The Amazon Prime credit card works best if you shop on Amazon regularly and want cash back on those purchases
The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Card gives you 5% cash back on Amazon purchases and Whole Foods spending, 2% back at gas stations and restaurants, and 1% on everything else. You do not pay an annual fee if you have an active Prime membership. If you do not have Prime, the card costs $39 per year.
Whether this card makes sense for you depends on three things: how much you actually spend on Amazon, whether you use the other rewards categories, and whether the cash back rate beats what you would get from a different card. This guide walks through what the card offers, what it costs, and how to decide if it fits your spending.
Key Takeaways
- The card earns 5% cash back on Amazon and Whole Foods purchases, but only if you are a Prime member — otherwise you pay $39 yearly to use it.
- You earn 2% at gas stations and restaurants and 1% everywhere else, which is lower than some competing cards offer in those categories.
- There is no annual fee for Prime members, but the card requires you to maintain an active Prime subscription to keep that benefit.
- The card is worth considering if you spend at least $100 per month on Amazon, but compare the rewards rate to cards that offer flat cash back or higher rates in specific categories.
What the card actually pays you back
The 5% cash back on Amazon purchases is the main draw. That means a $100 Amazon order gives you $5 in rewards. The same 5% applies to Whole Foods purchases, including in-store and online orders.
Outside those two places, the rewards drop. You get 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants, and 1% on all other purchases. A $50 grocery bill at a non-Whole Foods store earns you 50 cents. A $200 flight earns $2.
Cash back posts to your account monthly and you can use it as a statement credit, transfer it to your Amazon account, or redeem it for gift cards. You do not have to do anything — the rewards sit in your account until you decide what to do with them.
The cost and who should actually use this card
If you have Prime, there is no annual fee. If you do not have Prime, the card costs $39 per year. That $39 only makes sense if you spend enough on Amazon to earn at least $39 in cash back annually — that is roughly $780 in Amazon purchases at the 5% rate.
The card is worth considering if you spend $100 or more per month on Amazon. Below that, the rewards are too small to matter. If you spend $300 monthly on Amazon, you earn $15 in cash back per month, or $180 per year — enough to justify keeping the card open.
The card is less useful if most of your spending happens outside Amazon. The 2% at restaurants and gas stations is decent, but many competing cards offer 2% on all purchases or higher rates in specific categories. The 1% on everything else is low compared to flat-rate cards.
How this card compares to other options
The main competitor is the Chase Freedom Unlimited, which gives 1.5% cash back on all purchases with no annual fee and no Prime requirement. If you spend $500 per month on Amazon and $500 elsewhere, the Amazon card earns you $25 plus $5 (total $30), while the Freedom Unlimited earns $15. The Amazon card wins.
But if you spend $300 on Amazon and $700 elsewhere, the Amazon card earns $15 plus $7 (total $22), while the Freedom Unlimited earns $15. The Freedom Unlimited is closer, and you do not need Prime.
If you want higher rewards in specific categories, the Chase Freedom Flex offers 5% cash back on rotating categories (groceries, gas, restaurants, and others) up to a quarterly cap, plus 1% elsewhere. That can beat the Amazon card if you hit those categories, but the rotating structure makes it harder to predict your rewards.
What happens when you close the card or lose Prime
If you cancel your Prime membership, the card's annual fee kicks in at $39 per year. You can keep using the card, but you lose the 5% Amazon rewards and the fee waiver. Most people close the card at that point because the 2% and 1% rewards do not justify the cost.
If you close the card itself, your cash back rewards stay in your account for a limited time — usually 90 days — before they expire. Redeem any balance before you close the account.
There is no penalty for closing the card. It does not hurt your credit score in the long term, though closing any card can temporarily raise your credit utilization ratio if you carry balances on other cards.
The process process and what you need
You can open the card through Amazon's website or through Chase directly. The process takes about 10 minutes and asks for your name, address, income, and Social Security number. Chase runs a hard credit inquiry, which may lower your credit score by a few points temporarily.
You will get a decision within minutes or a few days. If approved, the card ships to your address within 7 to 10 business days. You can use it for online purchases when ready through a temporary card number.
You do not need an active Prime membership to open the card, but you will pay the $39 annual fee unless you have Prime when the card arrives. If you plan to get Prime anyway, open the card after you subscribe so the fee waiver applies from day one.
Things that might surprise you about this card
The 5% rate only works on Amazon.com and Whole Foods purchases. It does not include Amazon Fresh, Amazon Business, or third-party sellers who use Amazon's marketplace — only items sold directly by Amazon or Whole Foods. Check the rewards terms on your statement to confirm what counted.
The card does not earn bonus points or miles. All rewards are cash back only. If you prefer travel rewards or points that transfer to airlines, this card will not help.
The card does not come with purchase protection, extended warranty, or travel insurance. It is a straightforward cash back card with no extra benefits. If you value those protections, you may want a premium card instead, though those usually charge an annual fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need Prime to open the card?
No, you can open the card without Prime. But if you do not have Prime when the card arrives, you will pay the $39 annual fee. The fee waiver only applies if you have an active Prime membership. If you plan to get Prime, wait until after you subscribe so the fee applies to your account from the start.
Can I use this card if I do not shop on Amazon much?
You can, but it probably is not worth it. The 2% at restaurants and gas stations and 1% everywhere else is lower than what you would earn from a flat-rate card like the Chase Freedom Unlimited, which gives 1.5% on all purchases. If you spend less than $100 per month on Amazon, a different card will likely earn you more.
What if I have Prime but cancel it later?
The $39 annual fee starts when your Prime membership ends. You can keep using the card, but the fee applies every year unless you reactivate Prime. Most people close the card at that point because the lower rewards rates do not justify the cost.
How long does cash back stay in my account?
Cash back rewards typically stay in your account indefinitely as long as the card is open. If you close the card, you usually have 90 days to redeem any balance before it expires. Check your account or contact the card issuer to confirm the exact timeline.
Does this card help my credit score?
Opening the card may lower your score slightly because of the hard credit inquiry. Over time, the card can help your score if you use it responsibly and pay the balance in full each month. Closing the card does not hurt your score long-term, though it may temporarily raise your credit utilization ratio if you carry balances elsewhere.