Credit Cards for Online Shopping on Amazon

Amazon makes shopping easy, and with the right card at hand, every order can also become an opportunity to save. Once you’ve found the best card to use on Amazon, you’ll get to enjoy cashback bonuses, rewards, discounts, and exclusive perks at every checkout, all quietly putting money back into your pocket.

However, how do you choose the best credit card to use on Amazon among the myriad offers the market throws at you? In this guide, we’ll walk you through five of the most interesting options for shopping on the popular website.

What to Look For in the Best Credit Card for Amazon Shopping

Before we discuss the five best credit cards for Amazon, let’s talk about how we’ve chosen our finalists. The main criteria we’ve used are:

Minimal annual fee or its absence

Not having to pay an annual fee is an obvious benefit, especially for a secondary card, so we always recommend keeping this criterion in mind.

High cashback rates

It’s a good idea to check whether you are eligible for cashback and whether the percentages are worth it.

Any rewards, loyalty points, and sign-up bonuses

Some people prefer getting points that can be exchanged for goods as opposed to cashback. There are also credit cards that offer great sign-up bonuses.

Extended warranty

If you plan on buying high-value items, looking for an extended warranty could be a good strategy.

Next, let’s talk about the benefits that the best credit cards for Amazon can offer you, their limitations, eligibility requirements, and more.

Amazon Visa Credit Card

Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Credit Card

Any list of the best Amazon credit card options wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the dedicated Amazon Visa card. It offers a range of advantages while also being quite accessible requirements-wise, which makes it ideal for casual Amazon shoppers. In addition to 3% cash back, this card provides Visa Signature benefits like extended warranty protection, travel accident/baggage insurance, and purchase protection, all at no annual fee.

The benefits of this card include:

  • Fees: No annual fee, no foreign transaction fees.
  • Cashback: 3% Amazon, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods, and Chase Travel cashback all year round, 2% cashback on gas stations, restaurants, etc., and 1% cashback on other non-Amazon purchases.
  • Rewards: a gift certificate for Amazon once the card is issued.

To apply for this credit card, you should have a minimum credit score of 670, which is considerably lower than the US average of 714. Amazon Visa сard offers lower cashback compared to the Prime version, but it still makes sense to get it if you don’t plan to get the popular Amazon subscription.

Amazon Prime Visa Card

Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card

If you have been looking for the best Amazon credit card for any length of time, you are probably familiar with the Prime Visa Card from Amazon. And there’s a good reason for the spotlight the card enjoys, as it offers the best cashback out of all Amazon-exclusive options (5%). The main limitation here is that you need an Amazon Prime membership to get one. On the other hand, if you already have a Prime subscription, this card is ideal for you.

The benefits associated with this card include:

  • Fees: No annual fee, no foreign transaction fees.
  • Cashback: 5% Amazon, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods, and Chase Travel cashback. 10% back for a rotating choice of products exclusively for Prime cardholders. 2% cashback on local commuting, gas station purchases, and restaurant payments. 1% on all other purchases.
  • Rewards: $250 Amazon gift certificate as a sign-up reward.

With the Prime Visa card, you get an extended warranty and purchase protection. Note that while the card doesn’t have an annual fee, you will still have to pay $139 a year for your Prime membership. Depending on your spending habits, this expense may or may not be a reasonable purchase.

Discover It Cash Back Credit Card

Discover It Cash Back Credit Card

Discover It Cash Back is another great credit card for Amazon shopping. Just as the name suggests, the card offers excellent 5% cashback on your purchases. However, there’s a catch. The cashback categories rotate quarterly, and there is no guarantee Amazon will be included in the rotation, even though it has been available since 2015.

The advantages of this credit card:

  • Fees: No annual fee, 0% intro APR for 15 months.
  • Cashback: 5% on Amazon for as long as it remains a cashback category. 1% cashback on all purchases.
  • Rewards: Cashback match at the end of the first year.

As for eligibility, you’ll need a credit score of at least 630. Also, the card doesn’t currently offer purchase protection or an extended warranty.

Chase Freedom Flex Credit Card

Chase Freedom Flex Credit Card

Similar to the Discover It Cash Back, the Chase Freedom Flex gives you 5% cashback, but it can theoretically cut ties with Amazon in the future (however unlikely that might be). Regardless of your chosen cashback category, you’ll also receive fraud protection, extended warranty, and purchase protection.

With the Chase Freedom Flex, you’ll get:

  • Fees: No annual fee, 0% intro APR for 15 months.
  • Cashback: 5% quarterly Amazon cashback on up to $1,500. 3% cashback on dining and drugstores. 5% cashback on purchases through Chase Travel. 1% cashback on other purchases.
  • $200 bonus after spending $500 in the first 3 months.

To be eligible for this card, you should have a credit score of 670 or higher. However, it’s a good idea to regularly check whether Amazon will be in the next quarterly cashback category, as this is not guaranteed.

Capital One Venture Rewards Card

Capital One Venture Rewards Card

Last but not least, Capital One Venture is another strong contender for the title of best credit card for Amazon purchases. The main difference between this card and other options we’ve discussed is its reward system, as Venture uses miles as a transferable currency. It offers 2 miles per dollar spent on purchases, whether Amazon or not. Miles can then be spent on flights, hotel stays, and other travel-related expenses.

Here’s what you get with Venture:

  • Fees: $95 annual fee.
  • Cashback: 2 miles for every $1 spent. 5 miles on travel-related purchases made via Capital One Travel.
  • Rewards: Sign-up bonus of 75,000 miles if you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months.
  • Other perks: Purchase protection, extended warranty.

This card will work for those who prefer collecting points to traditional cashback. As for eligibility, you’ll need a credit score of 700 or higher.

Best Card to Use on Amazon: Comparison Table

Not all credit cards are created equal. While some are built for cashback, others reward big spenders with flexible travel points. If you still hesitate about which option will work best for you, let’s see how these cards stack up at a glance.

Card name

Amazon Cashback

Annual Fee

Sign-up Bonus

Minimum credit score

Amazon Visa Credit Card

3%

$0

Amazon gift card (amount varies)

670

Amazon Prime Visa Card

5% subject to Prime subscription

$0

$250 Amazon gift card

670

Discover It Cashback

5% in rotating categories (often includes Amazon), 1% on all other purchases

$0

Cashback match at the end of the first year

630

Chase Freedom Flex

5% rotating categories (Amazon frequently featured), 1% on all other purchases

$0

$200 after spending $500

670

Capital One Venture Rewards

2x miles for every dollar spent

$95

75,000 miles after spending $4,000

700

Which Amazon credit card is the best fit for you? It depends on how and where you like to spend your money. If Amazon is your daily go-to, the benefits of the Amazon Prime Visa Card are hard to beat. It will give you a stable return on both Amazon shopping and on all other purchases. Meanwhile, a frequent traveller shopping on Amazon will appreciate the travel-focused perks of the Capital One Venture.

Conclusion

With the right credit card at hand, shopping at Amazon can be not only convenient, but also notably cheaper than you might expect. An active Amazon shopper or a Prime fan will most benefit from cards that offer cashback or points for Amazon purchases. Those who plan to use their card on other platforms as well might want to consider offers with flexible cashback conditions. As is too often the case, there’s no single best credit card for Amazon, so you’ll have to choose one for yourself.