Cheapest ways to get the Amazon Prime Visa for the holidays

According to a recent TD holiday shopping survey, almost three-quarters (73%) of respondents say they plan to purchase gifts on Amazon. If you're interested in the Amazon Prime Visa (see rates and fees) but don't want to pay the full $139 yearly membership fee, there are a few ways you can still get access to the card.

With the Prime Visa, you'll not only earn 5% back on all Amazon purchases, but you'll also get access to some of Amazon's exclusive sales, like Prime Day and Prime Big Deal Days. While the card doesn't have an annual fee, it does require an Amazon Prime membership for elevated benefits.

CNBC Select takes a look at some of the most cost-effective ways to sign up for the Amazon Prime Visa in time for the holiday savings.

If this is the first time you're signing up for Amazon Prime, new members can try Prime free for 30 days. You'll still receive all the same benefits as paid members. This can be a great way to test out some of the perks that come with Prime membership and see how often you use them.

Qualifying for a free trial also means you're eligible for the Prime Visa, since you now have a Prime membership. If you apply and are approved for the card, you'll have the Prime Visa for as long as you have a Prime membership. If you choose not to renew at the end of your 30-day trial, your Prime Visa will convert to an Amazon Visa, and you'll receive an email notifying you about your change in benefits.

In June of 2025, Amazon expanded its free student program to encompass all young adults, ages 18 to 24. To qualify for Prime for Young Adults, either verify your age with something like a passport or driving license or prove your student status via a signup form or using your .edu email address.

Those in the program will receive a six-month trial for $0. After the trial, you'll get Prime for just $7.49 per month, a significant discount from the regular $14.99 cost. The exact length of your Young Adults membership depends on how you signed up. For students, your membership will convert to a normal Prime membership after four years, or at the end of your studies. If you verified by age, you'll have until you turn 25 before your membership converts to a normal one.

Throughout the Prime for Young Adults membership, even during the free trial phase, you'll be eligible to apply for the Prime Visa. That makes the card essentially free for the first six months of your trial and 50% off for the remainder of your discounted Young Adult membership.

While Prime Access might just sound like a regular Amazon membership, it's specifically for eligible government assistance recipients or income-verified customers. You can qualify for this service if your household income is at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guideline, or if you're enrolled in any of the following programs:

• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program)
• Medicaid
• Direct Express Debit Card (DE)
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
• National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
• Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
• Women, Infants, and Children Program (WIC)
• Tribal Assistance Eligibility Letter (TTANF)
• Puerto Rico's Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP)

Similar to the Young Adults membership, Prime Access comes with all the same benefits as a traditional Prime, but for less than half the cost at $6.99 per month. If you're new to Prime, you can receive your free 30-day trial before the monthly charges begin.

If you have this version of the Prime membership, you're still eligible for the Prime Visa, which can help you earn even more cash back on your Amazon purchases. You'll receive the discount for up to four years, but to keep your Prime Access membership, you'll need to reverify your eligibility every 12 months.

While many welcome bonuses require you to meet certain spending goals within a specified period, the Prime Visa offer doesn't require any additional spending. If you're approved, you'll get a $150 Amazon gift card instantly deposited into your account. This $150 is enough to cover the cost of a full-price Prime membership for a full year. Alternatively, you can cancel your membership sooner if you prefer.

Since both the gift card and Prime Visa are instantly available, you don't have to sign up weeks in advance. Once you're approved for the Prime Visa and receive the welcome bonus, if you don't feel like you're getting enough out of the membership, you can stop it early.

If you're a Prime Visa cardholder and your Prime membership expires, you won't lose your card or the rewards you've earned. Instead, your Prime Visa will become an Amazon Visa, the non-Prime version of the card, and you'll receive an email notifying you of the change. The Amazon Visa shares many similarities with the Prime Visa but earns a lower rate of 3% back on Amazon purchases.

A great aspect of Amazon cards is there are no limits or waiting periods when upgrading to Prime. Theoretically, if you want the Prime membership and Visa for the holiday season, you can sign up for a month of Prime, get approved for the Prime Visa, earn the $150 gift card (if you're a new member) and then not renew the following month and simply be downgraded to the Amazon Visa.

While you won't receive multiple welcome bonuses if you repeat the process, this can be a great way to get quick access to the Prime Visa without having to pay for Prime year-round. Alternatively, you can opt to "pause" your membership (meaning you won't be billed past your current billing cycle and will lose Prime benefits) and then resume at any time.

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