Prime Day comes up sometime in July, although the official start date has not yet been announced. To prepare for a popular online sales event, you may need to start thinking about which payment method will be best to maximize your budget. There are credit card options made to earn rewards specifically on Amazon, as well as cards that offer financing options that can help support big purchase overtime.
Some of these cards also give you rewards for Amazon affiliates such as Whole Foods and Amazon streaming service Prime Video. Note that not all of the choices below are directly related to Amazon.
The best overall credit card for Amazon
Introductory offerUp to $ 150 Amazon Gift Card immediately upon approval
APR14.24% to 22.24% Variable
Introductory purchase APRN / A
Recommended credit N / A
- 5% return on Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market with Qualified Prime Membership *
- 2% refund in restaurants, gas stations and drugstores *
- 1% back on all other purchases *
Annual fee$ 0
APR status transfer14.24% to 22.24% Variable
Balance transfer fee Either $ 5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Late payment fee Up to $ 39
Fees for foreign transactions No
- 5% return on Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market with Qualified Prime Membership *
- 2% refund in restaurants, gas stations and drugstores *
- 1% back on all other purchases *
Our Take
Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card * is a good choice for a refund. New cardholders receive a $ 150 welcome bonus in the form of an Amazon gift card upon approval. And you’ll earn a 5% cash refund on any Whole Foods or Amazon purchase – a compelling refund bonus, especially if you’re a frequent customer on Amazon.com or Whole Foods – which can be used when making a payment or as a credit statement from Chase. You must have an Amazon Prime membership to sign up for this card.
See more details in our full review of the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card.
Introductory offer$ 200 online cash prize bonus after making at least $ 1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of opening an account
APR14.74% – 24.74% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
Introductory purchase APR0% for 15 billing cycles
Recommended credit Excellent / Good
- Earn 3% cash back in the category of your choice (up to $ 2500 in the Combined Category / Store / Store / Wholesale Quarterly Club)
- Earn 2% automatically in grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to $ 2,500 in the combined category / store / store / wholesale clubs quarterly)
- Earn unlimited 1% on all other purchases.
Annual fee$ 0
Introduction APR status transfer0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for all BTs made in the first 60 days. A fee of 3% (min. $ 10) applies.
APR status transfer14.74% – 24.74% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
Balance transfer fee Either $ 10 or 3% of the amount of each transaction, whichever is greater.
Late payment fee See Terms and Conditions
Fees for foreign transactions 3%
Penalty APR up to 29.99% APR
- Earn 3% cash back in the category of your choice (up to $ 2500 in the Combined Category / Store / Store / Wholesale Quarterly Club)
- Earn 2% automatically in grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to $ 2,500 in the combined category / store / store / wholesale clubs quarterly)
- Earn unlimited 1% on all other purchases.
Our Take
The Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards * credit card allows you to choose your own bonus category: gas, online shopping, restaurants, travel, drugstores or home furnishings. If you choose online shopping as a reward category, you will be eligible for a 3% cash back on Amazon.com, as well as many other online retailers. It is worth noting that you earn only 3% in the selected category and 2% in stores and wholesalers for purchases up to $ 2,500 each quarter. After that, the rate of return is lowered to 1%.
Introductory offerEarn $ 300 credit on your statement after spending $ 3,000 on purchases on your new card in the first 6 months.
APR14.74% – 24.74% Variable
Introductory purchase APR0% on purchases for 12 months
Recommended credit Excellent / Good
- 6% Cash Back in US Supermarkets at up to $ 6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%)
- 6% Cash Back on Selected Streaming Subscriptions in the US
- 3% Cash Back on transit including taxis / car sharing, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more
- 3% Cash Back at US gas stations
- 1% Cash Back on other purchases
Annual fee$ 0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $ 95.
Balance transfer fee N / A
Late payment fee Up to $ 40
Fees for foreign transactions 2.7% of each transaction after conversion into US dollars.
Penalty APR 29.99% Variable
- 6% Cash Back in US Supermarkets at up to $ 6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%)
- 6% Cash Back on Selected Streaming Subscriptions in the US
- 3% Cash Back on transit including taxis / car sharing, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more
- 3% Cash Back at US gas stations
- 1% Cash Back on other purchases
Our Take
The American Express Blue Cash Preferred® card is a great option for anyone who buys groceries at Whole Foods. You earn 6% of your cash back in American supermarkets (for the first $ 6,000 spent per year, then 1%). While Whole Foods is included, groceries from Amazon Fresh and other Amazon stores are not.
You will also earn 6% cash back on select U.S. subscriptions, including Amazon Prime Video. Refunds are received in the form of prize dollars that can be used as a credit on the statement. New members can earn a $ 300 welcome bonus if they spend $ 3,000 in the first six months of their card membership.
See our full review for more details on the Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express.
The terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for selected American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
Long-term financing the purchase of Amazon
Introductory offerGet an Amazon $ 60 gift card
APR25.99% Variable
Introductory purchase APRN / A
Recommended credit Excellent / Good credit
- Return 5% to Amazon with a qualified Prime membership.
Annual fee$ 0
- Return 5% to Amazon with a qualified Prime membership.
Our Take
The Amazon Prime Store Card * offers a 5% return on Amazon purchases with Prime membership, just like the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card – although it doesn’t offer the same cash back rates for other categories. Still, this card has its place if you plan to make a big purchase on Amazon that would be best financed for six, 12 or 24 months. You can enjoy equal monthly payments with a 0% APR for purchases of at least $ 150, or $ 600, and a selection of eligible purchases. Other special financing options are available. You can get an Amazon gift card for up to $ 60 after your account is approved.
Note: If you do not have an Amazon Prime account, you would sign up for the non-Prime equivalent, the Amazon Store Card.
Introductory offerEarn a $ 200 cash bonus after spending $ 1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months
APR15.74%, 20.74% or 25.74% Variable APR
Introductory purchase APR0% introductory APR for 15 months from account opening
Recommended credit Great, good
- Earn an unlimited 2% cash prize for your purchase
Annual fee$ 0
Introduction APR status transfer0% of the introductory APR for 15 months from the opening of the account for qualified balance transfers
APR status transfer15.74%, 20.74% or 25.74% Variable APR
Balance transfer fee up to 5%; min: $ 5
Fees for foreign transactions 3%
Penalty APR No
- Earn an unlimited 2% cash prize for your purchase
Our Take
While this card does not contain any Amazon-specific benefits, we are a big fan of its 2% cash prize offer when shopping, which makes it easier for you to win prizes no matter where you shop. It is a great comprehensive cash prize card that offers 0% introductory APR for the first 15 months of opening an account for purchases and qualified balance transfers (15.74%, 20.74% or 25.74% variable APR thereafter) and introductory bonus. If you don’t want to think about reward categories and various cash prize rates, this card will take you far either on Amazon or beyond.
See more details in our full review of Wells Fargo Active Cash Cards.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need to have a Prime membership to shop on Amazon?
For our Amazon-supported credit cards, you must have Prime membership to open an account. For our other recommendations, you do not need to have a Prime membership to enjoy a refund. Prime membership ($ 119 per year) is not necessary for purchases on Amazon.com, but if you use Amazon often enough, it will save you money and time through two-day shipping and other benefits.
How do cashback credit cards work?
Cashback credit cards offer cardholders rewards for their spending in the form of a statement of credit or cash. A statement credit is a reduction in the amount owed to the credit card company on your monthly bill. Keep in mind that rewards are not always available in the month you earn them – credit card issuers usually apply them to your balance after one or two billing cycles.
The process of buying credit cards with a cash refund is automatic or very simple. Some cards automatically apply cash prizes to your statement each month. Others require you to sign up and use the available reward points for credit on the statement. Most points do not expire, but you will lose them if you close your account before you use them.
Our methodology
CNET reviews credit cards by comparing them exhaustively through the set criteria developed for each major category, including refunds, welcome bonuses, travel rewards, and balance transfers. We take into account the typical behavior when consuming a number of consumer profiles – with the understanding that everyone’s financial situation is different – and the indicated function of the card.
For cash-back credit cards, for example, key factors include the annual fee, the “welcome bonus,” and the cash-back rate (or rates, if different by spending category). For cards with rewards and miles, we calculate and weigh the net monetary value of the corresponding card benefits. And with credit cards for balance transfers, we analyze specifications such as the length of the introductory period of 0% APR and balance transfer fees, taking into account secondary factors such as standard APR and the length of time you have to transfer balance after you open account.
For prices and fees for the Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express, click here.
* All information about the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card, Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card, Amazon Prime Store Card was independently collected by CNET and not reviewed by the issuer.
The editorial content on this site is based solely on the objective, independent assessments of our writers and is not influenced by advertisements or partnerships. It was not provided or ordered by a third party. However, we may receive a fee when you click on links to products or services offered by our partners.