction history first—sometimes deposits appear under a different name or take longer than expected.
What to do if the transfer does not arrive on time
ACH transfers usually land within three to five business days, but weekends and bank holidays can add time. If five business days have passed and you do not see the deposit, log into your bank account and search your transaction history for any pending deposits. Some banks show incoming ACH transfers as "pending" for a day or two before they clear.
If the deposit is truly missing, contact Amazon first. Go to Account Settings > Transaction History and look for the transfer. If it shows as "completed" on Amazon's end, the delay is on your bank's side. Call your bank's customer service line and give them the reference number from Amazon's confirmation email. Your bank can trace the ACH transfer and tell you where it is.
If Amazon shows the transfer as "pending" or "failed," contact Amazon's customer service through your account. Explain when you initiated the transfer and which bank account you selected. Amazon can resend the transfer or investigate why it failed. Do not initiate a second transfer while the first one is still pending—this can cause duplicate deposits or confusion.
Fees and limits on transfers
Amazon does not charge you to transfer money to your bank account. However, your bank may charge a fee for receiving ACH deposits, depending on your account type. Check your bank's fee schedule or call them to ask whether they charge for incoming ACH transfers. Most banks do not, but some business accounts or specialty accounts may.
Amazon does not publish a maximum transfer amount, but your bank may have limits on how much you can receive in a single ACH deposit. If your Amazon balance is very large, your bank might split it into multiple deposits or require you to contact them first. Call your bank before you initiate a large transfer to confirm they can accept it.
There is no minimum transfer amount, but Amazon may not process transfers under $0.50. If your balance is very small, you may need to wait until you have accumulated more before you can transfer.
Why a transfer might fail or be rejected
The most common reason a transfer fails is an incorrect bank account number or routing number. If you entered the wrong digits when you added your bank account, Amazon's system will reject the transfer. Check your bank statement or your bank's website to confirm your routing number and account number are correct. Then delete the incorrect account from your Amazon profile and add it again with the right numbers.
A transfer can also fail if your bank account is closed or inactive. If you closed the bank account after you linked it to Amazon, the transfer will bounce back. Add a new, active bank account to your Amazon profile and try again.
In rare cases, your bank may reject an ACH transfer from Amazon if your account is flagged for fraud or if you have reached a daily deposit limit. Contact your bank to ask why the deposit was rejected. They can clear the flag or explain the limit, and then you can resubmit the transfer through Amazon.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to transfer money from Amazon to my bank?
Most transfers take three to five business days. This is the standard ACH processing time. Weekends and bank holidays do not count as business days, so a transfer initiated on Friday may not arrive until the following Wednesday or Thursday. Amazon will show the transfer as "completed" on your end once it has sent the money; the remaining wait is on your bank's side.
Can I transfer money from my Amazon credit card balance to my bank?
No. You can only transfer money that Amazon owes you—refunds, gift card proceeds, or seller earnings. Your Amazon credit card balance is a debt you owe to the credit card issuer, not money Amazon is holding for you. You must pay your credit card bill through the normal payment methods.
What if I do not have a bank account linked to Amazon yet?
Go to Account Settings > Payment Options and add your bank's routing and account number. Amazon will verify the account by depositing two small test amounts and asking you to confirm them. This takes one to two business days. After verification, you can transfer money.
Can I transfer money to someone else's bank account?
No. Amazon only transfers money to the bank account registered under your name on your Amazon profile. The account holder name must match. If you need to send money to someone else, you will need to transfer it to your own bank first, then use your bank's transfer or payment tools to send it to them.
What happens if I initiate two transfers by mistake?
Cancel the second transfer immediately if you can. Log into your Amazon account and look for a "cancel" or "recall" option next to the pending transfer. If both transfers have already been sent to your bank, contact your bank and explain the situation. They may be able to reverse one of the deposits, but this depends on your bank's policies and how quickly you act.