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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →You can get an individual Nintendo Switch Online membership without a credit card by paying with Nintendo eShop funds or redeeming a Nintendo Switch Online membership download code. Family memberships are different: Nintendo requires a credit card or PayPal account to be saved for automatic renewal, even if eShop funds or Gold Points pay for the purchase.
Ways to pay without a credit card
| Method | How it works | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Nintendo eShop Card | Redeem the prepaid card to add funds, then use the balance to buy an individual membership. | The card’s region must match your Nintendo Account region. For a family membership, Nintendo still requires a saved credit card or PayPal account for automatic renewal. |
| Nintendo Switch Online download code | Redeem the membership code instead of paying directly at checkout. | Codes are region-sensitive, and a code does not necessarily bypass the saved-payment requirement for a family membership. |
Nintendo’s support instructions list eShop funds and membership download codes as ways to obtain a membership. See Nintendo’s membership purchase instructions and Nintendo’s eShop card instructions.
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Buy an individual membership with eShop funds
- Get a Nintendo eShop Card intended for the same region as your Nintendo Account. Check the account country and the card’s region before buying.
- On your Nintendo Switch, open Nintendo eShop and choose the option to redeem a Nintendo eShop Card. Enter its 16-character code and select “Add funds and purchase.”
- Open the Nintendo Switch Online membership options, select an individual plan, and use the available eShop balance at checkout.
- Review the automatic-renewal setting. If you do not want future charges, change or turn off renewal in the account’s subscription settings; the available controls can vary by region and plan.
Nintendo also allows membership purchase by redeeming a Nintendo Switch Online download code. Follow the “By redeeming a download code” option in its membership purchase flow.
Why Nintendo may ask for a card when you have funds
The request is tied to the family plan’s automatic-renewal requirement, not necessarily to how you are paying for the current term. Nintendo states that family memberships may be purchased with eShop funds, My Nintendo Gold Points, a credit card, or PayPal, but also requires a credit card or PayPal account as the automatic-renewal payment method for a family membership or a family membership with Expansion Pack. Nintendo’s family-membership payment guidance explains both rules.
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- eCash - Nintendo eShop Gift Card $100
So eShop funds or Gold Points may cover the purchase, while Nintendo still asks you to save a card or PayPal method for renewal. If you cannot provide either, consider an individual membership instead. A membership code may offer another checkout route, but it is not a guaranteed way around the family-plan requirement.
Choose a plan that fits your payment options
| Plan or route | Users | Can avoid entering a card? | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual membership paid with eShop funds | One Nintendo Account | Yes, using a matching-region eShop Card balance. | Confirm region and review auto-renewal settings. |
| Individual membership download code | One Nintendo Account | Yes, by redeeming a compatible membership code. | Confirm code region and the term or membership type the seller provides. |
| Family membership | Multiple accounts under the family membership | No, not if you cannot save either a credit card or PayPal for automatic renewal. | eShop funds or Gold Points can pay for the purchase, but Nintendo still requires a saved renewal method. |
| Family membership download code | Multiple accounts under the family membership | Not guaranteed. | The code does not necessarily remove Nintendo’s saved card or PayPal requirement for renewal. |
Nintendo’s cited guidance does not provide a current price comparison, so check the plan and term shown in your regional eShop before purchasing.
Rank #2
- This item can be redeemed on eShop only. This item cannot be redeemed on the Wii Shop
- The perfect gift for anyone who loves to play—including you. Choose from over 1,000 new, classic and indie games – delivered directly to your Nintendo Switch, Wii U or Nintendo 3DS family of systems.
- Nintendo eShop Digital Cards are redeemable only through the Nintendo eShop on the Nintendo Switch, Wii U, and Nintendo 3DS family of systems.
- Digital Card balances can be shared across Nintendo Switch, Wii U and Nintendo 3DS family of systems, but may only be used on a single Nintendo eShop account.
Check region before buying a card or code
Match the product to the country or region of your Nintendo Account. Nintendo says download codes intended for the U.S., Canada, and Mexico cannot be used in Latin American countries, and Latin American codes cannot be used in the U.S., Canada, or Mexico. Its membership availability and purchase guidance also says Nintendo Switch Online is unavailable in countries not listed in the support flow.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- This item can be redeemed on eShop only. This item cannot be redeemed on the Wii Shop
- The perfect gift for anyone who loves to play—including you. Choose from over 1,000 new, classic and indie games – delivered directly to your Nintendo Switch, Wii U or Nintendo 3DS family of systems.
- Nintendo eShop Digital Cards are redeemable only through the Nintendo eShop on the Nintendo Switch, Wii U, and Nintendo 3DS family of systems.
- Digital Card balances can be shared across Nintendo Switch, Wii U and Nintendo 3DS family of systems, but may only be used on a single Nintendo eShop account.
Rank #3
- This item can be redeemed on eShop only. This item cannot be redeemed on the Wii Shop
- The perfect gift for anyone who loves to play—including you. Choose from over 1,000 new, classic and indie games – delivered directly to your Nintendo Switch, Wii U or Nintendo 3DS family of systems.
- Nintendo eShop Digital Cards are redeemable only through the Nintendo eShop on the Nintendo Switch, Wii U, and Nintendo 3DS family of systems.
- Digital Card balances can be shared across Nintendo Switch, Wii U and Nintendo 3DS family of systems, but may only be used on a single Nintendo eShop account.
- Check your Nintendo Account country before purchasing.
- Check the card or code’s region with the seller; a product sold in your country is not necessarily compatible with an account set to another region.
- Confirm that the code is for Nintendo Switch Online and that its plan and term suit the account you intend to use.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
