Amazon is offering a $5 credit to customers who download and use its Amazon Photos app. If you’re already storing pictures on your phone or computer, this could be a simple way to earn something extra while getting your digital photo collection backed up automatically to the cloud.
What is Amazon Photos?
Amazon Photos is a cloud-based photo storage service available with all Amazon accounts. If you’re a Prime member, you get unlimited photo storage at no extra cost. Non-Prime users get 5GB of free storage for photos and videos.
The app stores photos in full resolution. That means your pictures will be saved in clear, original quality. Amazon Photos also supports automatic backup, which makes the process hands-off after you set it up.
How to Get the $5 Credit From Amazon
Here’s how it works:
- Download the Amazon Photos app on your device.
- Sign in with your Amazon credentials.
- Turn on auto-save for your photos.
- Upload at least one photo from your device to Amazon Photos.
That’s it. Once Amazon processes the upload, you’ll receive a $5 credit that you can use on eligible Amazon purchases.
Who’s Eligible for This Offer?
This deal is mostly for Amazon customers who have never used the Amazon Photos app before. If you’ve installed or opened the app in the past, you might not qualify.
To check your eligibility, visit Amazon’s promotion page directly. You have to be signed into your account to access it.
If you’re not eligible, the page will tell you. If you are, you’ll see a confirmation message after enabling the photo backup feature.
When Will You Receive the $5 Credit?
Amazon says the $5 credit will appear in your account within four days after you first upload a photo using the app. In most cases, users report receiving it within 24 hours.
The credit will be applied automatically at checkout when you order eligible products sold and shipped by Amazon.com.
What Can You Spend the $5 On?
The credit can be used on most items sold by Amazon directly, but there are some restrictions:
- It can’t be applied to digital downloads like songs or movies.
- It won’t work on gift cards.
- Third-party sellers on Amazon might not accept it.
Look for items that have the “Ships from and sold by Amazon.com” message—those are your best bet for using the credit.
Is Amazon Photos Safe to Use?
Amazon Photos is encrypted and backed by Amazon Web Services, which powers cloud storage for many businesses worldwide.
Your photos are stored in the cloud and can be accessed from any device. You can also organize your images by person, location, or object using built-in smart tagging features.
If you’re a Prime member, you’re already paying for unlimited space to store your photos. This app lets you take advantage of that benefit while protecting your memories.
Other Hidden Perks of Amazon Photos
Besides earning a $5 credit, Amazon Photos has long-term value.
- Family Vault: Share photo storage with up to five family members at no extra cost (Prime only).
- Search by Keyword: Find photos by typing in “beach,” “dog,” or “birthday.”
- Easy Photo Books: Turn your uploads into printed albums and photo gifts with just a few clicks.
This service isn’t just a backup tool—it can help you organize years of scattered pictures that are sitting in different devices or old cloud platforms.
How Does Amazon Photos Compare to Google Photos?
Here’s a quick breakdown:
| Feature | Amazon Photos | Google Photos |
|---|---|---|
| Free Storage | 5GB | 15GB (shared with Drive and Gmail) |
| Unlimited Storage (with Subscription) | Unlimited (with Prime) | Google One plans start at $1.99/month |
| Automatic Backup | Yes | Yes |
| Search Features | Strong (person, object, date) | Strong (AI-driven) |
| Perk | $5 credit with app download | No promotional credit |
Can You Repeat the Offer?
No. Amazon limits this offer to one per person. Once you redeem the $5 once, you can’t do it again with the same account or device.
That said, households with multiple people may each qualify if they have separate Amazon accounts and haven’t used Amazon Photos before.
What Happens After You Upload Photos?
Your uploaded photos will stay stored on Amazon’s cloud system. You can view them through the app or on the Amazon Photos website. You’ll also receive custom highlights and possible announcements around photo storage or printing promotions.
If you don’t want Amazon to keep the photos, you can delete them from the cloud at any time.
Do You Need to Keep the App?
No, but it’s recommended. If you delete the app immediately after uploading a photo, you may miss future features or benefits.
Keeping the app allows continuous backup, which means you never have to worry again about losing photos if your device gets damaged or lost.
How to Make Sure You’re Eligible
To improve your chances of getting the credit:
- Use an Amazon account that hasn’t used Amazon Photos before.
- Download the app using a mobile device—bonus offers like these often don’t trigger on desktops.
- Enable auto-save when prompted. Some users lost their rewards by skipping this step.
Always check the promotional terms on the Amazon website before downloading to verify availability.
Why Amazon Is Offering This Credit
Amazon Photos competes with Google, iCloud, and Dropbox. To gain users, Amazon gives small rewards to encourage app downloads and feature adoption.
This $5 incentive draws in new users who may stick around for long-term use. For Prime members, Amazon hopes they’ll actually use the unlimited storage they’re already paying for.
Other Easy Ways Amazon Gives Free Credit
- No-Rush Shipping Credits: Choose slower delivery and earn up to $3 for digital items.
- Amazon Reload Bonus: Get $10 bonus when reloading your gift card balance for the first time.
- Amazon Trade-In: Send in used devices for Amazon credit.
- Coupon Clip Center: Get discounts on groceries, home items, and more by “clipping” coupons before checkout.
Amazon offers several methods to earn small chunks of money. They add up over time if you’re strategic about using them.
Is This Worth Your Time?
The entire process—installing the app, signing in, uploading a photo—takes under five minutes. Amazon’s $5 reward for doing that isn’t a huge windfall, but it’s a helpful credit if you were planning to shop there soon anyway.
If you’re a Prime member with thousands of photos stuck on your phone or computer, this app might solve your storage problem while earning you that bonus.
You’re spending zero dollars and very little effort. What else gives you a few bucks for doing almost nothing?
