Try Before You Buy: Spend Google Play Credit on Amazon in 2019

Did you recently receive free Google Play credits via email?

You can use it to pay for apps and subscriptions, as well as products on Amazon. But don’t think you can spend your Google Play credit to buy just about anything in one of the most popular online stores. There are restrictions and exceptions to the rule.

How to redeem your gift card

1. Go to Google Play Store
2. Tap the Menu button, tap Redeem.
3. Type in your code when prompted, and then tap Redeem.

Once you’ve redeemed your gift card, you can then spend it any way you want. If you want to spend it on Amazon, you can only buy Kindle apps.

You may not be able to buy any virtual or tangible consumer products from Amazon, but you can definitely use them to buy apps for you Amazon Kindle. But first, you must enable sideloading, so you can install applications from other sources. Remember that the Amazon App Store is only official and recognized source for Kindle. Since you’re not buying directly from the store, you must enable Unknown Sources on your device.

1. From the top of home or main screen, swipe down to reveal options and choose More.
2. Tap on Device > Allow Installation of Applications > and then turn ON Unknown Sources.

Since the Play Store app is not available for Kindle, open your browser, then go to play.google.com to buy apps from Google Play.

Once you’ve completed the transaction, turn OFF Unknown Sources.

Sideloading is not necessarily risky for your Kindle device, but there’s always a possibility that malicious code is attached to free apps. By disabling Unknown Sources, you eliminate the risk of threat actors automatically installing malware on your device.

Still got Google Play balance left? Different countries have different rules for redemption but offer almost the same products.

Australia, for example, allows you to buy apps, books, music, music subscriptions, movies, newsstand, and newsstand subscriptions up to a maximum of $2000 (AUD). The same is true within the US.

Rules on using your Google Play credit

The Google Play card may offer a certain level of convenience, but it’s not that flexible.

• You can only use your balance to buy contents that are sold in the same country as its currency. It works like a local currency, really. A credit in USD is only acceptable in the US and not anywhere else.
• If you’re the one sending a Google Play card, you can only buy currency available in your country. That is, you can’t send a gift card to someone in the UK if you are in Australia.
• Subscriptions for Google Play Music can be bought through the Google Play Newsstand but not from other apps.

How to send Google Play credit

1. Launch the Google Play Store app.
2. Tap the Menu button, and then Send a gift.
3. Choose your gift from the options provide, and then follow the instructions to send and buy a gift as provided onscreen.

Don’t forget to update Google Play Store to ensure a smooth and easy transaction.