When it comes down to store credit cards, there’s usually just one option. But then you have the retailers that have to be a little extra, like the Target RedCard with three variations (reloadable, debit, and credit).
Not to be outdone, there are also three different Amazon credit card options. Their Amazon Prime Rewards Visa is offered through Chase. Synchrony Bank holds the keys to the other two.
It’s also worth noting that you get the most benefit if you’re an avid Amazon shopper. If you’re not in love enough to set up a Subscribe & Save order on a regular basis, you might want to look to other credit cards that offer cash back on your spending everywhere.
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Which Amazon Credit Card is right for my shopping needs?
Let's look at Amazon's three credit card options: Amazon Prime Rewards Visa, Prime Store Card, and the Amazon Prime Secured Card.
Your best option all depends on your credit score, shopping budget, shopping habits, and what rewards would benefit you the most. Let's get more into detail below.
Amazon Prime Rewards Visa: What to Know
The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa is issued by Chase, and frankly, it’s the belle of the ball as far as Amazon credit cards are concerned. Let’s get into the details of what makes this card the most desirable.
APR & fees
The APR you’re charged depends on which type of transaction you complete:
Purchase APR: 17.99% – 25.99% APR
Balance transfer APR: 17.99% – 25.99% APR
Cash advance APR: 28.74%
You can avoid accruing any interest by paying off your statement in full each and every billing period. While these APRs aren’t out of line for a credit card; they are still higher than anything you want to pay.
There are no annual fees or foreign transaction fees with the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa. If you’re ever late on a payment, you will incur a $39 fee. Balance transfer fees are $5 or 5% of the transfer amount, whichever is more. However, if you take out a cash advance, they’ll charge you the greater of $5 or 10% of the cash advance amount.
Rewards
This card gives you 5% back in rewards on every purchase you make through Amazon.com or Whole Foods Market, as long as your card is linked to your Prime membership. If it’s not, you only get 3% back.
When you shop as an Amazon Prime member, there are rotating product offers. If you make a purchase in one of these product categories, you’ll earn 10% back on those purchases. Occasionally they’ll offer even more.
You also get 2% back on purchases made at gas stations, restaurants, and drugstores, plus 1% back everywhere else.
With this card, you can redeem your points for $0.01 of Amazon credit each. You also have options to use your points for cash back on your statement, gift cards, or travel booking through Chase, but different redemption methods can change the value of your points.
Bonus offer
The bonus offer for Amazon credit cards changes often. As of Jan. 23, 2024, the current bonus promotion is a $100 Amazon gift card when you open an Amazon Prime Rewards Visa. That's down from a $150 gift card in 2023.
Credit requirements
This card requires good to excellent credit. That typically means your score is somewhere between 670 – 700 or greater. Note that other factors also determine your approval. If there’s a particularly nasty mark on your credit report, you may not get approved, even if your score is high enough.
Moreover, if you’re a stay-at-home parent and your partner brings in the household income, you may not qualify. This applies even with an 800 credit score because you don’t personally have the income to repay any debts. In this case you could get added to your spouse’s card as an authorized user.
Who is the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa best for?
This card is best for those who already have a positive credit history established. It’s ideal if you want to be able to use your card anywhere (not just Amazon) but still do a good bit of your monthly shopping with the online retailer.
It’s also a good match if you do your grocery shopping at Whole Foods.
Prime Store Card: What to Know
The Prime Store Card is just that — a store card. That means unlike the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa, you can only use it for purchases made at Amazon affiliates. Those companies include:
Amazon.com
Amazon Business
Amazon Prime membership fees
Amazon Go
AWS
Audible
Amazon Bookstore
Amazon 4-star stores
Alexa Skills
Amazon Pay
Amazon Fresh
Comixology.com
APR & fees
This card comes with a flat APR for everybody. Currently, it’s 29.74%, but that number is variable, which means it can change.
There’s no annual fee, but there is a late fee. If you’ve made on-time payments for the past six billing cycles, you’ll only pay $29. But if this is at least the second time in the past six months, that late fee bumps up to $40.
Rewards
The Prime Store Card gives you 5% back on your Amazon purchases. On top of that, you have access to extra cash back offers across a rotating array of items. Most of the time, this additional cash back is another 5%. But on occasion, you’ll find even bigger offers going up to 15% back in rewards.
Bonus offer
The current bonus offer as of Jan. 23, 2024 is a $10 Amazon gift card when you open a Prime Store Card. That's down from a $60 gift card in 2023.
Credit requirements
The lending requirements for the store card are a bit more lenient. You can qualify for this card even with fair credit. “Fair” usually falls somewhere between 580 and 669.
Who is the Prime Store Card best for?
If you’re a regular Amazon shopper but can’t meet the credit requirements for the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa, the Prime Store Card may be a good match for you.
But if you do not qualify for the Prime Rewards Visa, it’s important to ask yourself, “Why?” Have you had trouble managing credit cards in the past? If so, did you address those issues enough to trust that it won’t be a problem again?
Because here’s the thing: 5% back in rewards isn’t worth paying 29.74% APR in interest. If you don’t pay off the bill in full every statement cycle, opening this card can easily end up being a net loss.
Related: Best Cash-Back Credit Cards for a Happier Wallet
Amazon Prime Secured Card: What to Know
Secured cards operate a little differently than credit cards. To use this card, you have to put down a deposit. With the Amazon Prime Secured Card, the deposit can be anywhere between $100 – $1,000 depending on your approval. Then you borrow against your deposit, paying it back every month as if it is a credit card.
The thing about secured cards is they can help you build your credit history if you don’t have one yet. Or they help rebuild your credit if you have a rocky past.
This card can be used on Amazon.com and at Amazon physical stores.
APR & fees
During the first year of using your secured card, you will pay 10% APR if you don’t pay off your balance in full every statement cycle.
If you make minimum on-time payments over those first 12 months, they’ll offer you the option to upgrade to store card features. It’ll still be the same piece of plastic, but you’ll actually be given credit instead of borrowing against your deposit. At this point, the APR jumps up to 29.74%.
While your card is secured, the maximum late fee is $5. Once it’s upgraded to a store credit card, your max late fee will be $38.
Rewards
Though your card is secured, you can earn 2% back on your Amazon purchases. You are also eligible for an additional 5% – 15% back on a rotating selection of Amazon products.
When your card converts to a store card, your base rewards will go from 2% back to 5% back on Amazon purchases.
Credit requirements
You don’t have to have perfect credit or even a credit history at all to qualify for this card. It’s built specifically for people who want to better their credit history.
TIP: If you are on Medicaid, SNAP, or otherwise have an EBT card, or are a student, you can get half-off your Prime membership.
Who is the Amazon Prime Secured Card best for?
This card is best for those with little credit history or bad credit history. That makes it ideal for younger people who haven’t had a chance to establish themselves yet. If you have a bad credit history, make sure you root out any underlying behavioral patterns surrounding credit card usage before trying again with this second-chance card.
Bear in mind that there are secured cards out there that will let you make purchases anywhere. This one only allows you to make Amazon purchases. If you’re after the 2% rewards for your regular Amazon habit, that’s great. But if you want to use your card to spend money at the gas station or anywhere else, there may be a better fit out there for you.
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