Here are the best credit cards for shopping on Amazon
Consider these credit cards to maximize your savings on Amazon Prime Day and every day.
Shoppers with an active Amazon Prime subscription can access exclusive shopping benefits and bargains on a range of products including tech, household items, furniture and more. Even if you aren't among the 76.6 million households Statista estimates to have a membership, chances are you still occasionally shop from the online retail giant.
If you want to capitalize on your savings and get the most out of your Amazon purchases, consider using a credit card that offers rewards or cash back. Some of these cards also provide purchase protections like extended warranties or insurance for stolen items.
Select crunched the numbers to see which cards provide the biggest benefit for Amazon shoppers — Prime member or not. With Black Friday and the winter holidays around the corner, now's the time to apply.
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: Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card
- Best for financing Amazon purchases: Amazon Prime Store Card
- Best for trying out Prime: Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card
- Best for earning travel rewards and purchase protections: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- 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
Subscribe to the Select Newsletter!
Our best selections in your inbox. Shopping recommendations that help upgrade your life, delivered weekly. Sign-up here.
Best cash-back welcome bonus
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Rewards
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 including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more 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.
Welcome bonus
Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card within the first 6 months.
Annual fee
$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
Intro APR
0% for 12 months on purchases from the date of account opening
Regular APR
18.74%-29.74% variable
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Foreign transaction fee
2.7%
Credit needed
Excellent/Good
See rates and fees and our methodology, terms apply.
- High 6% cash back at U.S. supermarket spending (up to $6,000 a year, then 1%)
- Unlimited 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
- Unlimited 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and on transit
- 2.7% fee on purchases made abroad
View More
- Estimated rewards earned after 1 year: $679
- Estimated rewards earned after 5 years: $2,397
Rewards totals incorporate the cash back earned from the welcome bonus
View Less
Who's this for? The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is a great option for families and individuals who spend a good portion of their monthly budget on groceries and streaming subscriptions — but now it comes with a welcome bonus: Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card within the first six months.
The Blue Cash Preferred card earns:
- 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 including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more
- 1% cash back on other purchases
Although Amazon isn't a bonus category, remember that many grocery stores also offer Amazon gift cards. So, you can effectively get a 6% return on your Amazon orders by buying gift cards at U.S. supermarkets and loading them to your account.
You can redeem your cash back for statement credits that directly reduce your account balance and helps offset the cost of everyday purchases.
Best for Prime members and Whole Foods shoppers
Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card
Rewards
5% cash back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market; 2% back at restaurants, gas stations and drugstores; 1% back on all other purchases
Welcome bonus
$200 Amazon.com gift card upon approval
Annual fee
$0 (but Prime membership is required)
Intro APR
None
Regular APR
18.49% to 26.49% variable
Balance transfer fee
5%, $5 minimum
Foreign transaction fee
None
Credit needed
Excellent/Good
See our methodology, terms apply.
- No annual fee
- $100 Amazon.com gift card upon approval, with no spending requirements
- 5% back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market
- No fee charged on purchases made outside the U.S.
- Prime membership is required
- The 5% back on groceries only applies to groceries bought on Amazon.com or at Whole Foods Market
View More
- Estimated rewards earned after 1 year: $590
- Estimated rewards earned after 5 years: $2,352
Rewards totals incorporate the points earned from the welcome bonus
View Less
Who's this for? The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card rewards users with the highest unlimited cash-back rate of the Amazon-branded credit cards. You get a robust 5% cash back for all purchases made at both Amazon.com and Whole Foods.
In addition, you can get 2% cash back on purchases made at restaurants, gas stations and drugstores. All other purchases earn 1% cash back.
If you've been waiting for a reason to sign up for the $139 Amazon Prime membership, this card might be the deciding factor: New cardholders can get a $100 Amazon.com gift card. Unlike other welcome bonuses that require a minimum spend to cash in, this $100 gift card is yours instantly upon approval.
Best for financing Amazon purchases
Amazon Prime Store Card
Rewards
5% back on Amazon.com
Welcome bonus
None
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
Pay no interest on all Amazon purchases of $150 or more if the entire purchase amount is paid in full within 6, 12 or 24 months
Regular APR
27.49% variable
Balance transfer fee
Not applicable
Foreign transaction fee
Not applicable
See our methodology, terms apply.
- No annual fee
- High 5% back at Amazon.com
- Various promotional financing offers
- 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
- The 5% back only applies to Amazon.com purchases
- This card can only be used at Amazon
View More
View Less
Who's this for? The Amazon Prime Store Card, available to those with a Prime membership, earns you 5% back on Amazon.com purchases but, unlike the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card and Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card, you do not earn cash back at Whole Foods, restaurants, gas stations, drugstores or any other purchase.
However, 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: In order 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.
For example, say you purchase a new laptop for $700, you could split the payments up over 12 months, at roughly $59 per month. But if you take advantage of the financing, you wouldn't receive the 5% cash-back reward (worth $35) on that $700 purchase.
If you do 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 Rewards Visa Signature Card
Rewards
3% cash back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market; 2% back at restaurants, gas stations and drugstores; 1% back on all other purchases
Welcome bonus
$50 Amazon.com gift card upon approval
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
None
Regular APR
15.74% to 23.74% variable
Balance transfer fee
5%, $5 minimum
Foreign transaction fee
None
Credit needed
Excellent/Good
See our methodology, terms apply.
- No annual fee
- No Prime membership required
- $50 Amazon gift card upon approval, with no spending requirements
- 3% back at Amazon and Whole Foods Market
- No fee charged on purchases made outside the U.S.
- The 3% back on groceries only applies to groceries bought on Amazon or at Whole Foods Market
View More
- Estimated rewards earned after 1 year: $399
- Estimated rewards earned after 5 years: $1,835
Rewards totals incorporate the points earned from the welcome bonus
View Less
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 Rewards Visa Signature Card.
This credit card offers 3% back at Amazon and Whole Foods, along with 2% back at restaurants, gas stations and drugstores 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 Rewards Visa Signature card, which doesn't require you to have a Prime membership.
New cardholders get a $50 Amazon gift card once their application is approved. There's also no foreign transaction fees and a few travel benefits, including travel accident insurance, auto rental collision damage waiver and lost luggage reimbursement.
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
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Rewards
$50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3X points on dining, 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points on all other purchases
Welcome bonus
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
Annual fee
$95
Intro APR
None
Regular APR
20.49% - 27.49% variable on purchases and balance transfers
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
Foreign transaction fee
None
Credit needed
Excellent/Good
Terms apply.
Who's this for? If you want to stick with a credit card that earns you 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 Sapphire Preferred card's welcome bonus: New Sapphire Preferred cardholders can earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
This offer is only available to consumers who don't have any Sapphire cards (Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve®) and haven't received a new card member bonus for either Sapphire card in the past 48 months. (Read about the eligibility requirements.)
Although the card earns just 1X point 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
Citi® Double Cash Card
Rewards
2% cash back: 1% on all eligible purchases and an additional 1% after you pay your credit card bill
Welcome bonus
None
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
0% for the first 18 months on balance transfers; N/A for purchases
Regular APR
18.74% - 28.74% variable
Balance transfer fee
For balance transfers completed within 4 months of account opening, an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer ($5 minimum) applies; after that, a balance transfer fee of 5% of each transfer ($5 minimum) applies
Foreign transaction fee
3%
Credit needed
Good/Excellent
See our methodology, terms apply.
- 2% cash back on all eligible purchases
- Simple cash-back program that doesn't require activation or spending caps
- One of the longest intro periods for balance transfers at 18 months
- 3% fee charged on purchases made outside the U.S.
View More
- Estimated rewards earned after 1 year: $443
- Estimated rewards earned after 5 years: $2,213
View Less
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 1% cash back on purchases and 1% when you pay off your bill. That makes the card's appeal almost universal, as there's no hoops to jump through or bonus categories to keep track of.
There's also 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 Premier® Card, you can transfer your Citi Double Cash points to travel partners like Air Canada and Turkish Airlines, where you can really maximize the value of your points. If you forget to pay your card, Citi will waive your first late fee — though we don't recommend getting into the habit of this.
Cardholders can benefit from 0% intro APR for the first 18 months on balance transfers (then a 18.74% - 28.74% variable APR). You have to initiate your balance transfer within 4 months of opening an account.
In addition to cash-back rewards, Citi Entertainment℠, gives cardholders first access to purchase tickets for thousands of concerts and events. The card also provides access to Citi® Identity Theft Solutions, a service that will help you if you're a victim of identity theft.
Best for average credit
Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
Rewards
Unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, up to 6 months of complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through 11/14/2024
Welcome bonus
None
Annual fee
$39
Intro APR
None
Regular APR
29.99% variable
Balance transfer fee
$0 at this Transfer APR
Foreign transaction fee
None
Credit needed
Average, Fair, or Limited
See our methodology, terms apply.
- Unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase
- Redeem cash back at anytime and for any amount
- No fee charged on purchases made outside the U.S.
- $39 annual fee
- High variable APR
- No welcome bonus
View More
View Less
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. Cash back can be redeemed at any amount, without the typical $25 minimum some other cards set.
There is a $39 annual fee for this card, but the average American can earn $289 a year in cash back by using it for everyday expenses (and $1,444 over five years). This is more than enough to offset the fee.
Plus, there are no foreign transaction fees if you use this card abroad.
Bottom line
While being an Amazon Prime member has its own perks and savings opportunities, using the right credit card at checkout can reward you further. Be sure to consider the options Select has reviewed next time you make a purchase on Amazon.
For rates and fees for the Blue Cash Preferred Card, click here
Information about Amazon credit cards has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer prior to publication; if you purchase something through Select links, we may earn a commission.