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Amazon is a popular online platform that offers a vast range of products at affordable prices. From daily groceries to beauty products, electronics, and more, you can find almost anything on Amazon.com.
However, if you receive SNAP benefits, you may be asking if you can use your Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card to make purchases on Amazon. So, the question is, “Does Amazon accept EBT?”
Today’s post focuses on whether the platform accepts EBT cards as payment and what items are eligible for purchase using them.
What is EBT?
The Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card is provided to individuals enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
SNAP benefits have replaced food stamps and are distributed through the EBT card. As a SNAP recipient, you can use your EBT card to buy items similar to how you would use a regular debit card. However, there’s a difference: while a regular debit card allows you to purchase any item if you have enough funds, EBT cards can only be used to buy SNAP-eligible items from approved stores.
Below, I’ll cover the types of items you can purchase.
While most people use SNAP benefits in physical stores, some online retailers now accept food stamps as payment. You might be curious if Amazon is one of these retailers.
Does Amazon accept EBT?
Amazon accepts SNAP EBT benefits for purchases on Amazon Fresh and Amazon Grocery. Shipping is usually free if you meet certain order minimums.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) runs the SNAP Online Purchasing Pilot, allowing SNAP recipients to use their EBT card for online grocery purchases at participating retailers in certain states, including Amazon.
Keep reading to learn more about how EBT payments work on Amazon and what items you can buy with SNAP benefits.
What states can use EBT on Amazon?
You can use your EBT card on Amazon if you reside in a state that participates in the SNAP Online Purchasing Pilot program. Here are the states currently participating:
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
How do I add my EBT card to my Amazon account?
To shop with your SNAP EBT card on Amazon, you must first link it to your Amazon account. Once linked, you can buy eligible items and pay for them by entering your EBT PIN.
Your EBT card works for Amazon Fresh and groceries on Amazon. Here’s a closer look at how to use SNAP benefits on Amazon.
Using an EBT card on Amazon Fresh
You can buy groceries on Amazon Fresh with your EBT card.
Amazon Fresh is like a regular grocery store, delivering various perishable, shelf-stable, and household items to your doorstep. It’s offered in certain areas.
Usually, Amazon Fresh is exclusive to Prime members. However, using an EBT card in eligible regions allows you to access Amazon Fresh Selection without paying Prime membership fees.
Amazon Fresh offers free delivery on orders of $35 or more ($50 in some areas) for eligible items. If your order falls below this threshold, you can still place it but will need to pay a separate shipping fee, which can’t be covered by an EBT card. You’d need an alternative payment method in such cases.
Moreover, Amazon Fresh provides the convenience of scheduling your preferred delivery time within a 1 or 2-hour window, with same-day delivery options available.
Using your EBT card on Amazon Grocery
You can use your EBT card to buy groceries on Amazon. They have a wide range of pantry staples, shelf-stable food, and household items in the Grocery and Gourmet Food category, available nationwide.
If you’re a Prime member, you can enjoy free shipping. Without Prime, you can still get free shipping on orders of $25 or more of eligible items.
Alternatively, you can place a smaller order and pay the shipping fee separately. Remember, you can’t use your EBT card to cover the shipping cost, so you’ll need another payment method.
What can you buy with EBT at Amazon?
You can use your EBT funds to buy food items eligible for SNAP on Amazon.com. Look for the “SNAP EBT eligible” label near the product name to see what you can purchase.
Not everything on Amazon is eligible; you can’t buy things like TVs or personal care items. Stick to eligible food and drinks when using your SNAP benefits.
Here’s a list of what you can purchase with your EBT card:
- Breads and cereals (e.g., pita bread, rye bread, tortillas, pasta, bagels, rice).
- Candy.
- Chips.
- Cold sandwiches.
- Cooking oils (e.g., olive oil, vegetable oil).
- Dairy products (e.g., cheese, milk, almond milk).
- Desserts (e.g., ice cream, cookies, brownies).
- Fruits and vegetables (fresh, frozen, or canned).
- Non-alcoholic beverages (e.g., soft drinks like Sprite and Pepsi, energy drinks like Red Bull).
- Other foods like snack items.
- Pork products (e.g., chops, sausages, bacon, tenderloin).
- Poultry products (e.g., chicken, eggs).
- Red meat (e.g., steak, ribs, ground beef).
- Salads.
- Seafood (e.g., fish, shrimp, shellfish, lobster).
- Seeds and plants for household food production.
- Snack crackers.
Other ways to save with Amazon Access
Amazon Access continually innovates to enhance customer savings and convenience by eliminating obstacles. Visit the Amazon Access page to find additional ways to save time and money.
Can I use EBT on Amazon Whole Foods?
Whole Foods accepts EBT cards in its stores, but unfortunately, they don’t accept them for online purchases in most places.
However, you can still enjoy Whole Foods products delivered to your home by ordering through Amazon. Many Whole Foods items are available through Amazon.com groceries and Amazon Fresh delivery. Plus, you can use your EBT card to buy Amazon Grocery items and items from Amazon Fresh.
Can you use EBT to pay for Amazon Prime?
No, you can’t use EBT to pay for Amazon Prime. However, EBT cardholders can still get Amazon Prime at a discounted price.
Amazon Prime usually costs $12.99 per month, but EBT recipients can get it for $5.99 per month, which means a 50% discount.
With Amazon Prime, you get free delivery on eligible items with no minimum order requirement, and you also gain access to a library of movies and TV shows through Prime Video.
Can you buy EBT items and non-EBT items in the same transaction?
You can use both your EBT card and a credit card when making purchases on Amazon.
However, if you have items in your cart that are not eligible for SNAP benefits, you’ll need to use a regular debit or credit card to pay for those.
Additionally, if there are any shipping fees, you’ll have to use a regular payment card to cover them since EBT cards cannot be used for shipping fees.
Do Amazon coupons apply to SNAP orders?
Amazon does not accept paper coupons from newspapers or competitors. However, it offers its own online coupons that are accessible to all customers, including those using SNAP benefits. This allows you to apply Amazon’s coupons to SNAP-eligible items, saving you money on the platform. You can find and clip these coupons directly from the main page or look for “Save $X.XX” flags while shopping.
The bottom line
It’s great to know that Amazon accepts EBT cards as a payment method. With this option, you can purchase a range of staple food items, including pasta, spices, and meat. But, that’s not all – you can also buy some surprising items such as protein powder using your SNAP benefits.
One of the best things about using EBT on Amazon is that you can find affordable prices, often with discounts and free shipping offered too. So, if you want to make your EBT benefits go further, Amazon is a good option to explore.
If you’ve ever wondered whether Amazon accepts EBT, now you know!