How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.The Amazon Prime Visa, issued by Chase, is one of the best credit cards you can find for online shopping. It offers exceptional value to Amazon Prime members with a generous 5% cash back rate on purchases at Amazon.com and Whole Foods, as well as Chase travel purchases. Plus, you can also earn 2% cash back on gas station, restaurant and local transit and commuting purchases.
This card also charges a $0 annual fee and comes with a long list of benefits like purchase protection, auto rental collision damage waiver and lost luggage reimbursement. Points can be applied directly to your Amazon purchases at checkout or redeemed for travel, cash and gift cards.
Be aware that without a Prime membership, you’ll only be eligible for the Amazon Visa rather than the Prime Visa, and you’ll earn cash back at a reduced rate.
Intro Purchase APR
N/A
Regular Purchase APR
19.49%–27.49% Variable
Intro BT APR
N/A
Regular BT APR
19.49%–27.49% Variable
Annual Fee
$0
Cash Advance Fee
Either $5 or 4% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Foreign Transaction Fee
$0
Balance Transfer Fee
N/A
Earn cash back at a generous rate
Cardholders 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. This is a high rewards rate and frequent shoppers at Amazon or Whole Foods will find that few cards match its 5% bonus on these categories.
Cash back is easy to redeem
There are a number of quick and easy ways to redeem rewards with the Prime Visa. You can redeem rewards through your Amazon account by applying them directly to your purchase at checkout.
You can also redeem points through Chase as soon as the next day. Redemption options include:
Get an Amazon gift card once approved
This sign-up bonus is very easy to earn — you’ll get a $100 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members. Once you are approved for the card your gift card balance will be loaded into your Amazon account and can be used as your payment method at checkout.
It’s true that there are credit cards with bigger sign-up bonuses, but this one doesn’t require any spending on the card to earn it.
No annual fee
Between the Prime Visa‘s generous cash back program and its $0 annual fee, this card is a money-saving tool for frequent Amazon shoppers. However, note that you will need to have an Amazon Prime membership, which costs $14.99 per month or $139 per year ($7.49 per month or $69 for college students).
For those who already have Amazon Prime, getting this card is an easy decision. But if you don’t already have Prime, you should do the math on how much you spend on Amazon purchases each year and determine if it’s worth signing up for a Prime subscription.
For example, you would need to spend $2,780 on purchases that earn 5% cash back to recoup the amount of your Prime membership ($1,380 for student members).
Or, consider that you can just sign up for the regular Amazon Visa to get 3% cash back on Amazon and Whole Foods purchases. You would need to spend $6,950 on these purchases ($3,450 for student members) to justify the extra savings you would get with the Prime card.
| Prime Visa | Amazon Visa | |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon purchases made | $6,950 | $6,950 |
| Cost of Prime Membership | $139 | $0 |
| Cash back rate | 5% | 3% |
| Cash back earned | $6,950 x 5% = $347.50 | $6,950 x 3% = $208.50 |
| Cash back - Cost of Prime Membership | $347.50 - $139 = $208.50 | $208.50 - $0 = $208.50 |
Get it now, pay over time promo APR
The Prime Visa offers a get it now, pay over time feature that allows you to make monthly interest free payments when you use your card at Amazon.com or another eligible retailer with Amazon Pay. The 0% promo APR can be used on purchases of $50 or more over a six month period or purchases of $250 or more over a 12 month period. After the 0% promo period ends, you’ll be subject to the regular purchase APR of 19.49%–27.49% Variable.
Access to a number of Chase benefits
The Prime Visa is issued by Chase — allowing you to have access to a number of Chase benefits when you use your card:
No foreign transaction fee
You can take the Prime Visa with you when you travel abroad without worrying about having an additional fee tacked onto every transaction you make — this card has a $0 foreign transaction fee.
Must have an Amazon Prime Membership
To qualify for the Prime Visa, you’ll need an Amazon Prime membership. An Amazon Prime membership is currently $14.99 per month or $139 per year ($7.49 per month or $69 per year for students) and will get you free same-day, one-day and two-day delivery on Amazon Prime purchases, exclusive prime member discounts and free shipping on grocery orders of $150 or more on Amazon Fresh. Plus, you’ll have access to popular movies, shows, books, music, gaming, Amazon Prime Day savings, Rx savings, Amazon photos and free returns.
Without Prime, you’ll only be able to apply for the Amazon Visa which earns cash back at a lower rate: 3% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and on Chase Travel purchases, 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare), and 1% back on all other purchases.
Subject to Chase's 5/24 rule
The Prime Visa is issued by Chase, and as such is subject to the Chase 5/24 rule. This means that Chase will deny applicants who have been approved for five or more credit cards from any issuer in the past 24 months.
If you are unsure of when you opened Chase cards in the past, you can use LendingTree Spring to review when you opened your credit card accounts.
You must choose between cash back or the promo APR
If you opt for the card’s promo APR, you won’t earn cash back on your purchases. Furthermore, it’s a deferred interest offer rather than a true 0% APR, meaning that you’ll owe the full amount of interest if you do not pay back your purchase by the end of the offer date.
If you’re looking to finance a large purchase, you should search for a card with a 0% intro APR. Many of these cards offer interest free periods of 12 to 21 months.
| Credit Cards | Our Ratings | Welcome Offer | Rewards Rate | Intro Purchase APR | Regular APR | Annual Fee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Prime Visa*
Learn More
on Chase's secure site |
Get a $100 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members | 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 | N/A | 19.49%–27.49% Variable | $0 |
Learn More
on Chase's secure site |
|
Amazon Visa*
Learn More
on Chase's secure site |
$100 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval. | 3% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and on Chase Travel purchases, 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare), and 1% back on all other purchases. | N/A | 19.49%–27.49% (variable) | $0 |
Learn More
on Chase's secure site |
|
Chase Freedom Flex℠*
Learn More
on Chase's secure site |
Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. | 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter. Plus, earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases. | 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months | 20.49% - 29.24% variable | $0 |
Learn More
on Chase's secure site |
If you don’t have a membership and are unsure if you want to have one, The Amazon Visa is a decent alternative for Amazon users. The Amazon Visa offers 3% cash back on Amazon, Whole Foods and Chase Travel purchases instead of 5%, but it will save you $139 a year on a Prime membership.
The card also has a slightly lower sign-up bonus of a $100 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval. Both the Prime Visa and Amazon Visa offer the same additional Chase benefits. Deciding between these two cards comes down to whether you think a Prime membership will be worth it based on your spending habits.
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ is a good $0-annual-fee alternative that offers a high 5% cash back on purchases, but on rotating categories that change each quarter. You’ll earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter. Plus, earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases.
Chase’s cash back categories often include Amazon, although the card also gives you a chance to earn high cash back on purchases you make outside of Amazon Prime, like grocery stores and gas stations.
On a down note, however, the bonus categories require activation each quarter, so it may not be a good choice if you don’t want to do a lot of card maintenance. There’s also a foreign transaction fee of 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars, making it a poor choice for travel.
For consumers who already have an Amazon Prime membership, adding this $0-annual-fee cash back card to your wallet is simply a smart decision. But if you’re debating whether to get Amazon Prime, consider whether you spend enough on Amazon that this card’s generous cash back program outweighs the $139 cost of an annual subscription ($69 if you’re a college student).
And if you’re not a dedicated Amazon shopper, but are looking for a card with a robust cash back program that can help when planning a big purchase, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ or Discover it® Cash Back cards are worth considering instead.
You can access your Prime Visa card through your Amazon Prime account on Amazon.com or through your Chase account on Chase.com. To access your bill you can choose between paper and electronic statements and pay online at Chase.com, on the Chase app, by check or by phone.
The Prime Visa card is only for Amazon Prime members. If you decide to cancel your Prime membership, your card will essentially be switched to the Amazon Visa, which offers a slightly lower rewards program.
The Prime Visa is a Chase credit card. Just know that this means you’ll be subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule, and may not qualify for the Prime Visa if you’ve opened five or more Chase credit cards in the last 24 months. Since the Prime Visa is a Chase card, you’ll receive access to a number of Chase benefits.
The information related to the Prime Visa has been independently collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication.
