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Prime Visa card review: Great everyday savings for Amazon shoppers

Kendall Little
·Senior Writer, Credit Cards
Updated 8 min read

Editor's note: Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

Do you have household essentials set up to arrive monthly through Amazon’s Subscribe and Save feature? Is Whole Foods Market your preferred supermarket or office lunch spot? Then, the Prime Visa cash-back credit card should be on your cash-back radar.

The Prime Visa card can help Amazon Prime members maximize not only their purchases with the online retail giant but also other regular budget items, too. Before applying, make sure you understand just how to make the most of Prime Visa — and whether it’s best for your spending.

Annual fee: $0

Welcome offer: Prime members receive a $200 Amazon gift card upon approval

Rewards:

  • 5% cash back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, and Whole Foods Market*

  • 5% cash back on Chase Travel purchases*

  • 2% cash back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting

  • 1% cash back on all other purchases
    *with eligible Prime membership

More details: In addition to cash back, this card offers travel and purchase protections, no foreign transaction fees, and increased rewards on select Amazon items with your Prime membership.

Any card balance will accrue interest at a 20.49%–29.24% variable APR if you don’t pay it in full by the due date.

The Prime Visa card itself has no annual fee. However, you will need a Prime membership.

Currently, Prime membership fees are either $139 per year or $14.99 per month. If you’re a student, you may qualify for a student membership, which is only $69 per year or $7.49 per month.

After you’re approved for the Prime Visa, you can get a $200 Amazon gift card instantly (with your eligible Prime membership). This is different from typical cash-back credit card sign-up bonuses, which often require minimum spending within a certain timeframe to get any bonus rewards.

The Prime Visa card has no 0% introductory APR.

As you might expect, you’ll get the highest cash return on Amazon-related spending with this card. But there are also a range of everyday rewards categories to help you maximize your regular spending.

  • 5% cash back at Amazon.com*

  • 5% cash back at Amazon Fresh online or in-store*

  • 5% cash back at Whole Foods Market online or in-store*

  • 5% cash back on Chase Travel spending*

  • 2% cash back at gas stations

  • 2% cash back at restaurants

  • 2% cash back on local transit and commuting (including rideshares)

  • 1% cash back on all other purchases

*with eligible Prime membership

When you make a purchase with this card, you’ll earn cash-back rewards. But there are a few types of transactions that will not earn rewards, including:

  • Amazon.com transactions with promotional financing applied

  • Balance transfers and cash advances

  • Lottery tickets and betting transactions

  • Interest and fee charges

The most important thing to remember is that you must have an eligible Prime membership to take advantage of all the card’s included benefits. To earn the full 5% rewards Prime Visa offers, you’ll need to have an eligible Prime membership and connect your card to your Amazon Prime account.

If your card is not connected to your Amazon.com account with eligible Prime membership, you’ll only earn 3% cash back in those categories. You also may not earn the full 5% cash back on some specific Amazon-related transactions, including:

  • Amazon Pay purchases

  • International Amazon sites such as Amazon.ca or Amazon.co.uk

  • International Whole Foods Markets or Whole Foods purchases made through third parties (some online grocery delivery services, for example)

You have a few different options for using your Prime Visa cash-back rewards.

To apply cash back to Amazon.com purchases, look for your available rewards balance at checkout using your linked Amazon account. You can use that balance to pay for all or a portion of your purchase.

You can also redeem rewards for gift cards or cash via statement credit or a bank account deposit. You may even use your rewards to book travel — including airfare, hotels, and car rentals — through the Chase Travel portal.

This credit card offers both no foreign transaction fees and some travel protections — not the most common benefits among cash-back credit cards.

Travel protections include baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, travel accident insurance, and auto rental collision damage waiver. Travel protections apply when you use your card to purchase your travel, but always read the fine print of your individual card agreement to know the exact terms you qualify for.

Purchase protection and extended warranty also help protect your Prime Visa purchases. Purchase protection covers new purchases against damage or theft for 120 days, up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account. The extended warranty coverage extends the U.S. manufacturer’s warranty by one year on card purchases with eligible warranties of three years or less.

The Prime Visa is best for frequent Amazon shoppers who have a Prime membership and use it regularly. If you don’t shop with Amazon enough to justify the cost of a Prime membership, you’re not likely to get much value from this credit card.

It’s also a great option if Whole Foods Market is your preferred grocery destination. The unlimited 5% cash back is among the highest rates on grocery spending available today. That return can save you a lot of money if your weekly grocery budget typically goes to Whole Foods spending anyway.

While you should be a regular Amazon.com or Whole Foods shopper to maximize this card, the rewards on everyday spending are an added bonus for anyone looking to save some extra cash. If dining out, filling up at the gas station, or commuting via local transit are all part of your monthly cash flow, you can ensure you’ll get value from this card even beyond Prime savings.

Finally, while this card is not a travel credit card, it does have some benefits for travel. Not only will you get travel protections, but you can earn 5% cash back on travel you book through Chase’s travel portal and use your rewards to book travel with Chase. While this wouldn’t be our top pick for travel rewards, it can have some added benefits for cash-back users looking to save on an upcoming trip.

  • Everyday rewards categories: Unlike some co-branded credit cards, the Prime Visa offers great cash rewards on Amazon.com purchases as well as regular spending categories. When you analyze your budget to decide if this card is right for you, review all of the categories this card offers.

  • Unlimited cash back: Despite having high cash-back values up to 5%, there’s no cap on the rewards you can earn with Prime Visa. You’ll get unlimited cash-back rewards in each eligible category.

  • Solid welcome offer: This card’s welcome offer is great for people who may not spend a lot using credit cards each month and find it difficult to meet spending thresholds for credit card bonuses. Instead, you’ll get your gift card welcome offer as soon as you’re approved for the Prime Visa.

  • Requires Prime membership for top rewards: This card is best for Amazon shoppers with a Prime membership. If you don’t shop at Amazon or Whole Foods Market often enough to justify the $14.99 monthly Prime fees, consider a more general rewards card.

  • Few added benefits: Prime Visa is most valuable for its cash-back rewards. But you’re more likely to find partner discounts, annual credits, or other high-value perks from flexible rewards credit cards or travel credit cards — often with higher annual fees.

  • No intro APR offer: Unlike many cash-back credit cards today, you won’t get a 0% intro APR with this card. If you’re looking to pay down existing debt or make a large purchase you can pay off over time without interest, look for a card with a more competitive intro offer.

This card is a Visa credit card, which is one of the most widely accepted payment networks worldwide. Visa is available in more than 200 countries and accepted by more than 130 million merchants globally.

When it’s time to pay your Prime Visa balance, you’ll have a few different payment options:

  • Online: Log into your Chase mobile app or online account to make a one-time payment or set up autopay.

  • Phone: Chase’s automated phone service line is 1-800-436-7958.

  • Mail: Send a check or money order to the following address with your card number on the memo line.
    Cardmember Services
    P.O. Box 6294
    Carol Stream, IL 60197-6294

  • In person: You can also make card payments at Chase ATM or branch locations.

Prime Visa is issued by Chase, which means you’ll need to contact Chase for information or questions about your card.

  • You can send messages to Chase about your account when you sign in online and use the Secure Message Center. Answers are also available anytime through Chase’s credit card FAQ page.

  • Phone number: 1-800-432-3117

We like these cash-back cards for everyday rewards similar to the Prime Visa. Compare them to see which may offer more flexibility for your spending.

  • Annual fee
    $0
  • Welcome offer
    Earn a $200 statement credit after spending $2,000 within the first 6 months
  • Card type(s)
    Cash-back
  • Ongoing Balance Transfer APR
    19.24% - 29.99% Variable
  • Introductory Purchases APR
    0% on purchases for 15 months
  • Introductory Balance Transfer APR
    0% on balance transfers for 15 months
  • Ongoing Purchases APR
    19.24% - 29.99% Variable
  • Recommended credit score
    Excellent, Good
  • Rewards rate
    • 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%)
    • 3% cash back on U.S. online retail purchases (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%)
    • 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%)
    • 1% cash back on all other purchases
    • Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or on Amazon.com at checkout
  • Benefits
    • 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months
    • Get a $7 monthly statement credit after spending $9.99 or more on a streaming subscription to the Disney Bundle, plus earn up to $15 in monthly statement credits after purchasing a Home Chef subscription

Why we like it: The Blue Cash Everyday from American Express is a no-annual-fee credit card (see rates and fees) that has one of the only boosted rewards rates we’ve seen on online purchases — making it a great alternative to the Prime Visa. For ongoing rewards, you’ll earn 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets, on U.S. online retail purchases, and at U.S. gas stations. These rewards apply to the first $6,000 you spend in each category, after which you’ll earn 1% (and 1% cash back on all other purchases).

  • Annual fee
    $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
  • Welcome offer
    Earn a $250 statement credit after spending $3,000 in eligible purchases in the first 6 months
  • Introductory Purchases APR
    0% on purchases for 12 months
  • Introductory Balance Transfer APR
    0% on balance transfers for 12 months
  • Ongoing Balance Transfer APR
    19.24% - 29.99% Variable
  • Ongoing Purchases APR
    19.24% - 29.99% Variable
  • Recommended credit score
    Excellent,Good
  • Rewards rate
    • 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 in purchases annually, then earn 1%)
    • 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
    • 3% cash back on transit and U.S. gas stations
    • 1% cash back on all other purchases
    • Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout
  • Benefits
    • Get a 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 12 months
    • Receive a monthly statement credit of $7 when you spend $9.99 or more each month on an auto-renewing Disney Bundle subscription (valid only at Disney Plus.com, Hulu.com or Plus.espn.com in the U.S.)
    • Get a $0 annual fee for the first year, then $95 annually after that

Why we like it: If you don’t mind paying an annual fee, the Blue Cash Preferred from American Express can potentially bring you the most value of nearly any cash-back credit card available today. The Blue Cash Preferred’s best feature is its competitive cash rewards. You can earn 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 spent per year, then 1%), 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back on transit and at U.S. gas stations, and 1% cash back on all other purchases.

  • Annual fee
    $0
  • Welcome offer
    Earn $200 cash back after spending $500 on purchases in the first 3 months
  • Card type(s)
    Cash-back, Rewards
  • Purchase APR
    19.99% - 29.99% variable
  • Introductory APR
    0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, then variable 19.99% - 29.99% APR
  • Recommended credit score
    Good, Excellent
  • Rewards rate
    • 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
    • 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
    • 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services, and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target)
    • 1% cash back on all other purchases
  • Benefits
    • Get a 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months
    • Earn 10% cash back on purchases made through Uber & Uber Eats, plus complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through 11/14/2024

Why we like it: If you’re looking for everyday rewards with no annual fee, the SavorOne Cash Rewards card from Capital One is another solid option. There are a few different cash-back rewards categories to track. With SavorOne, you’ll earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases and 5% back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Plus, get unlimited 3% cash back across dining, entertainment, popular streaming services, and grocery stores (not including Walmart, Target, and other superstores), along with 1% cash back on all other purchases.

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