Prime Visa card review: More perks for Amazon Prime members
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BLUEPRINT
Updated 7:07 a.m. UTC Nov. 14, 2023
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Amazon Prime members can greatly benefit from the generous rewards the card earns for spending within the brand.
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About the Prime Visa * The information for the Prime Visa has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
If you’re an Amazon Prime member, the Amazon Prime Visa Card should be in your wallet. This card earns 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market with an eligible Prime membership, 5% back on travel booked through Chase, 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare), and 1% back on all other purchases. But note, if you’re not a Prime member, you’re only eligible for a scaled-down card earning a lower rate on Amazon and at Whole Foods.
Amazon also offers a rotating selection of items and categories on which cardholders can earn an elevated rate of 10% cash back or more. And, unlike some retail credit cards, you can use the Amazon Prime Visa Card anywhere Visa is accepted.
As a new cardholder, you’ll earn a $200 Amazon gift card for Prime members upon approval. This card does not offer traditional 0% intro APR periods. However, cardholders may be eligible to choose a 0% APR period where they make equal monthly payments ranging from six to 18 months on qualifying purchases of $50 or more. After that a variable APR of 20.49% to 29.24% applies. A balance transfer fee of either $5 or 4% of each transfer, whichever is greater, applies. Note that if you opt for promotional financing on your purchase, you won’t earn cash back.
The card has no annual fee or foreign transaction fees. That said, while it’s a good fit for Prime members when shopping at Whole Foods or Amazon, the card’s low base rewards rate makes it less attractive as an everyday spending card.
Amazon Prime Visa Card basics
- Annual fee: $0 with Prime membership.
- Welcome bonus: $200 Amazon gift card for Prime members upon approval.
- Rewards: 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market with an eligible Prime membership, 5% back on travel booked through Chase, 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare), and 1% back on all other purchases.
- Regular APR: 20.49% - 29.24% Variable.
- Other perks and benefits: Intro APR promotions on eligible Amazon purchases, travel insurance protections, bonus cash back on select Amazon purchases.
- Does the issuer offer a preapproval tool? No.
- Recommended credit score: Good to excellent.
Amazon Prime Visa Card rewards
Amazon will add a $200 Amazon gift card for Prime members upon approval, which you can use for purchases on the website.
If you’re a Prime member, you’ll earn 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market with an eligible Prime membership, 5% back on travel booked through Chase, 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare), and 1% back on all other purchases. If not, you’ll only be eligible for the Amazon Visa * The information for the Amazon Visa has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , and will earn 3% cash back in rewards at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market, 2% back at restaurants, gas stations, drugstores and on local transit and commuting and 1% back on all other purchases.
Additionally, you can earn extra back on top of the elevated rewards your card offers on thousands of items listed on Amazon’s Prime card bonus deals page, with some offers at the time of writing showing total earnings of up to 15% or even 20% cash back.
You can redeem your rewards for Amazon.com purchases, a statement credit on your account or a deposit into a U.S. bank account. Note, however, that if you put your cash back toward Amazon.com shopping, you won’t earn cash back on purchases made with your rewards, so it’s better to opt for a statement credit or deposit.
Amazon Prime Visa Card rewards potential
Using government data and other publicly available information, we estimate that a household in the U.S. that would be in the market for this card has an annual income of $84,352 and $25,087 in expenses they are likely to be able to charge to a credit card.
Here’s how that could break down for this card:
| SPENDING CATEGORY | SPENDING AMOUNT | CASH-BACK RATE | POINTS EARNED |
|---|---|---|---|
Groceries
| $3,459
| 5%
| $172.95
|
Dining
| $3,526
| 2%
| $70.52
|
Gas/Transit/Commuting
| $3,009
| 2%
| $60.18
|
Other
| $15,093
| 1%
| $150.93
|
TOTAL
| $25,087
| $454.58
|
Of course, that assumes that you’re doing all of your grocery shopping at Whole Foods, which won’t be true for all cardholders. This calculation also doesn’t include Amazon-specific online purchases, which could help you earn potentially hundreds more each year in rewards.
Amazon Prime Visa Card APR details
This card does not offer traditional 0% intro APR periods. However, cardholders may be eligible to choose a 0% APR period where they make equal monthly payments ranging from six to 18 months on qualifying purchases of $50 or more. After that a variable APR of 20.49% to 29.24% applies. A balance transfer fee of either $5 or 4% of each transfer, whichever is greater, applies. Here’s how that breaks down:
| PURCHASE PRICE | PAYMENTS OVER |
|---|---|
$50 or more
| 6 months
|
$250 or more
| 12 months
|
$500 or more
| 18 months
|
Note that this is not the same as the promotional financing you might receive from other stores, which can charge interest retroactively if you don’t pay the balance in full by the end of the promotional period.
Instead, Amazon will post the total purchase price to your credit line, and you’ll make equal monthly payments toward the purchase, which will be added to your minimum monthly payment.
Amazon Prime Visa Card pros
- Great rewards on Amazon and Whole Foods purchases: You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better rewards rate on Amazon.com purchases, and while there are credit cards out there that offer higher rates on grocery spending, there are no caps on this card’s elevated rate at Whole Foods.
- APR promotions on select Amazon products: If you need to make a large purchase on Amazon.com, but you aren’t sure if you’ll be able to pay it off immediately, the card’s APR promotion feature could save you some money.
- No spending requirement for part of the welcome bonus: While the Amazon gift card isn’t the best welcome offer you’ll see, it doesn’t require you to spend any money to get it, which is extremely rare.
- Travel protections: It’s not common for cash-back credit cards to offer a variety of travel protections. But with the Amazon Prime Visa Card, you’ll get travel accident insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, baggage delay insurance, travel and emergency assistance, roadside dispatch and auto rental collision damage waiver. The card also offers purchase protection and extended warranty coverage.
Amazon Prime Visa Card cons
- Non-Amazon spending won’t earn much: While you’ll get great rewards with Amazon and Whole Foods, you can easily find other cards that will give you better rewards on your everyday spending.
- Lower rewards for non-Prime members: Many Amazon users have a Prime membership, but those who don’t will only be eligible for a card that earns a lower rate of 3% back on Amazon and Whole Foods purchases.
- No introductory APR on most purchases: While the APR promotion on Amazon.com purchases is an excellent feature, you won’t be able to use that benefit on other purchases. If you need to make a large purchase somewhere else or pay down a high-interest balance with a balance transfer, you’ll want to look elsewhere.
How the Amazon Rewards Visa Card compares to other cash-back cards
Amazon Prime Visa Card vs. Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
If you’re looking for a card with great rewards on groceries, consider the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express (terms apply, rates & fees). The card offers 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations, 3% cash back on transit and 1% cash back on other purchases. Cash back is received in the form of Rewards Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or for eligible items at Amazon.com checkout.
You’ll also get a $250 statement credit after spending $3,000 in eligible purchases in the first six months of card membership and get a 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers requested in the first 60 days, then a variable APR of 19.24% to 29.99%. A balance transfer fee of $5 or 3%, whichever is greater, applies. The card has a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
Amazon Prime Visa Card vs. Chase Freedom Flex® * The information for the Chase Freedom Flex® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
If you like the idea of earning more on Amazon but don’t want to restrict your rewards on other spending, consider the Chase Freedom Flex. The card offers 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in categories that rotate quarterly (requires activation), 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on dining and drugstores and 1% cash back on all other purchases.
The rotating bonus rate has included Amazon in the past, but it also includes other everyday spending categories. The card also offers a $200 bonus after spending $500 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. There’s a0% intro APR for the first 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% to 29.24%. There is an intro balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of each transfer, whichever is greater, in the first 60 days. Then the fee is the greater of $5 or 5% of each transfer. The card has no annual fee.
Amazon Prime Visa Card vs. Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
If you prefer simplicity, the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card should be on your radar. The card offers a flat 2% cash rewards on purchases, plus a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first three months of account opening.
New cardholders will also get a 0% intro APR for the first 15 months on purchases and qualifying balance transfers, then a 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable APR applies thereafter. Balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3%. After that a fee of up to 5%, with a minimum of $5 applies. The card has no annual fee.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Should you get the Amazon Prime Visa Card?
If you’re an Amazon Prime member and do most of your online shopping with Amazon, it’s worth getting the card, even if you only use it for purchases with Amazon and Whole Foods. It can be especially useful if you make larger purchases on the website and want to save money on interest as you pay them off.
With that said, the card isn’t a great one for everyday use, so it might be worth it to pair the Amazon Prime Visa Card with one or more other rewards credit cards to ensure you’re making the most of all of your biggest spending categories.
Amazon Prime Visa Card summary
Methodology
Our credit card team has spent hours analyzing hundreds of credit cards. We took a deep dive into the details of each product and that analysis, combined with our years of experience covering credit cards, informed us as we developed these credit card rankings.
Some of the factors evaluated in selecting the best rewards credit cards included:
- Rewards potential and redemption options.
- Welcome bonuses.
- Travel and shopping benefits.
- Intro APRs.
- Annual fees.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Chase, which issues the credit card, does not disclose a minimum credit score requirement. However, for a solid chance of your application being approved, it’s generally best to have good-to-excellent credit — which is typically considered to start at a FICO Score of 670.
Yes. When you apply for the card, Chase will run a hard inquiry on your credit reports, which can knock a few points off your score temporarily. Additionally, when you open an account, it can impact the average age of your accounts, which affects your length of credit history.
Finally, as you use the card and make payments, the percentage of your balance that you’re using at a given time — referred to as your credit utilization rate — and your on-time payment history will influence your credit score.
As a result, it’s crucial that you use the card responsibly, which can help you build your credit history rather than hurt it.
No, the card does not charge an annual fee.
You can use the card anywhere Visa is accepted. What’s more, if you use the card abroad, you won’t be charged any foreign transaction fees.
For rates and fees for the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express please visit this page.
*The information for the Amazon Visa, Chase Freedom Flex® and Prime Visa has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy. The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.
