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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.
Chris Nelson is a credit cards writer for TPG. He specializes in budget travel, hotels, earning elite status through minimal spending and redeeming points for maximum value.
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.
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Quick summary
A popular online retailer's co-branded card offers a strong return at its affiliated merchants, but requires an active membership to qualify.
The membership fee can be offset by high spending at the retailer and its grocery chain, especially in the first year due to an upfront gift card bonus.
Typical members may not spend enough annually to justify the membership cost solely for the card's rewards, making it best suited for frequent shoppers.
The card also includes several travel and purchase protections, plus occasional elevated rewards on select items.
What to consider
You must maintain an active membership with the retailer to be eligible for the card, which involves an annual cost.
To break even after the first year, you would need to spend about $2,780 annually at the retailer or its grocery chain to offset the membership fee with rewards.
Additional card benefits include travel protections, purchase coverage and no foreign transaction fees, which may appeal to frequent travelers.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed cost-benefit analysis to determine if the membership and card combination aligns with your personal spending habits.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
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.
When it comes to online retailers, Amazon is the giant in the room.
While the Prime Visa (see rates and fees) doesn’t technically have an annual fee, one of its caveats is that you have to be an Amazon Prime member to qualify. A Prime membership costs $139 per year (or $14.99 per month).
It’s hard to assess the value of a Prime membership based solely on the return you might get using the online retailer’s credit card — because membership includes so many other tangible benefits — but for argument’s sake, we're going to try.
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.
The Prime Visa earns cash back at the following rates:
5% on Amazon, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods and Chase Travel℠ bookings
2% on restaurants (including takeout), gas stations and local transit and commuting
1% on all other purchases
This is the best consistent return you’ll find for Amazon purchases and a respectable return on the 2% categories.
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There’s no cap on the cash back you can earn, and you can redeem your rewards to pay for all or part of your Amazon purchases. In addition to cash back, you can also redeem your rewards for gift cards or travel.
This should be your go-to card at Amazon and Whole Foods to maximize the unlimited 5% cash back. If you want a simple card setup, you could pair this card with a 2% cash rewards card like the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card (see ) or the Citi Double Cash® Card (see ) to ensure you earn at least 2% across your purchases (with the Citi Double Cash, you earn 1% cash back when you buy and 1% cash back when you pay).
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However, multiple cards earn at least 3% or more on restaurants, gas stations and local transit and commuting, like the American Express® Gold Card, which earns 4 points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar), and the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express*, which earns 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and on local commuting and transit.
*Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit and at Amazon.com checkout.
Now, let’s figure out your break-even cost for signing up for a Prime membership and using the Prime Visa card.
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During the first year, you net about $110 when you subtract the Prime membership cost from the welcome gift card value. After year one, you’d need to spend about $2,780 at Amazon or Whole Foods during each subsequent year to earn enough cash back to break even with the cost of a Prime subscription.
The cost breakdown looks like this: $139 Prime membership divided by 5% cash back reward rate = $2,780.
A 2024 Consumer Intelligence Research Partners analysis found that the typical Amazon Prime member spends about $1,100 a year with the retailer. That’s not enough spending to justify getting a Prime membership for the sole purpose of getting the credit card.
If, for example, you spend about $1,500 on Amazon and Whole Foods in a year, that would earn you $75 cash back, well short of the $139 Prime membership fee.
However, for me, the Prime Visa is a workhorse when it comes to shopping at Amazon and Whole Foods. I spend far more than I’d like to admit there, so this card is a no-brainer for my specific spending since I more than recoup the annual fee.
Determining whether it’s worth paying the Prime membership fee to get the Prime Visa is extremely subjective. Some may find incredible value in the 5% cash back on Amazon and Whole Foods purchases.
If you're an Amazon Prime member and frequently spend a lot with the online retail giant, this card is likely a good fit for you. There's also value in the membership because of the Prime Video and Amazon Music streaming services, which more easily justify the $139 annual cost. Throwing in a rewards credit card on top of that is just icing on the cake.
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However, if you won’t utilize the additional Prime membership benefits and are considering getting Amazon Prime just for this card, do the math to see whether you’ll earn enough with the card's welcome bonus and reward rates to justify the Prime membership cost.
You’ll likely find that you’re better off using a flat-rate cash-back or travel rewards credit card instead.
If you're currently an Amazon Prime member, the Prime Visa has the potential to be a great no-annual-fee addition to your wallet. Plus, if you're like me and frequently spend a portion of your budget on Whole Foods and Amazon purchases, the unrivaled 5% reward rate on these charges will net you a decent amount of cash back.
However, if you are not a Prime member or don't shop at Amazon frequently, you may want to consider other cards, such as ones that earn a flexible or transferable reward currency.
