Amazon’s Prime Visa Credit Card Review: Generous Rewards for Amazon Power Shoppers

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Prime Visa Credit Card

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• Our Rating 3.5/5 How our ratings work
• APR19.49% - 27.49% (Variable)
• Annual Fee$0 More info

  $0 with Prime membership

• Sign-Up Bonus $100Gift Card More Info

  Get a $100 Amazon Gift Card (or more) instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members

This card is a good fit for consumers who do a lot of shopping at Amazon and Whole Foods because they can earn an unlimited 5% cash back on purchases there. Cardholders also earn some cash back on other purchases, with decent rates for restaurants and gas stations. If you already have or plan to get a Prime membership, using this card could quickly earn you sizable cash back.

Best for Amazon and Whole Foods Shoppers

With the Prime Visa Credit Card, loyal Amazon and Whole Foods shoppers can get special rewards and perks with a credit card made just for them. This card is exceptional in its ability to reward customer loyalty, transforming your shopping at Amazon or Whole Foods into unrivaled cash-back rewards. 

Yet, it’s important to consider your shopping habits. Those who seldom shop at either retailer might reap greater benefits from a card that aligns rewards with their frequent shopping destinations. However, if you’re an Amazon customer and Prime member, no other cash-back credit card will match the rewards earned with what is arguably the best store card on the market.

Card Highlights

The Prime Visa Credit Card is a rewarding option for Amazon Prime members. Some of the card highlights include:

• Unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market for Amazon Prime members; unlimited 5% cash back on travel booked through Chase; unlimited 2% cash back at restaurants, gas stations, and local transit and commuting, including rideshare; and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
• New cardholders can earn a $100 Amazon gift card, exclusively for Prime members.
• No annual fee but requires an Amazon Prime membership.
• No foreign transaction fees.
• Various travel protection and purchase protection benefits.

Sign-Up Bonus

Currently, new cardholders can earn a bonus after opening an account.

Here’s what new cardholders can expect:

• $100 Amazon gift card instantly upon approval

Unlike other credit card sign-up bonuses, this one does not require you to spend a certain amount of money with your new card. But if you want to get the most out of your sign-up bonus offer, use your card for your everyday purchases so you can max out the available bonus. Just make sure you avoid carrying a balance on the card, or you could be negating any benefits you receive from owning the card.

Earning Rewards

Each purchase you make with the card earns rewards in the form of cash back, the amount of which depends on the kind of spending you do.

• Unlimited 5% back on Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market purchases: You'll get 5% cash back on all Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market purchases with an eligible Prime membership. Purchases made through Amazon's other services, such as Amazon Digital Music and Amazon Fresh, are included.
• Unlimited 5% back on travel booked via Chase Travel: When you make a reservation for travel through Chase, you will also earn 5% in rewards with an eligible Prime membership.
• Unlimited 2% back on restaurants, gas stations, and commuting expenses: You earn 2% cash back on purchases made at restaurants (including takeout and delivery), gas stations and local transit, and commuting, including rideshare.
• Unlimited 1% back on all other purchases: For all other purchases that don't fall into the above categories, you earn 1% cash back.

Your rewards don't expire as long as your account is open.

Prime cardmembers can also earn 10% back or more on rotating products and categories at Amazon.com.

Redeeming Rewards

The cash back you earn comes in the form of points, and unlike most store credit cards, you'll have a lot of flexibility with how you can use them. Your points are worth 1 cent apiece, regardless of how you use them, and you can opt for one of the following:

• Pay for Amazon.com purchases at checkout
• Get cash back in the form of a direct deposit
• Request a statement credit to help pay down your balance
• Buy gift cards through Chase 
• Book travel through Chase Travel 

While the redemption rate is the same for all options, we recommend not using your points to pay at checkout because you won't be earning the 5% back on the amount that you'd get if you were using your card.

For example, if you have a $100 purchase and use your card, you'd get $5 back, and you can request a direct deposit or statement credit for $105 to effectively pay off the purchase and more. But if you used your points, you wouldn't get the extra $5. So while it's convenient, skip using your points to pay for Amazon.com purchases during the checkout process.

Card Benefits and Perks

The Prime Visa Credit Card offers a variety of unique benefits, particularly for those deeply embedded in the Amazon ecosystem or regular Whole Foods shoppers. Here's what you can expect:

• Generous rewards for Amazon/Whole Foods purchases: This card is a dream come true for dedicated Amazon Prime members. It’s like an exclusive club that rewards you generously — 5% cash back — for your loyalty to Amazon.com and Whole Foods. This is an unparalleled return for spending with these retailers.
• Strong cash back outside Amazon: Beyond the impressive unlimited 5%, the card still has your back, offering unlimited 2% cash back at restaurants, gas stations and commuting costs. So, whether you're enjoying a meal out, refueling your car, or taking the train, your card is working for you.
• No foreign transaction fees: The card doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees, making it a globetrotter's companion. Your rewards card becomes as travel-friendly as you are, ready to reap benefits wherever you journey.
• Purchase protection perks: The card gives peace of mind with purchase protection and extended warranty coverage. These safeguards fortify your shopping experiences against damage, theft, and insufficient manufacturer warranties.
• Travel insurance: You’ll also enjoy complimentary protections when paying for travel with your card, including travel accident insurance, lost luggage insurance, baggage delay insurance and rental car insurance.
• Roadside dispatch: If you experience a roadside emergency, you can call to get a dispatch for a tow, jumpstart, tire change, lockout service, winching and even gas delivery. While the dispatch service is free, the actual assistance is not.

However, these benefits will be best enjoyed by those who can capitalize on them — frequent Amazon shoppers, Prime members, and Whole Foods patrons. Your individual spending habits will determine the true value of these benefits for you.

Drawbacks

While the Prime Visa Credit Card holds considerable value for frequent Amazon and Whole Foods shoppers, it may not meet everyone's expectations or needs. Here are some potential disadvantages of the card.

• Prime Membership requirement: To get the most out of this card, you need an Amazon Prime membership. The benefits of the card are greatly reduced for those who don't want to pay for this membership or can't.
• Limited high-return bonus categories: The tantalizing 5% cash back is exclusively for Amazon.com and Whole Foods purchases, neither of which are always the cheapest option for goods. Those whose spending habits stray beyond those of these retailers may find this reward structure less beneficial. Some might fare better with a card offering a more diverse range of bonus categories.
• Reward redemption constraints: While you can redeem your rewards for a variety of things, like a statement credit or toward Amazon purchases, other cards might offer more flexibility in redemption options.
• Potential APR pitfalls: The card's potential high APR can be problematic for individuals who carry a balance. In such cases, the accrued interest could potentially outweigh the earned rewards, diminishing the card's overall value.

Annual Fee

The card doesn't charge an annual fee, which is great if you're already a Prime member and you're already spending that money without the card. If you don't have an Amazon Prime membership, though, you will need to pay the $139 annual fee to join, which may feel steep if you wouldn't otherwise join Prime.

APR

The Prime Visa Credit Card has a 19.49% - 27.49% (Variable) APR based on creditworthiness. APR is the interest rate for a whole year, rather than just a monthly rate, as applied to whatever balance you carry from one statement period to the next. 

Chase will determine your APR during the approval process. However, APRs can fluctuate periodically as a credit card issuer adjusts its rates to the market.

Other Fees

The card comes with several fees you may incur, as is typical with many credit cards. Here are some you might encounter:

• Late payment fee: If you don't make at least the minimum payment by the due date, you could be charged a late fee.
• Returned payment fee: If a payment you make is returned, you might be charged a returned payment fee.
• Balance transfer fee: If you transfer a balance from another credit card to the Prime Visa Credit Card, you could be charged a fee. This is typically a percentage of the amount transferred.
• Cash advance fee: If you use your credit card to get cash out, there's typically a cash advance fee. This is usually a percentage of the amount of cash you get out.
• Amazon Prime Membership fee: While not directly a card fee, keep in mind that to fully take advantage of the card benefits, you need an Amazon Prime membership, which has its own annual fee.

Recommended Credit Score

The card issuer, Chase, does not publicly disclose the exact credit score required to qualify for the card. However, according to industry standards and anecdotal evidence, a good to excellent credit score is typically required for approval for this card. According to the FICO scoring model, this translates to a credit score range of 670 to 800. 

However, keep in mind that approval is not solely based on your credit score. Other factors that influence your decision-making include your income, existing debt, payment history, and overall financial stability.

How the Prime Visa Credit Card Compares

The Prime Visa Credit Card is, without a doubt, one of the best store credit cards on the market. However, the problem with most store cards is they do not always meet your other spending needs. Furthermore, just because you are an Amazon Prime member today does not guarantee that you will be one next year. Fortunately, there are a few cash-back credit cards that may be better suited for your household spending.

Prime Visa Credit Card vs. Citi Custom Cash® Card

If you're not sure whether you'll spend enough at Amazon every quarter or if you'd like the option to occasionally earn 5% in other spending categories, then the Citi Custom Cash^® Card, from our partner Citi, may be ideal. The Citi Custom Cash Card is a no-annual-fee card that offers 5% cash back on your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, and 1% cash back after that. This means if you spend the most money at Whole Foods or Amazon Fresh in a given billing cycle, you can earn 5% cash back on your groceries.

The Citi Custom Cash Card is a great choice for people whose top spending category changes from month to month since it lets you earn 5% cash back in different areas based on how you spend. So it could be beneficial for people who aren't necessarily loyal to Amazon or Whole Foods but still shop there frequently enough for it to be their top spending category in a given billing cycle.

On the other hand, regular Amazon and Whole Foods customers who are already Amazon Prime members would benefit more from the consistent 5% cash back with the Prime Visa Credit Card. Since the Citi Custom Cash caps rewards in the 5% category at $25 ($500 spend) per month, big spenders at Amazon and/or Whole Foods will get better value from Amazon's credit card.

Prime Visa Credit Card vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Your spending habits and preferences play a big role in determining whether to choose Amazon's credit card or the Chase Freedom Unlimited®. If you have Amazon Prime and frequently shop at Amazon and Whole Foods, the Prime Visa Credit Card is more likely to be beneficial due to the consistently high returns. However, if your spending is more focused on travel, dining, drugstore and miscellaneous purchases not at Amazon, the Freedom Unlimited may offer more substantial rewards.

In essence, the Prime Visa Credit Card is best for loyal Amazon Prime members, while the Chase Freedom Unlimited could appeal to those who prefer more variety in their earning potential and can leverage Chase's rewards portal for travel purchases, where points are worth 25% more.

Citi Custom Cash® Card

• $0 Annual Fee
• $200 Editor's
  Bonus Estimate More Info

  Learn more about how we evaluate points and miles in our monthly evaluation guide.

• Sign-Up Bonus $200Cash Bonus More Info

  Earn $200 in cash back after you spend $1500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.

• 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable) APR

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Rates & Fees

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

• $0 Annual Fee
• Sign Up Bonus Matched Cash BackExtra Cash Back More Info

  SPECIAL OFFER: Unlimited Matched Cash Back. Chase will automatically match all the cash back you earned at the end of your first year! There is no limit to how much cash back you can earn.

• 20.49% - 29.24% (Variable) APR

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Is the Prime Visa Credit Card Worth It?

If you regularly shop at Amazon.com or Whole Foods Market and you're a Prime member, getting the card is a no-brainer. The Prime Visa Credit Card is one of the best store credit cards available. It offers excellent rewards at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market, gas stations, as well as on other purchases, and it provides standout benefits you won't normally see from a store card, such as no foreign transaction fees and purchase protections.

If you're not a Prime member, do the math on the cost of a membership and your typical online spending to determine if you can still come out ahead with the rewards you can earn.

Earn Rewards on Amazon Purchases

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Frequently Asked Questions

• Can you use the Prime Visa Credit Card at other stores?

  Yes, your Prime Visa Credit Card is accepted wherever Visa cards are welcome, not just at Amazon and Whole Foods. It also gives you 2% cash back at restaurants and gas stations. As a result, the card is ideal for filling up your gas tank and stopping at your favorite fast-food drive-thu on your way home from work. However, if you use your card outside of these categories, you'll only get 1% back on every dollar spent. For non-bonus spending, it may be best to pair it with a flat-rate card.

• Is Amazon's credit card only for Prime members?

  No, Amazon's credit card is not only for Prime members. Amazon has two credit cards available: the Prime Visa Credit Card and the Amazon Visa Credit Card. The Prime Visa Credit Card is only available to Amazon Prime members and offers unlimited 5% cash back on Amazon and Whole Foods purchases. Non-Prime members, on the other hand, can get the Amazon Visa Credit Card.

• How do I get approved for Amazon's Prime Visa Credit Card?

  The Prime Visa Credit Card typically requires a good-to-excellent credit score, which is defined as a FICO score of 670 or higher. However, other factors such as payment history and overall financial stability may be considered when approving applicants.

• Does the Amazon credit card give you free Prime?

  No, the Prime Visa Credit Card does not give you a free Amazon Prime membership. The Amazon Prime membership has its own separate annual or monthly fee that cardholders must pay.

• Can Amazon credit card points be transferred to the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal?

  No, points earned from Amazon's credit card cannot be transferred to Chase's Ultimate Rewards points.