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If you're looking to maximize your savings and rewards when shopping on Amazon, then this list of credit cards should be your first stop. CNBC Select crunched the numbers to determine which cards provide the biggest benefit for Amazon shoppers (whether you use Prime or not) to help you click "add to cart" with confidence. Here are the best cards for shopping on Amazon.
Best credit cards for Amazon purchases
- Best cash-back welcome bonus: Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
- Best for Prime members and Whole Foods shoppers: Prime Visa (See rates and fees)
- Best for financing Amazon purchases: Prime Store Card
- Best for trying out Prime: Amazon Visa
- Best for earning travel rewards and purchase protections: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (See rates and fees)
- Best for flat-rate cash back on all other spending: Citi Double Cash® Card
- Best for average credit: Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
Best cash-back welcome bonus
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is a low-fee card with generous cash-back rewards and useful ongoing benefits, such as a monthly Disney Bundle credit. (Enrollment required for select benefits mentioned)
- High cash-back earnings for U.S. supermarkets and streaming services
- Intro-APR offer for purchases and balance transfers
- No annual fee for the first year
- It's less rewarding after the first year because of the annual fee
- Bonus rewards for U.S. supermarkets are capped
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Apply and find out your welcome offer. As High As $300 cash back* after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply, and if approved: 1. Find out your offer amount 2. Accept the Card with your offer 3. Spend $3,000 in 6 months 4. Receive the cash back. *Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed for a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
- $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
- Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening. After that, your APR will be a variable APR of 19.49%-28.49%.
- Plan It®: Buy now, pay later with Plan It. Split purchases of $100 or more into equal monthly installments with a fixed fee so you don't have the pressure of paying all at once. Simply select the purchase in your online account or the American Express® App to see your plan options. Plus, you'll still earn rewards on purchases the way you usually do.
- Earn 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases (then 1%), 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back at eligible U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more) purchases and 1% cash back on other purchases. Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit and at Amazon.com checkout.
- Get up to a $10 monthly statement credit after using your enrolled Blue Cash Preferred® Card for a subscription purchase, including a bundle subscription purchase, at DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com, or Stream.ESPN.com U.S. websites. Subject to auto-renewal.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Foreign transaction fee
2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars
Who's this for? The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is a great option for families and individuals who spend a good amount on groceries and streaming subscriptions. Its welcome bonus offers as high as $300 cash back after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in the first 6 months. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply, and if approved: 1. Find out your offer amount 2. Accept the Card with your offer 3. Spend $3,000 in 6 months 4. Receive the cash back. *Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed for a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
Although the card doesn't earn bonus rewards on online retail stores like Amazon, certain Amazon purchases will qualify for 6% cashback. Prime Video and Amazon music subscriptions qualify for 6% back under the streaming services category. Whole Foods and Amazon Fresh are reported to qualify as U.S. supermarket purchases (earn 6% on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases, then 1%). Plus, you may be able to purchase Amazon gift cards at U.S. supermarkets to earn 6% cashback. Terms apply.
You can redeem your cash back for statement credits that directly reduce your account balance and help offset the cost of everyday purchases.
Best for Prime members and Whole Foods shoppers
The Prime Visa is only available to Amazon Prime members ($139 for an annual membership and $14.99 for a monthly membership) but is very rewarding for Amazon purchases.
- High rate of return at Amazon and Whole Foods
- Easy-to-earn welcome bonus
- Requires an Amazon Prime membership
- If you choose the promo APR you won't earn rewards on those purchases
Rewards
- Earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership
- Unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare)
- 10% back or more on a rotating selection of items and categories on Amazon.com with an eligible Prime membership
- Unlimited 1% back on all other purchases
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 4% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
Who's this for? The Prime Visa card rewards users with an unlimited 5% cash back for all purchases at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods and through Chase Travel.
In addition, you can get unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare).
If you've been waiting for a reason to sign up for a $139 annual Amazon Prime membership, this card might be the deciding factor: New cardholders can currently receive a $150 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members.
Best for financing Amazon purchases
Prime Store Card
Rewards
5% back on Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market (In-Store Code required) with an eligible Prime membership
Welcome bonus
$80 Amazon gift card instantly upon approval
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
Pay equal monthly payments on Amazon.com purchases, at 0% APR, over the financing offer period. 6 equal monthly payments on purchases between $50 and $599.99; 12 equal monthly payments on purchases of $600 or more; 24 equal monthly payments on select purchases
Regular APR
29.99% variable
Balance transfer fee
Not applicable
Foreign transaction fee
Not applicable
Terms apply. We may earn commissions from qualifying purchases made through Amazon links.
Pros
- No annual fee
- High 5% back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods
- Various promotional financing offers
Cons
- Deferred interest means you have to pay all interest you incurred during the intro period if you don’t pay your balance in full before it ends
- Prime membership is required
- This card can only be used at Amazon stores
Who's this for? The Prime Store Card, available to those with a Prime membership, earns 5% back on Amazon.com purchases. However, unlike the other Amazon cards, you do not earn cash back at Whole Foods or any other purchase.
There's an added benefit to this card if you're looking for ways to pay for your orders over time: Cardholders have the option to forgo 5% cash back on their Amazon purchase over $150 in exchange for the ability to pay for their purchases over six, 12 or 24 months with 0% interest.
You need to be careful with this card: To avoid interest charges, you must make equal payments on time and in the full amount each month. If you don't pay off the full amount by the end of your promotional period, you will have to pay deferred interest. Here's a breakdown of the current offers:
Special financing
- 6 months on purchases between $150 and $599.99
- 12 months on purchases of $600 or more
- 24 months on select purchases
Equal monthly payments
- Make equal monthly payments for six months on Amazon.com purchases of $50 to $599.99 and pay no interest.
- Make equal monthly payments for 12 months on Amazon.com purchases of $600 or more and pay no interest.
- Make equal monthly payments for 24 months on select Amazon.com purchases and pay no interest.
After the special financing offers end, there's a 29.99% variable APR.
For example, say you purchase a new laptop for $700, you could split the payments up over 12 months, at roughly $58 per month. But if you take advantage of the financing, you won't receive the 5% cash-back reward (worth $35) on that $700 purchase.
If you decide to take advantage of the interest-free financing, make sure you have a plan to pay off the balance in full before the promotional period ends so you don't get whacked with high interest charges, thereby undoing any savings you enjoyed through your Prime membership.
Best for trying out Amazon Prime
Amazon Visa
Rewards
3% cash back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market; 3% back on purchases made through Chase Travel; 2% back at restaurants, gas stations and local transit and commuting, including rideshare; 1% back on all other purchases
Welcome bonus
Earn a $50 Gift Card instantly upon approval.
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
None
Regular APR
19.49%–28.24% variable
Balance transfer fee
4%, $5 minimum
Foreign transaction fee
None
Credit needed
Excellent/Good
Terms apply. We may earn commissions from qualifying purchases made through Amazon links.
Pros
- Doesn't require an Amazon Prime membership
- No annual fee
Cons
- No intro APR offer
Who's this for? If you don't have an Amazon Prime membership but still frequently use the website to shop, another option is the Amazon Visa.
This credit card offers 3% back at Amazon, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods and Chase Travel, along with 2% back at restaurants, gas stations and local transit and commuting and 1% on all other purchases, so you can earn plenty of rewards even if you're not an everyday Amazon shopper.
To take advantage of Prime Day deals, you can sign up for a free 30-day trial membership of Prime and consider applying for the Amazon Visa card, which doesn't require you to have a Prime membership.
New cardholders get a $50 Amazon gift card once their application is approved. This card also has no foreign transaction fee.
If you later decide to become a Prime member, you'll be upgraded to the Prime version of this card, but you won't qualify for the welcome bonus.
Best for earning travel rewards and purchase protections
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card packs a punch for a $95 annual fee card, offering annual travel credits, comprehensive travel protections and more.
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase TravelSM, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
- Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase TravelSM
- 10% anniversary points boost - each account anniversary you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
- Member FDIC
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
Who's this for? If you want to stick with a credit card that earns rewards on all spending (not just Amazon and Whole Foods), and you love to travel, consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
If you're planning to make a big purchase from Amazon, it could be a good way to help you earn the Sapphire Preferred card's welcome bonus: New Sapphire Preferred cardholders can earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Although the card earns just 1X points on Amazon purchases, cardholders enjoy purchase protection and extended warranty protection. Purchase protection covers your purchases for 120 days against damage or theft, up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account. Meanwhile, the extended warranty protection adds an additional year for eligible warranties of three years or less.
Best for flat-rate cash back on all other spending
The Citi Double Cash® Card is one of the best no-annual-fee cash-back cards thanks to its straightforward rewards structure.
- Balance transfers get a long intro APR
- Generous flat-rate cash-back rewards structure
- No annual fee
- Travelers face a foreign transaction fee
- Intro APR only applies to balance tranfer
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 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.
- Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked with Citi Travel.
- Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 17.49% - 27.49%, based on your creditworthiness.
- Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
- If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
- There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
Balance transfer fee
There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. A balance transfer fee of 5% of each transfer ($5 minimum) applies if completed after 4 months of account opening.
Foreign transaction fee
3%
Who's this for? The Citi Double Cash® Card is for shoppers who want to maximize their money by earning 2% cash back on all spending everywhere (not just Amazon and Whole Foods).
Here's how it works: Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked with Citi Travel.
There's no annual fee and no limit to how much cash back you can earn. Cardholders can redeem cash back for statement credits, a mailed check or direct deposit, gift cards, travel or merchandise. Plus, if you have another Citi ThankYou® Points earning card like the Citi Strata Premier® Card (see rates and fees), you can transfer your points to all of Citi's travel partners like Air Canada and Turkish Airlines, where you can maximize the value of your points.
Cardholders can benefit from 0% intro APR for the first 18 months on balance transfers (then a 17.49% - 27.49% variable APR). You have to initiate your balance transfer within 4 months of opening an account.
Best for average credit
The Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card available to those with limited/fair credit, which makes it surprising that it features an elevated 1.5% cash back on all purchases.
- Simple rewards structure with no caps or categories to track
- Available if you have fair credit
- High APR
- Has an annual fee
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
- No rotating categories or limits to how much you can earn, and cash back doesn't expire for the life of the account. It's that simple
- Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months
- Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges
- Help strengthen your credit for the future with responsible card use
- Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Monitor your credit score with CreditWise from Capital One. It's free for everyone
- Check out quickly and securely with a contactless card, without touching a terminal or handing your card to a cashier. Just hover your card over a contactless reader, wait for the confirmation, and you're all set
- Top rated mobile app
Balance transfer fee
- $0 at the Transfer APR, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you
Who's this for? Many of the best cash-back cards require good or excellent credit, but there are some options for people with fair/average credit that offer good cash-back rates.
One example is the Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card that gives consumers a competitive 1.5% cash back on all purchases, with no limit on the amount of cash back you can earn. You can redeem cashback at any amount, without the typical $25 minimum of some other cards set. Plus, there are no foreign transaction fees if you use this card abroad.
Find the best credit card for you by reviewing offers in our credit card marketplace or get personalized offers via CardMatch™.
How to maximize credit card rewards for Amazon purchases
You have two main ways to use credit card rewards when shopping on Amazon. The simplest method is to link your rewards account to your Amazon account and redeem points for purchases. This option is available with Discover, American Express, Chase, Citi, U.S. Bank, Bank of America, Bilt and more.
While linking your rewards to Amazon is a convenient way to use your points, you should proceed with caution. Using points to pay for Amazon items can give you less value than redeeming your points for cash back and using that cash back to pay for your Amazon charges. For example, you can redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points for one cent per point for cash back. However, when you redeem Chase points directly with Amazon, the value per point drops to roughly 0.8 cents. This isn't the case with all rewards, but it's something to be aware of.
How to pick the best card for Prime Day
As you consider what card you want to use for Prime Day, pay attention to how rewarding is it for Amazon purchases. Ideally, you'll want to choose a card that offers bonus rewards at Amazon. However, outside of co-branded Amazon cards, there aren't many cards that offer additional points, miles or cash back at Amazon. Your next best option is to find a card with a high flat-rate return on every purchase, such as the Citi Double Cash, which offers a minimum of 2% back on every purchase (1% when you buy and 1% when you pay).
Keep in mind, that not all rewards are created equal. The value of a point or mile varies depending on what type of reward it is. Flexible travel rewards tend to have a higher value because you have more redemption options. Generally, earning American Express Membership Rewards points or Chase Ultimate Rewards points can be more lucrative than cash back. On the other hand, cash back is much simpler to redeem and with the top cash-back cards, you may be able to earn a better return.
If you're looking to open a new card, Prime Day can be the perfect time to scoop up a deal and take a big chunk out of a new credit card's welcome bonus spending requirement. The best intro bonuses can easily be worth $500 to $1,000, but they often require spending $4,000 or more within the first three months you have the card. If you can comfortably meet the spending requirement without going into credit card debt, that's an amazing return on your spending.
FAQs
What credit score do you need to get an Amazon card?
To get approved for an Amazon credit card, you'll typically need good credit (a FICO Score of 670 or higher) Your income, employment history, debt-to-income ratio and other factors are considered, as well, so having a high credit score doesn't guarantee approval.
What's the best credit card for business purchases with Amazon?
CNBC Select's best business card for Amazon is the Amazon Business Card. It earns 5% back at Amazon Business, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market (on the first $150,000 in purchases a calendar year, then 1%). You can also choose 90-day repayment terms instead of the bonus cash back.
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Why trust CNBC Select?
At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit card review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit card products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics. See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best credit cards for Amazon.
Our methodology
To determine which cards offer the best value for Amazon purchases, CNBC Select analyzed over 250 major credit cards issued through FDIC-insured banks and NCUA-insured credit unions that are widely available in the U.S.
We compared each card on a range of features, including rewards (e.g., cash back, points and miles), annual fees, welcome bonuses, introductory and standard APR and balance transfer fees and foreign transaction fees. We also considered additional perks (e.g., ongoing travel or merchant statement credits), cardholder protections (e.g., purchase protection, $0 liability protection and travel insurance), the application process when available (e.g., is there a credit pull or required credit score) and how easy it is to redeem points (e.g., are rewards are tied to a specific brand; if transferable, to how many/which partners, can you redeem for straight cash back).
We also considered CNBC Select audience data when available, such as general demographics and engagement with our content and tools.
For the cards that offered a rewards program, we considered consumer spending forecasts from location intelligence firm Esri to determine where U.S. consumers are spending the most, such as on dining and travel. We used this to help determine what bonus categories are most useful for consumers. Since the value of points or miles varies based on how they can be redeemed, we also considered factors such as transferability and the option to redeem for cash back.
When choosing the best credit cards for Amazon, we focused on earning rates for Amazon and other relevant benefits, such as purchase protections.
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For rates and fees for the Blue Cash Preferred Card, click here
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