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Prime Visa Review [2024]: No Annual Fee and Big Rewards for Amazon Prime Shoppers

You’ll need a Prime membership to get the most out of this card, but its rewards rate is tough to beat and you can use it anywhere Visa is accepted.

Updated Nov. 6, 2024
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Prime Visa

Prime Visa
4.9
info

OUR VIEW

The Amazon Prime Visa offers no annual fee and a generous rewards rate on Amazon and Whole Foods purchases, making it a very lucrative card for frequent Amazon shoppers. But in order to qualify and earn the highest rewards rate, you’ll need to maintain a Prime membership, which could cut into your earnings.

Pros

$0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
Eligible for Chase travel and purchase protections
Cashback rewards can be redeemed as soon as the next day

Cons

Must be a Prime member to qualify
No intro APR offer on purchases or balance transfers
Potentially high APR if you carry a balance
How we evaluate products

Brown paper packages arrive on my doorstep weekly (if not daily), thanks to my Amazon Prime membership, which offers free two-day shipping on pretty much anything my household needs. As a frequent Prime shopper, I can earn big-time rewards with the Prime Visa. It offers rewards earning at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market, along with valuable rewards in other everyday spending categories. Plus, it’s accepted everywhere Visa is and has a $0 annual fee, too.

In this Prime Visa review, learn who should get this card, the benefits it offers, and whether it deserves a spot in your wallet.

Who should get the Prime Visa?

The Prime Visa is best for loyal Amazon customers. Cardmembers earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership, unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare), and unlimited 1% on all other purchases.

There’s no annual fee, but you will need an Amazon Prime membership to qualify for this credit card. If you aren’t an Amazon Prime member, you’ll need to sign up for a Prime membership or look at other rewards card options. But earning a higher rewards rate isn’t the only perk of Amazon Prime. A membership gives you access to free Prime delivery, Amazon Video, music and podcasts, savings on games, books, prescriptions, and other items, plus other free or discounted products and services.

Although the Prime Visa is one of the best credit cards for shopping on Amazon, it’s not for everyone. If you prefer to shop elsewhere or don’t make enough Amazon purchases to justify having the co-branded card, other cash back credit cards will offer better earning potential over time.

And while some cash back credit cards come with introductory APR offers for purchases and balance transfers, the Prime Visa does not. Other credit cards with a low or zero introductory APR are better suited for balance transfers and large purchases.

Card basics

Card type Cash back
Card issuer Chase
Annual fee $0
Intro bonus $150 Amazon gift card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members
Reward rate Unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership, unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare), and unlimited 1% on all other purchases
Recommended credit score Excellent, Good
Intro APR N/A
Foreign transaction fee None

Prime Visa benefits and perks

  • Generous sign-up offer: You can automatically receive a $150 Amazon gift card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members for the Prime Visa, redeemable for millions of items on Amazon.com.
  • No annual fee: The Prime Visa has a $0 annual fee.
  • Lucrative rewards: With this card, you can earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership, unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare), and unlimited 1% on all other purchases. It’s rare to find a no-annual-fee credit card that offers rewards earning rates as high as this Amazon co-branded card.
  • No foreign transaction fees: Cardholders pay no foreign transaction fees on international purchases, making this card a useful addition for traveling.
  • Travel perks: As a Chase-issued Visa Signature credit card, the Amazon Prime Visa also offers travel accident and baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, and auto rental collision damage waiver when you pay with your card (restrictions apply).
  • Roadside dispatch: You can call for a tow, jump start, tire change, or fuel delivery if you’re traveling and need help; a per-service charge applies.
  • Extended warranties: Extend the warranty period by an additional year on eligible purchases you make with your Prime Visa.

Drawbacks to the Prime Visa

  • Limited to Prime members: You must have an Amazon Prime account to qualify for the Prime Visa and earn the highest rewards rate. An Amazon Prime membership costs $139 annually, and a Student Prime membership is $69 per year. If you’re not a Prime member, consider whether you can earn enough rewards with this card to justify the Prime membership cost.
  • No intro APR: The Prime Visa comes with no introductory APR offer on balance transfers or purchases, unlike some other rewards cards.

Earning and redeeming Amazon rewards

Potential earnings in years one and two

Here’s an example of what you might earn with the Amazon Prime Visa according to our rewards formula, which calculates earnings based on typical spending.

Remember, this is an estimation. The actual value will be determined by how much you spend and in which categories you spend.

Year one earnings: $865

Year two earnings: $715

These values are based on the FinanceBuzz Credit Card Rewards Valuation Model, which takes into account U.S. Census data on shopping, points earned via spending, the welcome bonus, and the annual fee, among other factors.

You could potentially get more value from this card if you do all your grocery shopping at Whole Foods, where you can earn 5% with an eligible Prime membership, instead of other grocery stores, where you’d earn just 1%.

Best ways to earn

Amazon purchases are where the Prime Visa shines, of course. Cardmembers earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership.

Of course, purchases at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership aren’t the only ones that earn rewards with this credit card. You can also earn 2% back on purchases at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare) and 1% back on all other purchases. The earning potential is comparable to other no-annual-fee rewards cards.

There are few items that Amazon and Whole Foods don’t sell. Combined with earning in other popular categories, it's hard to think of a purchase that wouldn’t earn rewards with the Prime Visa.

Categories Rewards rate
Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership 5%
Gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare) 2%
All other purchases 1%

Maximizing your redemptions

With this card, you earn rewards points worth 1 cent apiece, which you can redeem for savings on Amazon purchases when you check out. Use your rewards points as you would any other payment method on Amazon.com. Just choose your Prime Visa as your payment method and select how many points you want to use toward your purchase.

You can redeem rewards points outside of Amazon, too. Other redemption options include:

  • Cash back (in the form of a statement credit or as direct deposit to an eligible bank account)
  • Airfare, hotels, cruises or rental cars booked through Chase Travel
  • Gift cards at participating merchants

FAQ

Is the Prime Visa worth it?

If you’re a frequent Amazon and Whole Foods shopper with a Prime membership, you can earn very generous rewards with the Prime Visa. I always recommend calculating how much you expect to spend compared to how much you could earn. If you’re already a Prime member, the fact this card has no annual fee adds to the appeal.

What credit score do I need for the Prime Visa credit card?

You’ll likely need a good to excellent credit score to qualify for the Prime Visa. A good FICO credit score starts at 670. If your score is lower than 670, work to improve your credit score before applying, or consider a different rewards credit card.

Is Amazon Prime free with an Amazon credit card?

Unfortunately, no Amazon credit card comes with a free Amazon Prime membership. You’ll need to pay the $139 membership fee to gain access to the popular Amazon program. Student Prime memberships are $69. There’s also an option to pay a monthly fee of $14.99 for a regular membership or $7.49 for a Student membership, but keep in mind that route will cost you more over 12 months than paying annually.

What happens to my Prime Visa credit card if I cancel Prime?

Rewards earning rates drop considerably if you use your Prime Visa card after canceling Amazon Prime. Instead of earning 5% back on Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership purchases, you’ll earn 3% cash back.

Does the Amazon credit card have an annual fee?

The Prime Visa card has a $0 annual fee, but does require an eligible Amazon Prime membership, which costs $139 annually or $14.99 a month. Student Prime memberships are $69 annually or $7.49 a month. To earn back the cost of an annual Prime membership, you’d need to spend $2,780 on eligible Amazon and Whole Foods over the course of a year, earning at the 5% rewards rate.

Other cards to consider

Amazon Visa

If you don’t have an Amazon Prime membership, you can still earn rewards on Amazon and Whole Foods Market purchases with the Amazon Visa. It doesn’t offer the same rewards seen with the Prime Visa card, but you also don’t need to spend $139 on a Prime membership. It offers 3% cash back at Amazon.com, Whole Foods Market, and on Chase Travel purchases; 2% cash back at restaurants and gas stations, and on local transit and commuting; and 1% cash back on all other purchases. Plus, you can automatically earn a $50 Amazon gift card upon approval of credit card application, and it has a $0 annual fee.

Citi Double Cash® Card

If you’d rather earn cash back at a flat rate for all purchases, at Amazon or elsewhere, opt for Citi Double Cash® Card.

You can earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases; plus, a special travel offer, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/25. There’s no need to track spending categories with Citi Double Cash, and it has a $0 annual fee.