Amazon Visa Card and Prime Visa Card Review: Everything You Need To Know

Nowadays, it seems like every store, including Amazon, has its own credit card. But are these credit cards right for you? And if so, are they worth it?

This in-depth review outlines everything you need to know about Amazon card benefits, program basics, fees, drawbacks, and more.

Overview

Prime Visa

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

A strong rewards card if you shop regularly at Amazon.com and Whole Foods.

Prime Visa

A strong rewards card if you shop regularly at Amazon.com and Whole Foods.

Welcome Offer

Get a $150 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members.

$150 Amazon Gift Card

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$150

Annual Fee

$0

APR

19.49% - 28.24% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

We all do our fair share of shopping on Amazon, some of us more than others, and when we shop with Amazon, we obviously want to get the best deal possible. Now, with the Prime Visa Card, you can add a credit card to your wallet that will help you do just that.

You’ll not only earn rewards on all of your Amazon and Whole Foods purchases, but on 4 other bonus categories as well, along with flexible redemption options, all for no annual fee!

When you consider everything that the Prime Visa card offers, it is basically a no-brainer for those who frequently shop with Amazon. Let’s dig a little deeper to see just how much the card can save you.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Earn 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership
• Earn 2% back at gas stations, restaurants and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare)
• Earn 1% back on all other purchases

Cons

• Amazon Prime membership required

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Get a $150 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members
• Earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership
• Prime Card Bonus: Earn 10% back or more on a rotating selection of items and categories on Amazon.com with an eligible Prime membership
• Earn unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare)
• Earn unlimited 1% back on all other purchases
• No annual credit card fee
• No more waiting. Redeem daily rewards at Amazon.com as soon as the next day
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.49% - 28.24% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Amazon Visa

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The Amazon Visa card will save you big, not only on Amazon, but also at gas stations, restaurants, and drugstores.

Amazon Visa

The Amazon Visa card will save you big, not only on Amazon, but also at gas stations, restaurants, and drugstores.

Welcome Offer

Get a $50 Amazon.com gift card upon approval.

$50

Annual Fee

$0

Why We Like This Card

The information regarding the Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. 

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These days, we are online shopping now more than ever, and if there is a website that reigns supreme when it comes to online shopping, it’s Amazon.

If you’re someone who regularly shops with Amazon, then it could make sense to add a credit card to your wallet that provides some cash-back for all of those purchases — that is where the Amazon Visa card comes in.

In this guide, we will provide a breakdown of the benefits and cash-back you can receive from the Amazon Visa card to help you determine if the card makes sense for you.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 3% cash-back at Amazon, Whole Foods Market, Amazon Fresh, and Chase Travel purchases,
• 2% cash-back at restaurants, gas stations, and local transit and commuting
• 1% cash-back on all other purchases

Cons

• Earns less cash-back on Amazon and Whole Foods purchases than the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• 3% cash-back at Amazon, Whole Foods Market, Amazon Fresh, and Chase Travel purchases
• 2% cash-back for purchases at gas stations, restaurants, and local transit and commuting
• 1% cash-back for all other purchases
• Use cash-back directly on Amazon.com; 100 pts = $1
• Also redeem for other awards in Chase’s online portal, including statement credits, gift cards, or even travel!

Financial Snapshot

• Foreign Transaction Fees: 0%

Rewards Center

View your rewards by logging into your account at Chase.com.

The main differences between these cards are the Prime membership qualification and benefits.

Prime members get an extra bump up to 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and on Chase Travel purchases, which is a nice bonus if you’re already paying a yearly Prime membership fee.

Hot Tip:

A great aspect of the 3% and 5% rewards benefit on Amazon and Whole Foods purchases is that it is unlimited, as opposed to other cards, which may cap benefits at a certain spending level. 

Earning Potential

Here is an overview of how each card rewards you for your purchases.

For example, if you spent $200 at Whole Foods, you’d earn $10 back if you used your Prime Visa card, or $6 back on the standard Amazon Visa card.

Your $50 fill-up at the tank would earn you $1.50 back regardless of which card you used, and that $20 you spent at the movies would earn you 20 cents back.

Hot Tip:

The percentage you get back doesn’t apply to purchases from merchants using Amazon Pay, purchases made on international Amazon retail sites (e.g., Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk, etc.), or international Whole Foods purchases. The terms and conditions also state that the percentage back is not earned via any other website operated by Amazon, i.e., Zappos, Audible, etc. Also excluded are purchases of Whole Foods classes, tickets, or services through third-party sites like Eventbrite, Instacart, Google Express, and Shipt.

Standard vs. Prime Account Benefits

Be careful if you switch or use multiple Amazon accounts regularly. In the terms and conditions associated with these cards and their respective benefits, Amazon states the following:

“If you switch Amazon.com accounts, use multiple Amazon.com accounts, or your card account is loaded into multiple Amazon.com accounts, then your card account may not automatically earn 5% Back and may instead earn 3% Back. In such cases, you will need to confirm your card account number and select your card account on that Amazon.com account with eligible Prime membership in order to earn 5% Back.”

Special Promotions

Amazon credit cards intermittently offer cardholders ways to earn bonus points through programs or special promotions. For example, cardholders may receive targeted bonus offers to activate.

Redemption Options

Once points have been accrued, cardholders can utilize them in various ways:

• Redeem for eligible purchases at Amazon.com.
• Redeem for cash (starting at 2,000 points).
• Redeem for travel rewards.
• Redeem for gift cards.
• Redeem for products and services.

Redeeming on Amazon.com

Many cardholders redeem their points in this way, and it’s widely advertised as one of the card’s biggest perks. While convenient, it’s not technically the best way to maximize your points.

However, let’s look at how to redeem for Amazon purchases if you choose to do so.

When redeeming at Amazon.com, every 100 points in your account equals $1. At checkout, Amazon gives you an easy option to utilize your rewards points. You see the total in your account and how much it equates to in cash. You can use that balance (or a portion of your balance) to apply to your purchase.

Select your preferred option, then complete checkout as usual.

Why Isn’t This the Best Way to Maximize Points?

This isn’t the best way to use your points because using your Amazon Rewards credit card on Amazon is where you reap the most benefits (remember that 5% back)! When you use your points, Amazon does not give you 5% back on that part of your purchase.

For instance, say you’re a Prime Visa cardholder buying a new Kindle for $80.

Option 1: Use only rewards points.

• By using 8,000 points, you’re basically getting your Kindle for free.
• That’s great, but since you used points instead of your credit card, you’re not earning that coveted 5% back from Amazon.

Option 2: Use part points, part card.

• By using 4,000 points and putting $40 on your card, you get half the Kindle for free and earn 5% back on the other half.

Option 3: Use only your Prime Visa card.

• By putting the full $80 on your card, you earn 5% back on the entire purchase, or $4.

With this specific program, once you reach 2,000 points, you can redeem them for a statement credit or direct deposit them into your bank account at 1 cent per point.

This means you could redeem the $80 in cash-back that you would use to purchase your Kindle straight into your bank account and then pay for your Kindle with your card, earning $4 in cash-back. Then, pay off your card with the $80 in cash-back you redeemed previously and receive a net $4 in additional cash-back that you wouldn’t have received otherwise.

Redeeming for Cash

Redeeming your points for cash-back is the best way to maximize your rewards. If you’d like to redeem your points for cash, the program gives you 2 options:

• Receive money back in the form of an account statement credit.
• Receive money back in the form of an electronic deposit into an eligible checking or savings account.

Either option may be redeemed once you reach a minimum $20 cash-back in your account.

This is the best way to maximize your points, as you’re utilizing your credit card to its full potential when you place purchases on it, earning you 1%, 2%, 3%, or 5% back. Using your points to redeem for items on Amazon.com would mean you’re not earning rewards on that purchase.

Redeem for Gift Cards

The program also allows cardholders to redeem their points for gift cards. In this case, 2,500 points are worth $25 in gift cards.

This appears to be the same return rate as cash-back, so there’s no current incentive to choose gift cards over cash-back. 

Redeem for Travel Rewards

You can redeem your points for travel rewards in the form of flights, hotels, cruises, car rentals, and more. When you log in to your account, click the rewards link and then visit the travel section. You’ll be presented with a phone number to contact a Chase Travel adviser.

Rewards and Points Expiration

Amazon’s terms and conditions state that as long as a cardholder’s account remains open, their points won’t expire. However, if the account status changes or is closed for misuse, fraudulent activity, failure to pay, bankruptcy, etc., the cardholder immediately forfeits all their points.

Are These Cards Worth It?

Is it worth signing up for Amazon Prime to get the Prime Visa card that comes with 5% vs. 3% back?

That depends on how frequently you shop with Amazon and its affiliates and what daily purchases you hope to optimize.

Technically, the Prime Visa card has a $0 annual fee, but you must have an Amazon Prime membership to be approved for it.

Strictly from a percentage-back perspective, the math works out to a spending threshold of roughly $5,000 at Amazon and Whole Foods before you start reaping benefits that outweigh the $139 Prime membership fee.

So if you spend more than $5,000 annually on Amazon purchases or affiliates like Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods, the card would likely be worth it. Otherwise, you’re better off utilizing the standard card with 3% back and no annual Prime membership.

However, Amazon Prime comes with much more than a 5% back benefit, which the math above doesn’t consider. Other money-saving perks include:

• Free Prime shipping on tons of items
• Millions of movies and shows with Prime Video
• Free streaming for millions of songs and albums
• Free Kindle e-books
• Unlimited photo storage

Bottom Line:

If you’re likely to utilize additional benefits of Amazon Prime and generally spend a decent amount on Amazon throughout the year, consider the Prime Visa card. This is especially true if you also regularly shop at Whole Foods and Amazon Fresh. If you don’t already have Prime, don’t think you’ll utilize any extra perks, and aren’t likely to spend over $5,000 on Amazon in a year, then the standard Amazon Visa card is likely a better fit.

Additional Benefits and Perks of the Amazon Credit Cards

In addition to the main benefits above, each Amazon card has some added perks.

• No foreign transaction fees
• Roadside dispatch
• Auto rental collision damage waiver
• Purchase protection
• Extended warranty protection

Travel-related perks:

• Travel and emergency assistance
• Lost luggage reimbursement (up to $3,000 per passenger)
• Baggage delay insurance (up to $100 per day for 3 days)
• Travel accident insurance

For more details about these additional benefits, visit Amazon’s explanation of benefits page or read our review of Amazon Prime Visa card benefits.

Credit Score

Generally, a good credit score is needed to secure either of these cards. However, each application is reviewed individually, and approval reports have been verified from customers with credit scores in the mid-600s.

Alternative Rewards Credit Cards

The Amazon credit cards aren’t the only ones that might work for you.

Chase Freedom Flex℠

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The Freedom Flex card is an excellent no-annual-fee card that still earns big with 5% cash-back on travel and other bonus categories.

Chase Freedom Flex℠

The Freedom Flex card is an excellent no-annual-fee card that still earns big with 5% cash-back on travel and other bonus categories.

Welcome Offer

Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.

$200

Annual Fee

$0

APR

0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 18.99% - 28.49%

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Chase Freedom Flex℠ sure does pack quite a punch — especially for a no-annual-fee card.

The Freedom Flex card is an incredible option for those looking for a well-rounded cash-back card, or a powerful point-earner when paired with a premium card in the Ultimate Rewards family.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 18.99% - 28.49%.
• Powerful cash-back earner: 5% back on quarterly categories and travel purchases through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3% back on dining and drugstore purchases, and 1% back on all other purchases
• No annual fee

Cons

• 3% foreign transaction fees in U.S. dollars

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
• 5% cash-back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter!
• 5% cash-back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards, and more.
• 3% cash-back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1% cash-back on all other purchases.
• No minimum to redeem for cash-back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
• 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.24% – 28.99%.
• No annual fee – You won’t have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Flex℠ card.
• Keep tabs on your credit health – Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, real-time alerts, and more.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 18.99% - 28.49%
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars.

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

A card like the Chase Freedom Flex℠ works great for those who want to optimize purchases outside of Amazon. With it, you earn 5% back on rotating, quarterly, bonus categories on up to $1,500 in spending. These quarterly categories can feature Amazon purchases, gas stations, grocery stores, and more.

Hot Tip:

If you frequently shop at Amazon but are still unsure which card is best for you, read our full guide on the best credit cards for Amazon purchases.

Final Thoughts

The Prime Visa card and Amazon Visa card are great credit cards for those who frequently shop with Amazon, Amazon Fresh, and Whole Foods.

If you’re already a Prime member, the Prime Visa card can be a no-brainer. Remember that to maximize your returns, you’re better off redeeming your points for a statement credit or cash-back than directly for products on Amazon.