The best credit cards for Amazon purchases
Amazon's Black Friday sales have already started and will run through Nov. 27, just in time to help you save on holiday shopping.
From toothpaste to treadmills, you can find almost anything you need (and want) on Amazon — delivered to you in just two days with your Prime membership. If you're like us and spend a huge portion of your budget on Amazon deliveries each year, make sure you're maximizing those purchases by using the right credit card.
However, determining which card is right for you and your Amazon purchases requires looking beyond just points-earning rates and considering other factors, such as rewards currencies, purchase protection and extended warranties. In some cases, you might even want to consider different cards depending on the specific purchase. Additionally, your best option may vary based on whether you're a Prime member and what other cards you already carry.
With these things in mind, here's a look at the best credit cards to use when shopping at Amazon.
Best credit cards for Amazon purchases
- Prime Visa
- Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Chase Freedom Unlimited
- Discover it Cash Back
- American Express® Gold Card
The information for the Discover it Cash Back card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Prime Visa
At first glance, Amazon's own Prime Visa appears to be the most exciting option — and for most people, it probably is. The Prime member-exclusive card, which should not be mistaken for the basic Amazon Rewards Visa Signature, does not charge an annual fee (though you do need to pay for Prime membership, obviously).
It offers an impressive 5% cash back on all Amazon and Whole Foods purchases; 2% back at restaurants, gas stations and local transit and commuting (including rideshares); and 1% back on all other purchases.
Prime members can also get a $100 Amazon gift card (or more) instantly upon approval for a Prime Visa.
The biggest drawback is that the high return on spending is all this card really has to offer. While it comes with purchase protection (it covers items up to $500 in value if they're damaged or stolen within 120 days of purchase) and extended warranty protection, it doesn't include important purchase benefits like price protection and return protection, so it's not ideal for large purchases.
The other drawback is that you need a Prime membership ($139 per year) to qualify. Although with so many U.S. households already subscribed to Prime, that's probably not much of an issue for the card's target demographic.
For more details, check out our full review of the Prime Visa.
Official application link: Prime Visa with a $100 Amazon gift card (or more) instantly upon approval.
Capital One Venture X and Venture cards
If you want to earn transferable points on your Amazon purchases, one of these cards from Capital One could be a good option. That's because both the Venture X Rewards card and the Venture Rewards card offer 2 miles per dollar spent on everyday purchases — including Amazon purchases.
Based on TPG's most recent point valuations, that's a very respectable 3.7% return (valuations are an estimate and not provided by the issuer).
Beyond that, both cards offer identical sign-up bonuses (75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening).
Check out our comparison of the two Venture cards for additional details.
Official application links: Capital One Venture X and Capital One Venture, each with 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 in the first three months.
Chase Freedom Unlimited
If you're not a Prime subscriber and still want a solid return on your spending on a card with no annual fee, your best bet may be to go with the Chase Freedom Unlimited. The Freedom Unlimited provides 5% back on travel purchased through Chase and 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining. All other purchases will earn 1.5% cash back.
However, if you don't currently have the card and apply today, you'll receive double your cash back at the end of the first year as a welcome offer. That means your Amazon purchases will effectively earn 3% back for the first 12 months.
While that's a solid return on its own, you could potentially double the value of your rewards by pairing the Freedom Unlimited with a Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or Ink Business Preferred Credit Card.
By doing so, you can convert your cash-back points into full-fledged transferable Ultimate Rewards points, worth 2.05 cents each based on TPG's monthly points valuations.
Related: The power of the Chase Trifecta: Sapphire Reserve, Ink Preferred and Freedom Unlimited
Additionally, the Freedom Unlimited also offers 120-day purchase protection and extended warranty protection that extends eligible manufacturers' warranties by an additional year. Like the two Amazon cards, this one does not have an annual fee.
For more details, check out our full review of the Freedom Unlimited.
Official application link: Chase Freedom Unlimited
Discover it Cash Back
Amazon's Prime Visa isn't the only card to offer 5% cash back on purchases — the no-annual-fee Discover it Cash Back does, too (on rotating categories and up to $1,500 each quarter you activate, and 1% cash back after that) — and this one doesn't require you to be a Prime member.
However, this earning rate is typically only available on Amazon purchases just one quarter out of the year. Luckily, just like in 2021 and 2022, Amazon is an eligible category in the fourth quarter of this year.
Keep in mind that while this card is great for Amazon purchases during any quarter when Amazon is among the retailers that count toward bonus-earning, it isn't the best card to use year-round. When Amazon is not a part of the quarterly cash-back bonus category, your purchases will only receive 1% back.
However, what makes the card shine is that Discover will match your rewards at the end of your first cardmember year, so you could get up to 10% back on Amazon purchases from a quarter when it's a bonus retailer.
Unfortunately, the card has discontinued other benefits, including extended warranty protection, return protection, purchase protection and price protection.
For more details, check out our full review of the Discover it Cash Back.
American Express Gold Card
This card is a good choice for those who make many high-value purchases on Amazon.
With the Amex Gold Card, you'll earn 1 Membership Rewards point per dollar on Amazon purchases, yielding a return of 2% based on TPG's valuations. Unless there's an Amazon deal available through Amex Offers, this won't be the best card from an earning perspective.
The biggest benefit of using the card is its generous purchase protection policy. While many cards include a similar perk, the Amex Gold Card provides an astounding $10,000 in protection per incident and up to $50,000 for all incidents in a calendar year.*
*Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
Related: Best credit cards for purchase protection
For more details, check out our full review of the Amex Gold.
Official application link: American Express Gold Card with 60,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 in the first six months of card membership.
Bottom line
As you can see, picking a card for Amazon purchases isn't as simple as going with the one at the top of this list.
The best rewards credit card for you depends on your personal habits and priorities. So, while the Prime Visa offers a high return on Amazon purchases, it's not everyone's best option; it's only available to Prime members and lacks key shopping protections, which you'll want for larger purchases.
Card benefits such as return protection have proved extremely valuable and may be worth sacrificing 2% to 3% in rewards in the long run. Additionally, if you've been saving up transferable points for a specific redemption, it may make sense to earn rewards in that currency rather than cash back. This way, you can top off your account and book that award trip you've been dreaming about sooner.