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If you’re shopping on Amazon and using a credit card, it’s valuable to choose a card that can help you maximize your rewards and save serious money on purchases. While there are branded Amazon credit cards available, they may not always be the best choice for Amazon shopping.
Whether you want to get the most out of Prime Day or just your everyday shopping, let’s take a look at all the Amazon cards and some other credit cards you might consider. This guide will help you explore different options for getting the best Amazon bonus cash or bonus rewards.
- Amazon-branded cards
- Amazon’s new Credit Builder secured credit cards
- Non-Amazon cards that offer great cash back on Amazon purchases
- Best cards for purchase protection on Amazon
- Best business card for shopping on Amazon
- A note on Capital One cards and Amazon shopping
- FAQs
- The bottom line
- Methodology
Amazon-branded cards
If you’re a loyal Amazon shopper, using an Amazon-branded credit card can help you earn a bunch of different rewards. These credit cards offer bonus gift cards when you sign up, travel protection, premium perks, and more.
The biggest differentiators between the Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card and the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card are the higher cashback offers and required Amazon Prime membership with the latter. Here are all the details on all the Amazon-branded cards:
| Rewards rate | Annual fee | Prime membership required | |
| Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card | 3% cash back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market; 2% at restaurants, gas stations, and drugstores; and 1% on all other purchases | $0 | No |
| Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card | 5% cash back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market; 2% at restaurants, gas stations, and drugstores; 1% on all other purchases | $0 | Yes |
| Amazon Prime Store Card | 5% cash back at Amazon.com or zero-interest promotional financing | $0 | Yes |
| Amazon Store Card | Zero-interest promotional financing | $0 | No |
| Amazon Secured Card | 5% cash back at Amazon.com or zero-interest promotional financing | $0 | No |
Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card
The Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card offers rewards on every purchase, including 3% cash back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market; 2% at restaurants, gas stations, and drugstores; and 1% on all other purchases.
Once approved, you’ll receive a $50 Amazon.com gift card. Additionally, the Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card has no earnings cap and a $0 annual fee.
The Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card is a good option for non-Amazon Prime Members who want to capitalize on all of their Amazon purchases.
Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card
Exclusively for eligible Amazon Prime members, the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card can earn you 5% cash back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market; 2% at restaurants, gas stations, and drugstores; 1% on all other purchases. New applicants will also receive a $150 Amazon gift card upon approval.
The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card offers similar benefits as the Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card, including no earnings cap and a $0 annual fee.
The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature credit card is a good option for loyal Amazon Prime shoppers.
Amazon Prime Store Card
Another Amazon-branded card is the Amazon Prime Store credit card. This store card is offered exclusively to Amazon Prime members and can't be used at other retailers. As a cardholder, you can receive promotional financing or 5% cash back on all eligible Amazon purchases. Also, upon approval, you may receive an Amazon gift card.
With the Amazon Prime Store credit card, you can only use the card on Amazon websites. This store card is strictly intended for someone who only wants rewards with Amazon.
Amazon Store Card
With this store card available to non-Prime members, you can receive promotional financing — meaning you can pay no interest on eligible purchases for six, 12, or 24 months depending on the order amount. However, you must pay in full by the end of the term in order to not incur interest. The Amazon Store credit card doesn’t offer additional benefits or perks, and it also can't be used at retailers other than Amazon.com or other Amazon businesses.
Amazon Secured Card
There’s one more Amazon-branded option to consider if you’re looking to rebuild your credit or establish a credit history from scratch. The Amazon secured credit card could help you. Secured credit cards are backed by a security deposit that you make when the account is opened and regular, responsible use of them can help you improve your credit score.
With the Amazon Credit Builder secured credit cards, cardholders can receive promotional financing or 5% cash back for eligible Amazon Prime members. After one year, you may be eligible for an Amazon Store Card.
Non-Amazon cards that offer great cash back on Amazon purchases
Some non-Amazon credit cards offer extra cash back or bonus points on Amazon.com purchases all year round, while other cards offer seasonal or rotating cash back on certain purchase categories that can include Amazon.
For example, the Discover it® Cash Back sometimes includes Amazon.com in its 5% cash back rotating bonus category. With this card, you also automatically get an unlimited dollar-for-dollar match of any cash back you've earned at the end of your first year.
Find out more in our Discover it Cash Back review.
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ also has a changing quarterly rewards categories that may sometimes apply to Amazon. The great thing about the Chase Freedom Flex is that you earn Ultimate Rewards points. These points have a variety of redemption options. You can redeem them for cash in the form of a statement credit, but you could also transfer them to another Chase card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve®. Using this method you can get even more value by redeeming your points as travel rewards for things like hotel stays and airfare.
The Chase Freedom Flex also offers 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months after account opening. This could be helpful if you're planning to make large purchases on Amazon and don't want to pay interest charges. Be aware that after those 15 months, your remaining balance will be subject to the regular APR of 19.49% to 28.24% (variable), so be sure to have it all paid off by then.
Learn more in our Chase Freedom Flex review.
Another great option is the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card. This card offers 3% cash back on category of your choice — dining, drugstores, gas, home improvement/furnishings, online shopping, or travel (on the first $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club purchases each quarter). So, if you select online shopping as your category, the eligible online and mobile merchants include sites like Amazon.com.
Read our full Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards credit card review.
If you prefer simplicity, a straightforward cashback card such as the Citi® Double Cash Card could be a good choice. It offers 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases and 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months, then 18.74% - 28.74% (Variable).
Find out more in our Citi Double Cash Card review.
Note: If you still have the older Chase Freedom Card, you can also take advantage of when the rotating bonus category applies to Amazon.
| Card | Rewards rate | Bonus availability |
| Chase Freedom Flex℠ | 5% on rotating quarterly categories (on up to $1,500 spent) and travel purchased through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal; 3% at restaurants (including takeout and delivery) and drugstores; and 1% on all other purchases | Each quarter you can activate 5% cashback earnings on a specific category. Options sometimes include Amazon. |
| Discover it® Cash Back | 5% cash back in quarterly rotating categories (including gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants, and Amazon.com), up to quarterly maximum, and 1% cash back on all other purchases | Each quarter you can activate 5% cashback earnings on a specific category. For example, in 2022, from October to December, you could earn 5% cash back at Amazon.com. |
| Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card | 3% cash back on the category of your choice; 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (on the first $2,500 spent each quarter in the 2% and 3% categories combined); and 1% cash back on all other purchases | You can change your category each month or keep it the same. |
| Citi® Double Cash Card | 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases | No restrictions |
Best cards for purchase protection on Amazon
Cards like the American Express® Gold Card and Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offer purchase protection, which covers damaged or stolen items purchased with the card. In the case of the American Express Gold Card, you are also covered for lost items.
It’s worth it to analyze the numbers and consider how much purchase protection you might need versus the potential annual fee. For example, with the American Express Gold Card, you’re protected for up to $10,000 per occurrence and for a total of $50,000 in a calendar year. The Chase Sapphire Preferred has a much lower annual fee than the Amex Gold Card, but it also offers less protection per claim.
Having purchase protection can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars. If you’re getting ready to make a large purchase on Amazon, or regular mid-sized purchases, it’s wise to consider cards with purchase protection.
| Card | Annual fee | Protection per claim |
Protection per account |
Days to file claim |
| American Express® Gold Card | $250 (Terms apply) | Up to $10,000 | Up to $50,000 per year | 90 days (starting Jan. 1, 2020) |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | $95 | Up to $500 | Up to $50,000 per year | 120 days |
Best business card for shopping on Amazon
If you’re a business owner, you could consider a business credit card with Amazon cashback rewards. If a lot of your business expenses are through Amazon, a cashback card could offset some of your costs.
The Amazon Business Prime American Express Card offers Amazon cashback rewards to eligible Prime members. In addition to the cashback rewards, all qualifying applicants receive a welcome bonus in the form of a $125 Amazon gift card Amazon gift card.
If you’re a business owner but not a Prime member, you can apply for the Amazon Business American Express Card. This card is similar, but has a lower rewards rate and new cardmembers can earn a $100 gift card Amazon gift card.
Both cards also come with additional benefits such as expense management tools, extended warranty protection, purchase protection, dispute resolution, and more.
| Card | Rewards rate | Annual fee | Prime membership required |
| Amazon Business Prime American Express Card | 5% back in Amazon Rewards points or no interest for 90 days on U.S. Amazon Business, AWS, Amazon.com, and Whole Foods purchases (on up to $120,000 in purchases per calendar year, after that 1%); 2% back at U.S. restaurants, U.S. gas stations, and purchases with U.S. wireless providers; and 1% back on all other eligible purchases | $0 (Terms apply) | Yes |
| Amazon Business American Express Card | 3% back in Amazon Rewards points or no interest for 60 days on U.S. Amazon Business, AWS, Amazon.com, and Whole Foods purchases (on up to $120,000 in purchases per calendar year, after that 1%); 2% back at U.S. restaurants, U.S. gas stations, and purchases with U.S. wireless providers; and 1% back on all other eligible purchases | $0 (Terms apply) | No |
A note on Capital One cards and Amazon shopping
You can also shop on Amazon with many Capital One cards and use your Capital One rewards to pay for Amazon purchases. Many Capital One cards offer excellent sign-up bonuses, and this may be a way to help you boost your shopping power. But be aware that you don't earn rewards on your Amazon purchases when you shop using your Capital One rewards.
FAQs
What is the best credit card to use on Amazon?
The best credit card for you to use on Amazon depends on your spending habits, personal finances, and financial goals.
For example, Amazon-branded cards have great cashback rates when shopping on Amazon.com, but they don’t offer much earning potential outside of Amazon purchases.
In this case, you might want to consider another rewards card like the Chase Freedom Flex, which often offers big cashback bonuses on Amazon purchases and other categories in addition to offering Lyft perks and other benefits.
Which Amazon card is easiest to get?
The Amazon Secured Card is likely the easiest to get because it's designed for people with limited credit or who are rebuilding their credit.
The Amazon Store Card is likely the next easiest Amazon credit card to get because store credit cards typically have less strict qualification requirements. Many store credit cards require a minimum of fair credit to qualify.
This is in contrast to the Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card, for which you will likely need good credit or higher, and the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card, which will likely require excellent credit for approval.
Does applying for an Amazon card hurt my credit?
When you apply for most credit cards, the credit card issuer will check your credit report with a hard inquiry. This will typically have a small, negative impact on your credit score. As long as you continue to use your line of credit responsibly, your score should recover in a short period of time.
What happens to my Amazon credit card if I cancel Prime?
Depending on which Amazon credit card you have, you may see some changes if you cancel your Amazon Prime membership. Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature cardholders will lose their Prime-exclusive benefits, such as 5% cash back on Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market purchases. Instead, you’d earn 3% cash back on Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market purchases, which is the rate on the Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card.
Given this, you'll want to evaluate your spending and your potential loss of rewards against your Prime membership fee before you close your Amazon account.
Bottom line
Whether you’re a loyal Amazon Prime Member or want to finance a large Amazon purchase, one of the Amazon Visa Signature credit cards may be just what you need. On the other hand, if you enjoy flexible cashback reward programs, you may consider the Chase Freedom Flex.
When reviewing all of the credit card offers available to you, make sure you read all the card details and understand both the benefits and any fees or interest rates. This is important if you want to find a card that’s suitable for your lifestyle. With the abundance of credit cards out there, you’re bound to find the best rewards credit card for you.
Methodology
To select the best credit cards for shopping on Amazon, we examined Amazon's range of co-branded cards for customers. We assessed features like annual fees, Prime membership requirements, and additional perks to identify the best options. We did not include all cards available.
Seriously Powerful Cashback Card
Chase Freedom Flex℠
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Chase Freedom Flex℠
Current Offer
Earn $200 cash back after spending $500 on purchases in the first 3 months (plus 5% cash back on up to $12,000 spent on groceries in the first year, excluding Target and Walmart purchases)
Annual Fee
$0
Rewards Rate
5% on rotating quarterly categories (on up to $1,500 spent) and travel purchased through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal; 3% at restaurants (including takeout and delivery) and drugstores; and 1% on all other purchases
Benefits
- Earn $200 cash back after spending $500 on purchases in the first 3 months (plus 5% cash back on up to $12,000 spent on groceries in the first year, excluding Target and Walmart purchases)
- Up to 5% cash back on spending
- Perks from Lyft, DoorDash, and more
Drawbacks
- Has foreign transaction fee
- Earn $200 cash back after spending $500 on purchases in the first 3 months (plus 5% cash back on up to $12,000 spent on groceries in the first year, excluding Target and Walmart purchases)
- 5% on rotating quarterly categories (on up to $1,500 spent) and travel purchased through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal; 3% at restaurants (including takeout and delivery) and drugstores; and 1% on all other purchases
- Intro purchase 0% APR offer: 0% for 15 months then 19.49% to 28.24% (variable)
- Intro balance transfer 0% APR offer: 0% for 15 months then 19.49% to 28.24% (variable)
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