Amazon credit cards

  Chase Credit Cards

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Business Version Available

Annual Fee

No annual fee

Typical Signup Offer

$70

Upon approval

($70 net value)

Signup Bonus Chart

Bonus Categories

5% Amazon Purchases

2% Restaurants

2% Gas

2% Drugstores

1% Everywhere Else

No Foreign Transaction Fee

The Amazon Prime Visa card (and the Amex Business Prime card) offer the highest reward rate on Amazon purchases. For the many people who spend an increasingly large amount of their money at Amazon, an Amazon Prime credit card is a useful option for optimizing your rewards.

Jump to

• Amazon Card Options
• Signup Bonus
• Other Notable Benefits
• Bonus Categories
• Getting Rid of the Card

Amazon Credit Card Options

There are three different Amazon-branded credit cards.

• Amazon Prime Visa. This is the best version for most people. It provides a 5% reward rate at both Amazon and Whole Foods, offers a $70 signup bonus, and doesn't have an annual fee.
• Amazon Visa. The older Amazon Visa is still available. However, it only earns 3% at Amazon and Whole Foods, and a $50 signup bonus. It is, however, available to people who aren't Amazon Prime members. But, there are very few people who can justify getting a card just for higher rewards at Amazon, who aren't already Amazon Prime customers. Official Webpage.
• Amazon Prime Store Card. Prime members also have access to a "merchant card" that offers 5% rewards at Amazon. Unlike the Amazon Prime Visa, it can only be used at Amazon, not at other Visa locations. That isn't a big limitation, but it also doesn't provide any signup bonus and has weaker purchase protections. As a result, it is only interesting to people who need to maintain a balance on their card.

In addition, there are business versions of the Prime and regular card issued by Amex. The signup bonus for the business cards is $100-150, instead of $50-70. The current signup bonus is $225. In addition, the business versions explicitly earn their Amazon bonus category rates on Amazon Web Services and Amazon Business Services expenditures; and they don't take up a valuable Chase credit card slot. If you are willing and able to use business credit cards, we recommend getting the Amazon version. Amex wepbage. Amazon webpage.

Collecting the Signup Bonus

This card is primarily interesting for its bonus rewards on Amazon and Whole Foods, not for its signup bonus. The normal signup offer is $70 (Chase Personal) or $125 (Amex Business). It isn't very much, but it is better than nothing.

Other Notable Benefits

The Visa card provides the following benefits.

• Access to the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection. As with all Visa Signature cards, you'll get access to Visa's luxury hotel program. Whenever you book one of the 900+ participating hotels, you'll receive a set of valuable benefits, including free breakfast, late check-out, and a $25 food and beverage credit. The Visa program has slightly weaker benefits than the other luxury hotel programs, but includes a larger number of more affordable hotel options and a best price guarantee. Take Advantage of Luxury Hotel Programs for Valuable Extra Perks.
• Access to Visa Signature Offers. Your card entitles you to a set of special offers available from Visa.

The Amex version provides the following benefits

• Access to Amex Offers. Amex continuously provides discount offers to their cardholders. Most of the offers are in the form of "Spend $x, get $y back", but other offers are in the form of "x% off your entire order" or "Earn an extra Membership Reward point on your purchases". To take advantage of the offers, you need to go to the Amex website, find the ones you are interested in, and "add them" to your card. Each offer will then be automatically applied when you use your card to make the corresponding purchase. Amex Offers Website.
• Free ShopRunner membership. As with all Amex cards, you are entitled to a complimentary ShopRunner membership, which provides free two-day and return shipping from around 150 of the largest online retailers. ShopRunner Website
• Exclusive access to entertainment events. Amex sponsors cardmember-only events around the country and also provides early ticket access for some other shows.

Bonus Categories

• The Amazon Prime card earns the highest possible rewards on your Amazon purchases. You'll earn 5% back.
• The Amazon Prime card also offers a very good reward rate on Whole Food purchases. You'll earn 5% back. That is much better than what you'd get from your general-purpose reward card, but not quite as good as you can get from the best cards for grocery store spending. However, many of the good grocery category bonuses are capped, so it is nice to have another option that offers an excellent reward rate. Best Credit Cards for Grocery Spending.
• Amazon Visa's bonus rate for restaurant, drugstore, and gas purchases is not very interesting. You should be earning as much, or more, from your general-purpose reward card; and can do even better with a card that earns bonus rewards for these categories. Best Credit Cards for Restaurant Spending. Best Credit Cards for Gas Spending.
• You don't want to use these cards for your everyday spending. You'll earn higher rewards from a good general-purpose reward card. Get a Great General Purpose Reward Card and Use It for All of Your Spending.

Getting Rid of the Card

Unlike other co-branded credit cards, your Amazon Reward points are managed by Chase or Amex, and not Amazon. Make sure to use up your account balance before you cancel your card. You can apply the points against previous charges on your statement by going to the Chase or Amex website.

If you are collecting signup bonuses and there is any chance you want the Chase Amazon (personal) card again, don't cancel it. You are likely to be blocked from getting it again by the 5/24 rule. In the meantime, there is no annual fee. If you are under 5/24 and maximizing Chase business card signup bonuses, it may be worthwhile to close this card (or at least lower the signup bonus), to reduce your total accounts with Chase and the possible risk of a shutdown.

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