Prime Visa card review: The ideal card for online shoppers
One of the best retail store card options for online shoppers, especially for people with Amazon Prime subscriptions.
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Snapshot
4.1
Bottom line
The Prime Visa card is a must-have for frequent Prime shoppers. It offers impressive rewards categories and benefits for the retail giant, including at Whole Foods. However, you might want to look elsewhere if you shop mostly outside of Amazon or Whole Foods.
Intro offer
Get a $100 Amazon Gift Card
Rewards Rate
1% - 10%
Annual fee
$0
Regular APR
20.49% - 29.24% Variable
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Prime Visa Card Overview
The Prime Visa Card is a top credit card for online shopping due to its high rewards rates on Amazon purchases with no spending caps and Visa Signature benefits. You can easily offset the cost of your Amazon Prime membership through Amazon purchases while enjoying key perks, such as travel and purchase protections.
The most significant drawbacks are the cost of Amazon Prime membership and the fact that the best rewards rates are limited to Amazon-related purchases. But these drawbacks are minor considering the various products you can purchase on Amazon.
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Rewards
- Prime Card Bonus: Earn 10 percent back or more on a rotating selection of items and categories on Amazon.com with an eligible Prime membership
- Unlimited 5 percent back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market
- Unlimited 5 percent back on Chase Travel℠ purchases
- 2 percent back at restaurants and gas stations
- 2 percent back on local transit and commuting
- 1 percent back on all other purchases
Expert Appraisal: Exceptional
See our expert analysis -
Welcome offer
- Get a $100 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members
Expert Appraisal: Fair
See our expert analysis -
Rates and fees
- No annual fee ($139 Amazon Prime subscription required)
- No foreign transaction fee
- 20.49 percent to 29.24 percent variable ongoing APR
Expert Appraisal: Typical
See our expert analysis -
Other cardholder perks
- Travel and purchase protections
- Access to Chase Offers
Expert Appraisal: Good
See our expert analysis
Prime Visa card pros and cons
Pros
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The card’s high earning rate at Amazon.com and Whole Foods makes everyday and grocery store purchases exceptionally rewarding.
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A combination of high rewards rates for Chase travel purchases and no foreign transaction fees offers rare (but welcome) extra value for a store card.
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You can redeem rewards at an equal rate for cash back, travel and Amazon purchases, which provides plenty of flexibility.
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It comes with substantial travel and purchase protections, plus Visa Signature benefits, such as Luxury Hotel Collection perks and concierge services.
Cons
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The $139 required for Amazon Prime membership is essentially an annual fee.
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There is no option to transfer reward points to other programs, so you are limited in your redemption options.
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Although it’s a Chase credit card, you don't earn Ultimate Rewards points and cannot use the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal.
Why you might want the Prime Visa Card
If you're a frequent Amazon shopper, the Prime Visa card is one of the best — if not the best — ways to earn cash back with the online retailer. You can also earn rewards for shopping at Whole Foods, restaurants, gas stations and more. This flexibility is astounding for any cash back card, let alone a retail card, and the card also carries a decent welcome offer and a great range of protections.
Rewards: Unmatched rewards rate at Amazon.com and Whole Foods
Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market and Chase Travel purchases earn an unlimited 5 percent back in rewards. Plus, you’ll earn 2 percent at restaurants, gas stations and transit and 1 percent back on all other purchases.
Regular Amazon shoppers should have no problem earning plenty of rewards with the Prime Visa card. With one of the highest earning rates available for Amazon purchases, you’ll only need to spend $2,780 each year — or about $232 per month — on Amazon or Whole Foods purchases to offset the cost of your Prime membership. Since you can purchase nearly anything from the retailer, even occasional Amazon shoppers could benefit from adding this card to their wallet.
The 5 percent category also applies to Whole Foods Market. This is a remarkably competitive rate for grocery purchases, considering the Prime Visa is a store card. Its uncapped rate makes the Prime Visa one of the best cards for grocery rewards rates if you do your grocery shopping at Whole Foods Market.
Welcome offer: Solid value for a retail card
Currently, Amazon offers a gift card worth $100 just for getting approved for the Prime Visa card. This is lower than the bonus value on some of the best no-annual-fee cash back and rewards cards, which is typically $200, but it doesn't require any spending to earn. It's certainly impressive for a retail card bonus. Many store cards offer no sign-up bonus at all.
The new bonus stands out as one of the best credit card sign-up bonuses since you receive the bonus instantly upon approval. Most bonuses of this value require spending at least $500 within the first three months. If nothing else, the bonus can help offset a large chunk of the cost of an Amazon Prime membership for the first year.
Cardholder perks: Strong travel protection for a store card
The Prime Visa card carries a surprising number of benefits for a retail card, including top-tier travel protections. The card’s auto rental collision damage waiver, roadside dispatch, travel accident insurance (coverage up to $500,000), lost luggage reimbursement (up to $3,000 per passenger) and baggage delay insurance (reimburses up to $100 per day for three days) can help you recoup some expenses if your trip doesn’t go as planned.
The Prime Visa also offers purchase protection that covers damage or theft for new purchases for 120 days, up to $500 per claim ($50,000 per account). Considering how light co-branded store cards are on perks, the Prime Visa card’s depth of travel and purchase protection coverage is remarkable.
Why you might want a different rewards card
While the Prime Visa card offers great tiered rewards, it may not be the best option if you don’t shop with Amazon Prime or Whole Foods. Additionally, point redemption options are limited — you cannot redeem or pool points towards any Chase Rewards programs or portals.
Rates and fees: Must have an Amazon Prime membership
The rates and fees for the Prime Visa card are standard, but the “no annual fee” comes with an important footnote. You must have an Amazon Prime membership to get the card, which is currently priced at $14.99 per month or $139 per year if paid annually.
It takes spending at least $232 each month on Amazon.com and Whole Foods combined with your card to break even on a Prime membership. Otherwise, you must spend almost $580 per month across your 2 percent categories with the card to offset the Prime membership cost. If you spend little on Amazon, the no-annual-fee Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card might be a more reasonable alternative.
Redemption options: Limited for a Chase card
While the reward terms may suggest you’re earning cash back on purchases, in reality, you are earning points. These points have a 1:1 value and can be redeemed for cash back, travel, gift cards, or Amazon purchases upon checkout. Essentially, each point earned with the Prime Visa card is worth 1 cent, regardless of how you redeem it. For instance, 5,000 Amazon points should equal $50.
While no minimum rewards balance is required to redeem for cash back or Amazon purchases, there’s a disappointingly long list of items you can’t buy with points. Many of these items are small purchases that you would probably use points on more often, such as digital music, Kindle eBooks and video downloads. In this case, other cash back cards that let you shop with points are more valuable for redeeming points on Amazon purchases.
Another drawback is that you cannot transfer points to Chase’s travel partners or other Chase rewards cards. This limitation is disappointing, especially since the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal is one of the most rewarding travel portals, and several other Chase cards can access it.
We tried it: Here’s what our experts say
Several members of the Bankrate staff love the Prime Visa card and dedicate a regular slot in their wallets to it. Bankrate editor Nouri Zarrugh enjoys the versatility Amazon.com online shopping rewards add to his credit card rotation:
The Prime Visa card has given a nice boost to my cash back strategy. Considering the variety of items available on Amazon, this card gets you 5 percent back on almost anything you can think of — from streaming subscriptions via Amazon Channels to grocery deliveries via Amazon Fresh or Whole Foods to tools and home goods — making this easily one of the most versatile cards in my wallet.
— Nouri Zarrugh, Senior Editor, Bankrate
How the Prime Visa compares to other rewards cards
While maybe not as lucrative for Amazon.com purchases, certain credit cards still provide rewards for online and in-store shopping. Depending on your preferences, one of these cards could be a good option.
![Image of Prime Visa](http://cdn.prodstatic.com/shared/images/cards/120x76/237fd0b0-1ced-11ee-9d05-8969f2172cdd.jpg?auto=webp&fit=bounds&width=120&height=76)
Annual fee
Intro offer
Get a $100 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members
Rewards rate
Prime Card Bonus: Earn 10% back or more on a rotating selection of items and categories on Amazon.com with an eligible Prime membership. Earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership. Earn unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare). Earn unlimited 1% back on all other purchases.
Recommended Credit Score
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
![Image of Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard®](http://cdn.prodstatic.com/shared/images/cards/120x76/753022e0-6ae7-11ea-915f-756ac9cc1447.png?auto=webp&fit=bounds&width=120&height=76)
Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard®
Annual fee
Intro offer
Introductory offer: Earn 5% cash back on purchases in Walmart® stores for the first 12 months when you use your card with Walmart Pay
Rewards rate
Earn 5% cash back on Walmart.com purchases, including pickup and delivery . Earn 2% cash back on purchases in Walmart® stores, Murphy USA and Walmart® fuel stations. 2% cash back on restaurants and travel purchases. 1% cash back on all other purchases everywhere else Mastercard® is accepted.
Recommended Credit Score
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
![Image of Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card](http://cdn.prodstatic.com/shared/images/cards/120x76/45b282a0-c5c5-11ee-9db9-8dd34998ba1a.jpg?auto=webp&fit=bounds&width=120&height=76)
Annual fee
Intro offer
$200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
Rewards rate
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.
Recommended Credit Score
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Best cards to pair with the Prime Visa card
The Amazon Prime Visa card is great for earning rewards on Amazon purchases, but for more general rewards, a general-purpose cash back credit card is a great complement. Consider using a flat-rate card to earn cash back on all other purchases you make.
Who is the Amazon Prime Visa card right for?
The Amazon Prime Visa isn’t the best rewards card for everyone, but if you fall into one of these categories, it could be the best one for you.
Bankrate’s Take — Is the Amazon Prime Visa worth it?
The Prime Visa card is undoubtedly worth it if you frequently order from Amazon — especially if you spend big during the holidays or on Amazon Prime Day. The unlimited 5 percent rewards easily outperform other credit cards’ online shopping categories, and you should be able to offset your Prime membership cost without overspending, better protect your purchases and enjoy a few travel perks while you’re at it.
On the flip side, a general-purpose rewards card may earn more rewards for your spending if you want higher rates on bonus categories or at other retailers. Still, the Prime Visa offers better rates and more versatile rewards compared to many store cards, making it an excellent choice.
**All information about the Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard® has been collected independently by Bankrate.com and has not been reviewed or approved by the issuer.
How we rated this card
We rate credit cards using a proprietary card scoring system that ranks each card’s estimated average rewards rate, estimated annual earnings, welcome bonus value, APR, fees, perks and more against those of other cards in its primary category.
Each card feature is assigned a weighting based on how important it is to people looking for a card in a given category. These features are then scored based on how they rank relative to the features on other cards in the category. Based on these calculations, each card receives an overall rating of 1-5 stars (with 5 being the highest possible score and 1 being the lowest).
We analyzed over 150 of the most popular rewards and cash back cards to determine where each stacked up based on their value, cost, benefits and more. Here are some of the key factors that influenced this card’s overall score and how the score influenced our review:
Frequently asked questions
* See the online application for details about terms and conditions for these offers. Every reasonable effort has been made to maintain accurate information. However all credit card information is presented without warranty. After you click on the offer you desire you will be directed to the credit card issuer's web site where you can review the terms and conditions for your selected offer.
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including card rates and fees, is accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information.