Walmart online not accepting EBT Cash - alternative sites that work with CalFresh EBT?

Walmart's online system for EBT Cash has been glitchy since they updated their website in November. The problem is that while they accept regular CalFresh food benefits online reliably, the EBT Cash portion is inconsistently implemented. Some important things to know: 1. Make sure you're selecting "EBT Cash" specifically (not just EBT food benefits) at checkout 2. EBT Cash can only be used for eligible household items, not all products 3. Walmart restricts some items from EBT Cash online that you could buy in-store Alternatives that DO work well with EBT Cash online include Amazon (for Prime members), Albertsons/Safeway delivery, and Target (in select areas). Each store has different eligible item policies though.

OMG Walmart's online EBT system is AWFUL!!! I've been dealing with this for MONTHS!!! It's not just you! Sometimes it works then randomly stops for weeks. I called their customer service 3 DIFFERENT TIMES and got 3 DIFFERENT ANSWERS! One rep said it was a California EBT system issue, another said it was their website, and the third just told me to try again later!!! 🤬 I finally gave up on Walmart and switched to Amazon. At least their system TELLS YOU when something isn't eligible instead of just spinning forever!!!

I work with CalFresh recipients, and this is a common issue. Here's what's happening: Walmart's online system has technical limitations with EBT Cash that don't affect their in-store terminals. Online EBT Cash transactions require different processing than food benefits. Some tips that have worked for my clients: - Try breaking your order into smaller amounts (under $100) - Clear browser cache or try a different browser - Use the Walmart app instead of the website - Call your county office to verify your EBT Cash benefits are active for online use (some accounts need this specifically enabled) For alternative options, Amazon and Instacart both have reliable EBT Cash processing in California. Target's online EBT Cash system works in most counties but has item restrictions.

I had this exact same problem last month with Walmart! The payment would just hang there forever. I tried like 5 times before giving up. Funny thing is I went to the store and the exact same card worked fine at the register. IDK why they can't fix their website.

have you tried calling ebt customer service? sometimes they can tell you if theres a block on your account for online purchases. i had this problem and it turned out my account was flagged for "online fraud protection" or something. took 5 minutes to fix once i got through to someone.

I had endless problems trying to reach someone at CalFresh about my online EBT issues. After getting disconnected multiple times, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that holds your place in the phone queue and calls you back when a rep is available. Saved me HOURS of hold time. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 When I finally got through, the worker explained that sometimes your EBT account needs a specific flag enabled for online transactions, especially for the Cash portion. They fixed it right away and my Amazon orders started working immediately.

To give you a complete answer on which stores accept EBT Cash online in California as of January 2025: ✅ Amazon: Most reliable, clearly marks eligible items ✅ Target: Works in most CA counties, good filtering options ✅ Albertsons/Safeway/Vons: Works but limited delivery areas ✅ Instacart: Recently improved their EBT Cash integration ❌ Walmart: Technically accepts it but very unreliable ❌ Kroger/Ralphs: Only accepts food benefits online, not Cash For any online EBT Cash purchase, remember you can only buy household essentials and personal care items, never clothing, electronics, or prepared foods. Hope this helps!

i think theres like a $35 minimum for ebt cash online at most places. i tried to order just like $20 of stuff once and it wouldnt let me but when i added more it worked

Has anyone else noticed that the CalFresh EBT system goes down for "maintenance" like EVERY weekend lately?? It's ALWAYS when I'm trying to place my grocery orders! 🤦‍♀️ I swear they do it on purpose when they know most people are shopping!

Wait I'm confused are we talking about regular CalFresh food benefits or the cash assistance part? Cause they're different. I get CalWorks and use the cash part no problem at Amazon but CalFresh is just for food right??

I've been having the exact same issue with Walmart online! It's so frustrating because like you said, the card works perfectly fine in-store. I've found that Amazon is definitely the most reliable option for EBT Cash online - their system actually tells you upfront which items are eligible before you even add them to your cart. One thing that helped me was downloading the Amazon app and setting up the EBT payment method through there instead of the website. Also, if you're looking for household essentials specifically, I've had good luck with Target's online grocery pickup - you can pay with EBT Cash when you arrive to pick up your order, which might be easier than delivery if you can manage short trips. Hope some of the suggestions here help you get this sorted out! It's ridiculous that we have to jump through so many hoops just to use our benefits online.

I've been dealing with this same Walmart EBT Cash issue for weeks! What's really frustrating is that their customer service reps seem to have no idea how their own system works. I've gotten completely different explanations each time I've called. Here's what I've learned through trial and error: Amazon is definitely your best bet for reliable EBT Cash online. Their system is way more transparent about what's eligible and the checkout process actually works consistently. I also discovered that Safeway/Albertsons delivery works well if you're in their service area - their website clearly marks EBT Cash eligible items with a little icon. One tip that helped me with Amazon: make sure to add your EBT card through the "Manage Payment Options" section in your account settings first, rather than trying to add it during checkout. For some reason that seems to work more smoothly. Really hope they fix the Walmart system soon because their prices are usually the best, but reliability matters more when you're depending on these benefits!

I've been struggling with this exact same problem! Walmart's EBT Cash system has been completely unreliable for me too - the payment just hangs there processing forever. What's even more frustrating is that I can use the same card at their physical store without any issues. Based on my experience, Amazon has been the most reliable alternative. Their EBT integration actually works and they clearly mark which items are eligible for EBT Cash purchases. I'd also suggest trying the mobile apps instead of websites when possible - sometimes they have better payment processing systems. One thing I discovered is that some EBT accounts need to be specifically enabled for online purchases. You might want to call the customer service number on the back of your EBT card to check if there are any restrictions on your account for online transactions. It's worth the wait time to get it sorted out since online shopping is so much more convenient, especially when mobility is a concern. Hope you find a solution that works! It shouldn't be this complicated to use our benefits online.

I've been having this exact same issue with Walmart online EBT Cash! It's so frustrating because the card works perfectly at their physical stores. From what I've experienced and researched, it seems like Walmart's online payment system has serious bugs with processing EBT Cash specifically - their food benefit processing works fine, but the cash portion just hangs indefinitely. I switched to Amazon about a month ago and it's been night and day difference. Their EBT Cash system actually works consistently, and they clearly label which household items are eligible before you add them to your cart. The Amazon app tends to work even better than their website for EBT payments. One thing that might help - I found out that some EBT accounts have online purchase restrictions that need to be manually removed. You might want to call the number on the back of your card to check if your account has any flags or limitations for online transactions. It took me forever to get through, but once I did, they were able to verify my account was set up correctly for online purchases. Target also works well for EBT Cash if you do curbside pickup - you can pay when you arrive, which might be easier than dealing with online payment processing issues. Hope this helps!

I'm dealing with the exact same Walmart EBT Cash issue! It's so frustrating because like everyone mentioned, the card works fine in their physical stores but their website just can't seem to process the cash portion properly. I've tried multiple times over the past few weeks and it always gets stuck in that endless processing loop. Based on all the great advice in this thread, I'm definitely going to try Amazon next - it sounds like their EBT integration is much more reliable. I had no idea that some EBT accounts need to be specifically enabled for online purchases, so I'll be calling the customer service number on my card tomorrow to check for any restrictions. The Target curbside pickup option sounds perfect for my situation too since I can handle short trips but struggle with walking through large stores. It's really helpful to know there are actual working alternatives out there - I was starting to think online EBT Cash purchases were just broken everywhere! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions. It's reassuring to know this isn't just a "me" problem and that there are ways to make online shopping work with EBT benefits.

I'm new to this community but I'm having the exact same Walmart EBT Cash problem! It's so relieving to find this thread because I was starting to think something was wrong with my card specifically. The payment processing just sits there spinning forever - I've tried three different times this week with the same result. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful. I had no idea that EBT accounts might need special online purchase flags enabled, or that different stores have such varying levels of reliability with EBT Cash processing. The Amazon recommendations seem pretty unanimous, so I'll definitely be trying that next. As someone who also relies on online shopping due to mobility issues, I really appreciate everyone sharing their workarounds and alternative solutions. The Target curbside pickup option sounds especially promising since it seems to have fewer item restrictions than delivery. Thanks to everyone for making this such an informative discussion - it's clear this Walmart issue is widespread and not something we're doing wrong!

I just wanted to chime in as another person dealing with this exact Walmart EBT Cash issue! It's been going on for me since December and I'm so frustrated. Like everyone else mentioned, my card works perfectly fine at their physical store but their website just can't handle the cash portion - it gets stuck processing forever. I've been reading through all these responses and I'm definitely going to try Amazon based on all the positive feedback. It sounds like their system is much more reliable and transparent about what items are eligible. I also had no idea that EBT accounts might need to be specifically enabled for online purchases - that's definitely something I need to check on. For those mentioning Target curbside pickup, does anyone know if they have good availability in the San Diego area? That sounds like it could be a perfect solution since I can handle short trips but navigating big stores is really challenging for me. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it's such a relief to know this isn't just happening to me and that there are actually working alternatives out there!

I've been struggling with this exact same Walmart EBT Cash issue for weeks now! It's so frustrating because the card works perfectly at their physical locations but their online system just can't seem to process cash benefits properly. I've tried everything - different browsers, clearing cache, even trying at different times of day - but it always gets stuck in that endless processing loop. Based on all the helpful advice in this thread, I'm definitely switching to Amazon. It sounds like their EBT integration is much more reliable and user-friendly. I also had no idea that some EBT accounts need to be specifically enabled for online purchases - that's something I'll definitely be calling about tomorrow. For anyone else dealing with this, I found that Instacart has also improved their EBT Cash system recently and they partner with multiple grocery stores, so that might be worth trying too. It's ridiculous that we have to work around these technical issues just to use our benefits online, but at least there are alternatives that actually work! Thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions - this community is such a valuable resource for navigating these frustrating system problems.

I'm experiencing the exact same frustrating issue with Walmart's EBT Cash system! It's been going on for over a month now - the payment just sits there processing indefinitely, never completing or giving any error message. Like you, my card works perfectly fine at their physical stores, so it's definitely a website/system problem on their end. After reading through all these helpful responses, I'm convinced that Amazon is the way to go. Multiple people have confirmed their EBT Cash system is reliable and they clearly mark eligible items upfront. I'm also planning to call the EBT customer service number to check if there are any online purchase restrictions on my account - I had no idea that was even a thing until reading this thread! The Target curbside pickup option sounds perfect for those of us who can manage short trips but struggle with lengthy store navigation. It's reassuring to know there are multiple working alternatives while Walmart hopefully fixes their broken system. Thanks for starting this discussion - it's clear this is a widespread issue affecting many of us!