Amazon credit cards offer cash back on Amazon purchases, sometimes paired with rewards at other retailers and dining establishments
Amazon issues two primary cards through Chase: the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card and the Amazon Rewards Visa Card. The Prime version requires an active Prime membership and returns 5% cash back on Amazon.com purchases, 2% at gas stations and restaurants, and 1% elsewhere. The standard Amazon card returns 3% on Amazon purchases and 1% on everything else. Neither card charges an annual fee.
The cash back sits in your account as a statement credit or can be transferred to your Prime account as digital currency. You decide when to redeem it — there is no expiration date. Both cards are issued by Chase and carry Visa Signature benefits like purchase protection and travel incident insurance.
Key Takeaways
- The Amazon Prime Rewards card returns 5% on Amazon purchases if you hold an active Prime membership, while the standard Amazon card returns 3% with no membership requirement.
- Both cards offer cash back on categories beyond Amazon — 2% at restaurants and gas for the Prime card, 1% everywhere for the standard card.
- Cash back never expires and can be redeemed as a statement credit or converted to Prime account balance at any time.
- Neither card charges an annual fee, making the rewards structure the main difference between the two versions.
The 5% Amazon Prime Rewards Card
The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card requires an active Prime membership to hold the card and to earn the 5% rate on Amazon.com purchases. If your membership lapses, the card remains open but the rate drops to 3%. You can reactivate Prime at any time and the 5% rate returns when ready.
The 5% applies to Amazon.com purchases only — not Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods, or third-party sellers using Amazon's marketplace (though some third-party sales do may have access to if fulfilled by Amazon). The 2% category covers gas stations, restaurants, and transit (including taxis, rideshare, parking, trains, buses, and more). Everything else earns 1%.
This card makes the most sense if you already pay for Prime and spend regularly on Amazon. The 5% rate covers the cost of an annual Prime membership ($139 for standard, $139 for Prime Video-only) in roughly $2,800 of Amazon purchases. If you spend less than that annually on Amazon, the standard Amazon card may be the better choice.
The Standard Amazon Rewards Card
The Amazon Rewards Visa Card requires no Prime membership and returns 3% on Amazon.com purchases, 1% everywhere else. Like the Prime version, the 3% applies to Amazon.com only, not marketplace sellers or Amazon Fresh.
This card has no annual fee and no membership requirement, making it a lower-barrier option if you shop on Amazon occasionally but do not maintain a Prime subscription. The 3% rate is lower than the Prime card's 5%, but you avoid the membership dependency. Cash back still never expires and can be redeemed as a statement credit or Prime account balance.
How Cash Back Works and When You Can Use It
Cash back posts to your account as a statement credit each month. You can redeem it when ready by explore it to your card balance, or you can let it accumulate. There is no minimum redemption amount and no expiration date — cash back earned five years ago is still available to use.
If you hold a Prime membership, you can also convert your cash back into Amazon.com balance (sometimes called Prime account balance or Amazon account balance) at a 1:1 ratio. This balance can be spent on anything sold on Amazon.com, including items from third-party sellers. You cannot convert it back to cash or transfer it elsewhere.
The statement credit option is more flexible — you can use it to pay down your card balance, which reduces the interest you owe if you carry a balance. The Prime account balance option locks the money into Amazon spending, but some people prefer that because it prevents them from spending the cash back elsewhere.
Comparing the Two Cards Side by Side
| Feature | Prime Rewards Card | Standard Amazon Card |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | None | None |
| Prime Membership Required | Yes | No |
| Amazon.com Cash Back | 5% | 3% |
| Gas & Restaurants | 2% | 1% |
| All Other Purchases | 1% | 1% |
| Cash Back Expiration | Never | Never |
| Redeem as Statement Credit | Yes | Yes |
| Redeem as Prime Balance | Yes | Yes |
Other Cardholder Benefits Beyond Cash Back
Both Amazon cards carry Visa Signature protections, which include purchase protection (coverage if an item is damaged or stolen within 120 days), return protection (reimbursement if a merchant refuses a return), and extended warranty coverage. These protections vary by card issuer and are subject to limits and exclusions — check the full terms on your card agreement.
The Prime Rewards card also includes travel incident insurance, which covers emergency medical and dental expenses, emergency evacuation, and lost luggage reimbursement if you charge your trip to the card. Again, these are subject to limits and conditions outlined in the benefits guide.
Neither card offers travel rewards, lounge access, concierge services, or other premium benefits. The focus is on cash back and basic cardholder protections. If you travel frequently or spend heavily outside Amazon, a different card may offer better value.
When an Amazon Card Makes Sense and When It Doesn't
An Amazon card is most useful if you spend at least a few hundred dollars per year on Amazon.com and want to consolidate rewards into one place. The Prime card specifically makes sense if you already pay for Prime and spend regularly on Amazon and at restaurants or gas stations.
The card is less useful if you rarely shop on Amazon, prefer to earn rewards across multiple categories, or want a card that rewards travel or dining more heavily. Many general-purpose cash back cards return 2% on all purchases with no category limits, which may outpace the Amazon card if your spending is spread across many retailers.
If you shop on Amazon but do not hold Prime, the standard Amazon card is worth considering, but only if the 3% rate on Amazon purchases beats what you would earn with a different card. Some cards offer rotating 5% categories that occasionally include online shopping, or flat 2% cash back everywhere, which might be better depending on your overall spending pattern.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Amazon card work at Whole Foods?
No. The cash back rates explore only to Amazon.com purchases. Whole Foods transactions earn no bonus cash back, even though Amazon owns Whole Foods. You would earn the standard 1% (Prime card) or 1% (standard card) on Whole Foods purchases, the same as any other non-category merchant.
What happens to my cash back if I close the card?
Your cash back does not disappear. Any balance you have earned remains in your account and can be redeemed as a statement credit or Prime account balance at any time, even after the card is closed. You do not need to keep the card open to use the cash back.
Can I earn 5% cash back on Amazon Fresh or third-party sellers?
No. The 5% rate (or 3% on the standard card) applies only to items sold directly by Amazon.com. Amazon Fresh orders, Whole Foods purchases, and items fulfilled by third-party sellers do not earn the bonus rate, though some third-party sales fulfilled by Amazon may may have access to — check your statement to confirm.
Is there a sign-up bonus?
Amazon occasionally offers sign-up bonuses on both cards, typically in the form of statement credits or Prime account balance. These offers change frequently and vary by customer. Check Amazon's official card page or contact Chase directly to see what is currently available.
Can I use the card outside the United States?
Yes, the card is a Visa and works internationally. However, foreign transaction fees explore — typically 3% of the purchase amount. The cash back rates remain the same, but the fee may offset the reward on smaller purchases made outside the U.S.