The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Advertiser disclosure
The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Emily Thompson specializes in beginner content as a credit cards editor. She taps into her prior experience as a high school English teacher to help others demystify credit scores and unlock experiences that credit card rewards can make possible.
July 26, 2024 • 9 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
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Quick summary
Several payment cards offer elevated rewards for book purchases at specific merchants, including major online retailers, bookstores and general merchandise stores.
Flexible travel rewards cards can provide value for book purchases at a wide range of locations, with the potential to boost returns when transferring to travel partners.
Cash-back cards may offer consistent rewards for buying books at independent shops or any retailer, providing versatility for readers with varied shopping habits.
Additional strategies to maximize rewards include purchasing retailer gift cards at bonus-earning locations, using online shopping portals and activating merchant-specific offers.
What to consider
Some offers mentioned in the article are no longer available; always check current terms before applying or making purchases.
Reward rates and bonus categories vary by card and merchant, so aligning your card choice with your preferred book retailer is important.
Shopping portals and merchant offers may have expiration dates or require activation to receive extra rewards.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed comparison of which card types and strategies best match your book-buying preferences, including tips for stacking multiple reward opportunities.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Now, more than ever, our options and reasons for reading seem endless. Whether you're lugging textbooks to class, tossing paperbacks into your beach bag or downloading audiobooks for your commute, book lovers know that a reading habit can become expensive.
Our motto around here is that if you're spending, you should be earning. So, we're sharing our best strategies to ensure your reading habit is as good for your rewards balance as it is for your brain.
the best credit cards for books
The easiest and most important way to earn on your book purchases is to use one of the best credit cards for books. These cards will ensure that you're earning bonus points no matter what type of book purchase you make.
Prime Visa (see rates and fees): Best for books bought through Amazon
Barnes & Noble Mastercard: Best for books bought through Barnes & Noble
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Best for flexible travel rewards
Chase Freedom Flex® (see rates and fees): Best for books bought from drugstores
Citi Double Cash® Card: Best for independent bookstores (see rates and fees)
The information for the Prime Visa has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Here's a comparison chart that breaks down the earning rates for these options:
Credit Card
Best for
Book bonus earning
Prime Visa
Books bought through Amazon
5%
Barnes & Noble Mastercard
Books bought through Barnes & Noble
5%
Target Circle Card
Books bought through Target
5%
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Earning flexible travel rewards
2 miles per dollar
Chase Freedom Flex
Books bought from drugstores
3%
Citi Double Cash Card
Books bought from independent bookstores
2% cash back (1% when you buy and 1% when you pay)
The information for the Barnes & Noble Mastercard and Target Circle Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
More details on the best cards for books
Prime Visa
THE POINTS GUY
Sign-up bonus: Get a $150 Amazon gift card instantly upon approval, exclusively for Prime members.
Annual fee: $0
Why we love it: Among the most convenient ways to save on Amazon’s vast array of books — and all of its other products — is to use one of its cash-back credit cards. The Prime Visa comes without an annual fee and is a good option if you’re loyal to Amazon for many purchases.
The Prime Visa earns you 5% cash back at Amazon when you have an existing Prime membership ($139 annually). In addition to 5% off at Amazon and Whole Foods, you’ll get 2% cash back at gas stations, restaurants and local transit and commuting (including rideshare) as well as 1% back on all other purchases.
Sign-up bonus: Get a $25 Barnes & Noble gift card after your first purchase or balance transfer.
Annual fee: $0
Why we love it: We aren't typically huge fans of store credit cards, but the Barnes & Noble Mastercard is a good way to earn bonus rewards on physical or book purchases from this store.
With this card, you'll earn 5% back on all in-store and online Barnes & Noble purchases as well as 2% back at restaurants.
Why we love it: Target might be synonymous with groceries and household needs, but it also typically carries a selection of books both in-store and online. While not nearly as extensive a selection as Barnes & Noble or Amazon, you can still find a surprisingly wide array of popular bestsellers and even Target-exclusive reads.
The Target Circle Card earns 5% cash back on all Target purchases, including books.
Sign-up bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Annual fee: $95
Why we love it: The beauty of the Venture Card is its simplicity. You'll earn 2 miles for every dollar you spend on all purchases, including any outlet that sells books. You can use these rewards to cover travel purchases at a rate of 1 cent per mile. You can also transfer them to numerous travel partners — potentially boosting your return to 3.7% (based on TPG's July 2024 valuations, not provided by the card issuer).
Learn more: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Chase Freedom Flex
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Sign-up bonus: Earn $200 cash back after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Annual fee: $0
Why we love it: Besides earning 5% back on rotating quarterly categories (up to $1,500 spent, activation required), the Freedom Flex earns 3% on dining and drugstore purchases. Drugstores may not be the first place you think of when purchasing books, but it's worth checking your favorite one to see if it carries good titles. If it does, buy your books there and use this card to earn bonus points on those purchases.
Suppose you also have a higher-end Chase card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. In that case, you can combine your points in a single account to effectively convert the cash-back rewards from the Freedom Flex into fully transferable Ultimate Rewards points.
Sign-up bonus: Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of account opening.
Annual fee: $0
Why we love it: The Citi Double Cash Card is a versatile product that earns 2% cash back — 1% when you purchase and 1% when you pay your bill. This card allows you to be as flexible as possible when it comes to buying books, earning 2% back no matter what type of book you buy or where you make your purchase.
If you have a credit card that earns bonus points for shopping at grocery or office supply stores, look at the gift cards available at the stores around you.
ZHANG QIAO/VCG/GETTY IMAGES
You can purchase gift cards for stores like Amazon or Barnes and Noble and then use them to buy books, allowing you to earn bonus points on those purchases.
Use a shopping portal
Always check shopping portals for your favorite bookstores when shopping online to see if you earn even more on your reading-related purchases.
Check merchant offers
Many cards regularly have merchant offers for book retailers. Make sure to check the offers on all your cards regularly and add any that you think you might use. Then, use the card with the offer and shop at the places that earn money back before the offer expires.
We recommend using a note on your phone to keep track of which offers are on which cards, so you can easily reference it when you're ready to make a purchase.
Bottom line
A reading habit can be an expensive one. Make sure you're using one of the best credit cards for buying books and stacking your earnings with merchant offers and shopping portals to get the most bang for your bibliophile buck.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
