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Credit Cards

What credit score do you need to get approved for an Amazon credit card?

If you're interested in signing up for an Amazon credit card, you'll need to have this credit score.

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Shoppers who are looking for more ways to save should consider signing up for the Amazon Prime Visa card.

While this no-annual-fee credit card is only available to consumers who already have an Amazon Prime membership — which currently costs $139 annually or $14.99 per month, with discounted pricing for students and those receiving government assistance — new cardholders can take advantage of a lucrative welcome bonus that'll at least help offset part of that expense for your first year: $100 Amazon Gift Card (or more) instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members.

Prime Visa

  • 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 products and categories at Amazon.com, unlimited 1% back on all other purchases

  • Welcome bonus

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

  • Annual fee

    $0 (but Prime membership is required)

  • Intro APR

    None

  • Regular APR

    19.49% - 27.49% variable

  • Balance transfer fee

    Either $5 or 4% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.

  • Foreign transaction fee

    None

  • Credit needed

    Excellent/Good

  • Terms apply.

Information about the Prime Visa has been collected independently by Select and have not been reviewed or provided by the issuer prior to publication; if you purchase something through Select links, we may earn a commission.

 

Cardholders also receive unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership, as well as unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare) and 1% back for all other purchases. You'll also be able to score 10% or more back on Amazon.com limited-time offers, based on rotating spending categories and products, and won't have to worry about paying foreign transaction fees for using the card abroad. These reward rates make it the best credit card to use when shopping at Amazon.

Below, CNBC Select looks at what kind of credit score you'll need to qualify for the Prime Visa, as well as another Amazon credit card that could help you earn rewards for all your purchases with the popular online retailer.

What credit score do you need to get the Prime Visa card?

Generally, credit card issuers will look at your credit score, income, recent credit applications and credit history when approving you for a new card. Keep in mind that while your FICO credit score is one of the most important factors, it is not the only one that's taken into consideration.

FICO score factors:

  • Payment history (35%) — If you've made your previous payments on time
  • Amounts owed (30%) — Your credit utilization ratio, or the ratio of the amount of credit you're using to the amount that's been extended and owed on your accounts
  • Length of credit history (15%) — The amount of time you've had credit
  • New credit (10%) — How often you open new accounts
  • Credit mix (10%) — Whether you have different types of credit, such as installment loans or revolving lines of credit

Issuers will typically consider your FICO 8 score, one of the most widely used scoring models, which ranges from 300 to 850. Higher scores indicate a greater level of creditworthiness, or, the likelihood that a cardholder will be able to pay their bill on time and in full. 

FICO Score ranges:

  • Very poor: 300 to 579
  • Fair: 580 to 669
  • Good: 670 to 739
  • Very good: 740 to 799
  • Excellent: 800 to 850

For the Prime Visa, you'll likely need a good credit score (670 or above) to qualify. Having a good credit score does not necessarily guarantee you'll be approved, but the higher it is, the more it does improve your chances.

In order to maintain a good FICO score, be sure to make your other credit payments on time and in full, keep a low credit utilization ratio and limit the number of credit applications you are submitting. 

Another Amazon credit card worth considering

If you don't shop online enough to make an Amazon Prime membership worth your while, you may want to think about signing up for the Amazon Visa card instead — especially since new cardholders can receive a $50 Amazon.com gift card upon approval as a welcome bonus.

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; 2% back on 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% to 27.49% variable

  • Balance transfer fee

    4%, $5 minimum

  • Foreign transaction fee

    None

  • Credit needed

    Excellent/Good

Terms apply.

Pros

  • No annual fee
  • No Prime membership required
  • $200 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.

Cons

  • The 3% back on groceries only applies to groceries bought on Amazon or at Whole Foods Market
  • Estimated rewards earned after 1 year: $618
  • Estimated rewards earned after 5 years: $2,195

Rewards totals incorporate the points earned from the welcome bonus

Note that this no-annual fee credit card does offer a lower rewards rate than the Prime Rewards card, but you'll still earn 3% back for shopping at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market; as well as 2% back for spending at restaurants, gas stations and drugstores; and 1% back for all other purchases.

To get approved for this card, you'll need to have a good credit score of at least 670, though having a higher one certainly won't hurt your chances.

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Bottom line

Both are no-annual-fee cards that offer Amazon gift cards as welcome bonuses and higher rewards rates for shopping with Amazon.com and Whole Foods Markets.

The Prime Visa is a good option for anyone who uses Amazon frequently and plans signing up for (or already has) an Amazon Prime membership. For those who are not regular Amazon shoppers, the Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card is a better choice and also lets you save.

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.

Catch up on Select's in-depth coverage of personal financetech and toolswellness and more, and follow us on FacebookInstagram and Twitter to stay up to date.

Information about the Amazon cards have been collected independently by Select and have not been reviewed or provided by the issuer prior to publication; if you purchase something through Select links, we may earn a commission.

Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.
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