The Amazon Visa gives you cash back on Amazon purchases and everyday spending

The Amazon Visa is a co-branded credit card issued by Chase in partnership with Amazon. It pays you cash back — money returned to your account — when you use it to buy things. The cash back rate depends on where you shop: you earn a higher percentage back on Amazon purchases than you do at other stores, gas stations, or restaurants.

The card has no annual fee, which means you do not pay to own it. The cash back you earn stays in your account as a credit that reduces your balance, or you can request it as a statement credit or deposit to a bank account. You do not have to spend a minimum amount each year to keep the card open.

This card is designed for people who shop on Amazon regularly and want to turn that spending into a small financial return. It is also useful if you want a single card that rewards both Amazon purchases and everyday expenses like groceries or gas.

Key Takeaways

  • The Amazon Visa earns 5% cash back on Amazon.com purchases when you are a Prime member, or 3% if you are not.
  • You earn 2% cash back at Whole Foods and Amazon Fresh, 1% at gas stations and restaurants, and 1% on all other purchases.
  • There is no annual fee and no minimum spending requirement to keep the card active.
  • Cash back is deposited into your Amazon account as a credit by default, though you can request it as a statement credit or bank transfer instead.

How the cash back rates work across different merchants

The cash back you earn is not the same everywhere. Amazon.com purchases earn the highest rate. If you are a Prime member, you earn 5% cash back on Amazon.com. If you do not have Prime, you earn 3%. This rate applies to purchases made directly on Amazon.com and through the Amazon app, but not to third-party sellers using Amazon's marketplace unless Amazon is the payment processor.

Whole Foods Market and Amazon Fresh purchases earn 2% cash back. These are Amazon-owned grocery stores, so the card treats them as a category. Gas stations and restaurants earn 1% cash back. Everything else — drugstores, clothing, utilities, online retailers — earns 1% cash back.

The rates do not stack or combine. A purchase falls into one category and earns one rate. If you buy groceries at Whole Foods, you earn 2%, not 2% plus 1%. The card does not have rotating categories that change each quarter, so the rates stay the same year-round.

When the card makes financial sense for your spending

The Amazon Visa is most valuable if you spend money on Amazon regularly. A Prime member who spends $3,000 per year on Amazon.com earns $150 in cash back from that alone. That same person spending $2,000 per year at other retailers earns $20 more. Over a year, that is $170 in cash back with no annual fee.

The card is less valuable if you rarely shop on Amazon or if you spend most of your money at retailers that offer their own rewards programs. For example, if you buy most of your groceries at a store with its own loyalty program that offers 5% back, using the Amazon Visa at 1% is a step backward. Similarly, if you have a different card that earns 2% cash back on all purchases, the Amazon Visa only beats it on Amazon.com purchases.

The card can also make sense as a second card. You might use it for Amazon and Whole Foods purchases, then use a different card for other spending if that card has better rates in those categories. Many people carry more than one card for exactly this reason.

How to redeem your cash back and what happens to it

Cash back is automatically added to your Amazon account as a credit. This means it sits in your Amazon account and reduces the amount you owe when you make your next purchase on Amazon.com. You do not have to do anything to receive it — it appears automatically.

If you do not want your cash back to go to Amazon, you have other options. You can request a statement credit, which reduces your credit card bill instead. You can also request a direct deposit to a bank account. To make these changes, you log into your Chase account online or call the customer service number on the back of your card. The process takes a few business days.

Cash back does not expire as long as your account remains open and in good standing. If you close the card, any unredeemed cash back is forfeited, so you lose it. This is one reason to keep the card active even if you are not using it regularly — the cash back you have already earned stays yours.

Annual fees, interest rates, and other costs

There is no annual fee for the Amazon Visa. You do not pay anything to hold the card, regardless of how much or how little you use it.

Like all credit cards, the Amazon Visa charges interest if you carry a balance. The interest rate varies based on your credit history and current market rates. Chase will tell you the rate range when you explore, and you will see your specific rate in your account after approval. If you pay your full balance by the due date each month, you pay no interest.

There are no other regular fees — no foreign transaction fees, no late fees if you pay on time, no inactivity fees. Late fees and over-limit fees explore only if you miss a payment or exceed your credit limit, just as they do with any credit card.

Comparing the Amazon Visa to other cash back cards

Several other cards offer cash back without an annual fee. A flat-rate card like the Chase Freedom Unlimited pays 1.5% cash back on all purchases, everywhere. That is less than the Amazon Visa on Amazon.com, but more than the 1% you earn on non-Amazon purchases. If you do not shop on Amazon much, a flat-rate card might be simpler.

The Capital One SavorOne card earns 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, and streaming, plus 1% on everything else. If restaurants and entertainment are your biggest spending categories, this card could earn you more than the Amazon Visa. The Chase Freedom Flex earns 5% cash back on groceries for the first year, then 1% after that, plus other rotating categories.

The choice depends on where you actually spend money. If Amazon is your largest category, the Amazon Visa is hard to beat. If your spending is spread across many categories, a flat-rate card is often simpler and competitive. Many people use both — the Amazon Visa for Amazon and Whole Foods, and another card for everything else.

How to use the card responsibly and avoid common mistakes

The most important rule is to pay your full balance by the due date each month. If you carry a balance, the interest you pay will quickly erase the cash back you earned. A purchase that earned you 5% cash back costs you 18% to 25% in interest if you do not pay it off. The math works against you when ready.

Do not increase your spending just to earn cash back. If you buy things you would not normally buy because you want the reward, you lose money overall. Cash back is a return on spending you were going to do anyway, not a reason to spend more.

Keep track of which card you are using and why. If you have multiple cards, it is straightforward to forget which one earns the best rate at a particular merchant. A quick mental check — "Is this Amazon? Whole Foods? A restaurant?" — takes five seconds and ensures you are using the right card.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to be a Prime member to use the Amazon Visa?

No. You can use the card whether or not you have Prime. However, the cash back rate on Amazon.com purchases is higher if you are a Prime member — 5% instead of 3%. If you shop on Amazon frequently, Prime membership pays for itself through the higher cash back rate alone.

Can I use the Amazon Visa outside the United States?

Yes, you can use the card internationally. There are no foreign transaction fees, so you do not pay extra when you make a purchase in another country. The cash back rate is the same as it is in the United States, based on the merchant category.

What happens to my cash back if I close the card?

Any cash back you have not yet redeemed is forfeited and lost. Before you close the card, redeem all your cash back as a statement credit or bank transfer. Once the card is closed, you cannot recover unredeemed rewards.

Does the Amazon Visa help me build credit?

Using any credit card responsibly — paying on time and keeping your balance low — helps build credit history. The Amazon Visa reports to the three major credit bureaus just like any other card. Your payment history and credit utilization matter more than which card you use.

Can I earn cash back on Amazon purchases made through third-party sellers?

Only if Amazon is the payment processor. Most third-party sellers on Amazon.com use Amazon Pay, which qualifies for the higher cash back rate. Some third-party sellers use their own payment systems, and those purchases earn only 1% cash back. You can check before you buy by looking at the payment options at checkout.