This story is part of Amazon Prime Day, CNET’s guide to everything you need to know and how to find the best deals.
Amazon Prime Day sales are officially in full swing as of 12 a.m. PT (3 a.m. ET), and will last through July 13. To save even more during the popular online sales event, use one of these credit cards to make your purchases. Some picks offer instant rewards, like a $200 Amazon gift card, if you’re looking to maximize your budget at the last minute. Others offer great rewards rates and financing options. Note that not all of the picks below are directly associated with Amazon.
Best credit card for Amazon Prime Day overall
Intro OfferFrom July 1 through July 29, Prime members get a $200 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval for the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Card.
APR14.99% to 22.99% Variable
Intro Purchase APRN/A
Recommended Credit Excellent/Good
- 6% back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods on Prime Day*
- 5% back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market with eligible Prime membership*
- 2% back at restaurants, gas stations, and drugstores*
- 1% back on all other purchases*
Annual Fee$0
Balance Transfer APR14.99% to 22.99% Variable
Balance Transfer Fee Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Late Payment Fee Up to $39
Foreign Transaction Fees None
- 6% back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods on Prime Day*
- 5% back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market with eligible Prime membership*
- 2% back at restaurants, gas stations, and drugstores*
- 1% back on all other purchases*
Our Take
The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card* is a solid choice for earning cash back. New cardholders can receive a $200 welcome bonus in the form of an Amazon gift card upon approval through July 29. Normally, the welcome bonus is only a $100 or $150 gift card. And during Prime Day, your Whole Foods and Amazon.com rewards rate jumps to 6%. You’ll earn 5% cash back on any Whole Foods or Amazon purchase the rest of the year. You must have an Amazon Prime membership to apply for this card.
Check out more details in our full review of the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card.
Intro Offer$200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening
APR15.49% – 25.49% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
Intro Purchase APR0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases
Recommended Credit Excellent/Good
- Earn 3% cash back in the category of your choice (up to $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases).
- Earn automatic 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases).
- Earn unlimited 1% on all other purchases.
Annual Fee$0
Intro Balance Transfer APR0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days
Balance Transfer APR15.49% – 25.49% 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
Foreign Transaction Fees 3%
Penalty APR Up to 29.99% APR
- Earn 3% cash back in the category of your choice (up to $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases).
- Earn automatic 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases).
- Earn unlimited 1% on all other purchases.
Our Take
This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card allows you to choose your own bonus category: gas, online shopping, dining, travel, drugstores or home improvement/furnishings. If you select online shopping as your rewards category, you’ll be eligible to earn 3% cash back at Amazon.com, plus many other online retailers. It’s worth noting that you only earn 3% on your selected category and 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs for up to $2,500 in combined purchases each quarter. After that, your cash-back rate goes down to 1%.
Intro OfferEarn a $350 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
APR15.49%-25.49% Variable
Intro Purchase APR0% on purchases for 12 months
Recommended Credit Excellent/Good
- 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%)
- 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
- 3% Cash Back on transit including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more
- 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations
- 1% Cash Back on other purchases
Annual Fee$95
Balance Transfer Fee N/A
Late Payment Fee Up to $40
Foreign Transaction Fees 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars.
Penalty APR 29.99% Variable
- 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%)
- 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
- 3% Cash Back on transit including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more
- 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations
- 1% Cash Back on other purchases
Our Take
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is a great option for anyone who shops at Whole Foods for groceries. It earns you 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (on 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’ll also earn 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions including Amazon Prime Video. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit. New members can earn a $350 statement credit welcome offer by spending $3,000 within the first six months of card membership.
Check out our full review for more details about the Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express.
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.
For long-term financing of Amazon purchases
Intro OfferGet a $60 Amazon Gift Card
APR26.74% Variable
Intro Purchase APRN/A
Recommended Credit Excellent/Good Credit
- Get 5% back at Amazon with an eligible Prime membership.
Annual Fee$0
- Get 5% back at Amazon with an eligible Prime membership.
Our Take
The Amazon Prime Store Card* offers 6% cash back on Amazon Prime Day purchases. This card normally offers 5% back on Amazon purchases with a Prime membership just like the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card — though it doesn’t offer the same cash-back rates for other categories. Still, this card has its place if you intend to make a large purchase on Amazon that you would be best off financing for six, 12 or 24 months. You can enjoy equal monthly payments with 0% APR for purchases of at least $150, $600 and select qualifying purchases, respectively. There are also other special financing options available. You can receive an Amazon gift card of up to $60 upon account approval.
Note: If you don’t have an Amazon Prime account, you would apply for the non-Prime equivalent, the Amazon Store Card.
Intro OfferEarn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months
APR16.49%, 21.49%, or 26.49% Variable APR
Intro Purchase APR0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening
Recommended Credit Excellent, Good
- Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
Annual Fee$0
Intro Balance Transfer APR0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers
Balance Transfer APR16.49%, 21.49%, or 26.49% Variable APR
Balance Transfer Fee up to 5%; min: $5
Foreign Transaction Fees 3%
Penalty APR None
- Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
Our Take
While this card doesn’t feature any Amazon-specific perks, we’re a big fan of its flat 2% cash-rewards offer on purchases, which makes it easy for you to earn rewards no matter where you shop. It’s a great all-around cash-rewards card that offers a 0% introductory APR for the first 15 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers (16.49%, 21.49% or 26.49% variable APR thereafter) and an intro bonus. If you don’t want to think about rewards categories and various cash-rewards rates, this card will take you far, whether on Amazon or beyond.
See more details in our full review of the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card.
How many credit cards does Amazon offer?
Though only a few made the top cut for the best credit cards for shopping on Amazon, Amazon offers a handful of other credit cards, all with different benefits and limitations. Each credit card comes in a Prime and non-Prime version. If you don’t have Amazon Prime but are still shopping for the best Amazon credit cards, you can substitute the non-Prime counterpart of our picks above.
Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card: This is the closest offering to a traditional credit card. You can earn competitive rewards both inside and outside of the Amazon ecosystem.
Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card*: This card is for people who don’t have Prime membership. You’ll earn less back than you would with the Prime version, but it’s still got decent rewards for a card with no annual fee.
Amazon Prime Store Card: This card is only useful within the Amazon ecosystem — it’s more like a retailer credit card than a traditional credit card. It’s the only Amazon card that offers additional Prime Day incentives.
Amazon Store Card*: This is the non-Prime version of the Amazon Prime Store Card. Unlike its Prime counterpart, you don’t earn cash-back rewards with this card. The 0% APR financing on Amazon purchases is the main draw.
Amazon Prime Secured Card*: Secured credit cards are typically designed for people with fair credit or bad credit. To compensate for the risk, this card charges a security deposit to maintain the account. You’ll earn cash-back rewards and Prime Day promotions with this card, though they’re less than with the unsecured version’s offer.
Amazon Secured Card*: For non-Prime members, the Amazon Secured Card won’t net you any cash back. The benefit of this card rests strongly on its credit-building capabilities. Use it responsibly and you can upgrade to the Amazon Store Card in as little as 12 months.
Amazon Business Prime American Express Card*: Designed for businesses with a Business Prime account (starting at $69 per year), this card and its rewards are not limited to Amazon. It does give you the flexibility of opting for special financing instead of rewards on Amazon purchases, though.
Amazon Business American Express Card*: This card is for businesses that don’t have Business Prime. You’ll earn fewer rewards and financing options than with the Prime version, but you’ll still be able to earn the same rewards rates on other purchases.
FAQs
Do you need to have a Prime membership to shop at Amazon?
For our picks of Amazon-backed credit cards, you need to have a Prime membership to open an account. For our other recommendations, you do not need to have a Prime membership to enjoy the cash-back rewards. A Prime membership ($139 annually) is not necessary to shop at Amazon.com, but if you use Amazon frequently enough it will save you money and time via two-day shipping and other perks.
What is Amazon Prime Day?
Amazon Prime Day is an annual online shopping event for Amazon Prime customers that typically takes place in the summer months. Popular items like electronics, clothing, appliances, furniture and office supplies are marked with significant discounts. In 2017, the event started lasting for two days rather than one. You won’t be able to take advantage of any of the deals if you don’t have an Amazon Prime membership, which costs $139 annually.
How do cash-back credit cards work?
Cash-back credit cards offer cardholders rewards on their spending in the form of statement credits or cash. A statement credit is a reduction in the amount due to the credit card company on your monthly bill. Note that rewards are not always available the month you earn them — they are usually applied to your balance by credit card issuers after one or two billing cycles.
The redemption process for cash-back credit cards is either automatic or very simple. Some cards automatically apply cash rewards to your statement balance each month. Others require you to log in and redeem available rewards points for statement credits. Most points don’t expire, but you will lose them if you close the account before redeeming them.
Our methodology
CNET reviews credit cards by exhaustively comparing them across set criteria developed for each major category, including cash back, welcome bonus, travel rewards and balance transfer. We take into consideration the typical spending behavior of a range of consumer profiles — with the understanding that everyone’s financial situation is different — and the designated function of a card.
For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express, click here.
*All information about the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card, Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card, Amazon Prime Store Card, Amazon Store Card, Amazon Prime Secured Card, Amazon Secured Card, Amazon Business Prime American Express Card and Amazon Business American Express Card has been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
The editorial content on this page is based solely on objective, independent assessments by our writers and is not influenced by advertising or partnerships. It has not been provided or commissioned by any third party. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products or services offered by our partners.
