[UPDATE: Some offers mentioned below have expired and/or are no longer available on our site. You can view the current offers from our partners in our credit card marketplace.]
Amazon.com offers several credit cards for its customers, but one of its best is the Amazon Prime Store Card. Offered through Synchrony Bank, the Amazon Prime Store Card combines a hefty 5% back offer with promotional financing options for orders starting at $149.
If you already have Amazon Prime and routinely make big purchases on the site, the Amazon Prime Store Card could make your shopping life easier while rewarding you with a decent rewards rate.
How Does the Amazon Prime Store Card Work?
You’ve undoubtedly encountered other store credit cards through traditional brick-and-mortar retailers. You usually get a discount when you sign up, as well as exclusive offers or rewards. These cards are best for customers who don’t carry a balance on their card every month and who frequently shop at a specific retailer.
The Amazon Prime Store Card works the same way as traditional store cards, with some defining extra features. Namely, you have to subscribe to Amazon Prime to be eligible. Non-Prime Amazon customers can get the Amazon.com Store Card and access promotional financing offers, but they won’t get 5% back.
If you already have the Amazon.com Store Card, a Prime subscription will automatically upgrade you to the Amazon Prime Store Card. You also get an Amazon gift card loaded onto your account when you sign up for the card. Remember that because this is a store card, you can use the card only at Amazon.com. In other words, you can’t use it at restaurants, gas stations, or drugstores—or anywhere else for that matter.
Once you have the Amazon Prime Store Card, you immediately get 5% back on every Amazon.com purchase, which means you get back 5% of the purchase’s value in rewards points. You can cash out points on Amazon directly—if you have rewards available, Amazon will give you the option to apply them at checkout.
How Does the Promotional Financing Work?
The promotional financing kicks in on orders of $149 or more, and you don’t need the Prime card specifically to access them. Promotional financing is the main benefit of Amazon’s regular Amazon.com Store Card. But if you’d rather have the Prime card for the extra 5% back on purchases, you still get the financing features.
Amazon has 6-, 12-, and 24-month financing offers with zero interest, as long as you pay off the item completely within the allotted timeframe. This is important, because if you don’t complete all your payments, Amazon will charge you interest accrued from the date of purchase at a variable APR of 26.99%, completely voiding the zero-interest offer.
Amazon Store Card Financing Offers:
- Interest-free 6-month financing: orders of $149 or more
- Interest-free 12-month financing: orders of $599 or more
- Interest-free 24-month financing: select items sold by Amazon
Keep in mind, you can’t get 5% back and promotional financing on the same order—it’s one or the other.
Other Credit Cards with Amazon Savings
The Amazon Prime Store Card isn’t the only credit card out there that will get you rewards with Amazon.com. Amazon and other providers have several options that will make your online purchases work for you—and we cover five of the best credit cards for Amazon purchases below.
1. Amazon.com Store Card
As we’ve mentioned, Amazon with Synchrony Bank offers the Amazon.com Store Card. This card gives you the same promotional financing offers as the Amazon Prime Store Card, but it does not require a Prime membership.
You miss out on the 5% back, but if you make big purchases on Amazon, those financing offers can still prove useful.
2. Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card
The Amazon Rewards Visa Signature card from Chase Bank has a lower rewards rate than the Amazon Prime Store Card, but it makes up for it with the ability to shop anywhere. This card gives you 3% back on Amazon.com; 2% back on everyday purchases from drugstores, restaurants, and gas stations; and 1% back on everything else.
With no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, this card is a great everyday and travel card for frequent Amazon shoppers.
3. Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card
Also from Chase Bank, the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card is similar to the Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card but with two main differences:
- It offers a higher, 5% back rate on Amazon purchases.
- It requires a Prime membership.
Just like the Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card, you get 2% cash back at drugstores, gas stations, and restaurants and 1% cash back on everything else. And you still don’t have to worry about foreign transaction fees or an annual fee.
This card is similar to the Amazon Prime Store Card, except it can be used anywhere and offers rewards at more places than just Amazon. However, you don’t have access to any financing offers.
4. American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card
American Express’s Blue Cash Preferred Card gives you a whopping 6% cash back on up to $6,000 a year for purchases at U.S. supermarkets. Just like office supply stores, many U.S. supermarkets sell Amazon gift cards, which would allow you to get an even better cash back rate than an actual Amazon rewards card. (Click here for rates and fees.)
The rewards rate for supermarket purchases drops to 1% cash back after the $6,000 annual limit, so keep that in mind as you make your purchases. You’ll also have to pay an annual fee of $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95. But in addition to the 6% cash back rate for U.S. supermarkets, you’re entitled to 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations, as well as 1% cash back for any other purchases.
Before you apply for any credit card, you should know your credit standing so you can determine which credit cards best fit your credit range. Get your credit scores for free on Credit.com. They’re updated every 14 days so you always know where you stand.
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