What the Amazon Chase Visa card offers and who it suits
The Amazon Chase Visa is a co-branded card issued by Chase Bank that earns rewards on Amazon purchases and at Whole Foods Market. The card comes in two versions: one with no annual fee that earns 3% back on Amazon and Whole Foods purchases, and a premium version with a $139 annual fee that earns 5% back on those same categories. Both versions earn 1% cash back on all other purchases.
The card makes sense if you spend more than $1,400 per year on Amazon or Whole Foods — at that spending level, the 2% difference between the standard and premium versions covers the annual fee. If you spend less than that, the no-annual-fee version is the better choice. The card does not offer travel protections, purchase protection, or extended warranty coverage, so it is primarily a rewards card for people whose spending is concentrated at Amazon.
Key Takeaways
- The no-annual-fee version earns 3% cash back on Amazon and Whole Foods purchases and 1% on everything else, making it free to carry if you shop at either retailer regularly.
- The $139 annual fee version earns 5% back on Amazon and Whole Foods, which breaks even at roughly $1,400 in annual spending in those categories.
- The card does not include travel insurance, purchase protection, or extended warranties — benefits you would get from many other premium cards.
- Cash back posts as a statement credit and can also be redeemed for Amazon gift cards or transferred to a linked bank account.
How the rewards structure works in practice
Cash back on this card is earned at a flat rate per dollar spent and posts as a statement credit each month. On the no-annual-fee version, you earn 3% on Amazon.com purchases (including Amazon Fresh and Amazon Prime Video), 3% at Whole Foods Market locations, and 1% on everything else. On the premium version, those rates jump to 5% and 5%, with 1% on other purchases.
There is no sign-up bonus on either version of the card. The cash back you earn does not expire as long as your account remains open, and you can redeem it as a statement credit, an Amazon.com gift card, or a transfer to your bank account. There are no category caps — you can earn the full rate on unlimited Amazon and Whole Foods spending each month.
The card does not earn bonus rewards at gas stations, restaurants, travel, or other common spending categories. If you spend heavily outside Amazon and Whole Foods, a card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the American Express Blue Business Plus may earn you more cash back overall.
Annual fee, interest rates, and other costs
The standard Amazon Chase Visa has no annual fee. The Prime version (which requires an active Amazon Prime membership to hold) carries a $139 annual fee. Chase does not charge foreign transaction fees on either version, so you can use the card internationally without a currency conversion markup.
The purchase APR (the interest rate you pay if you carry a balance) varies by creditworthiness and is not disclosed until after you are approved. Chase typically offers rates between 18% and 27% on this card, depending on your credit score and history. There is no 0% introductory APR period on purchases or balance transfers, so carrying a balance costs you interest from day one.
If you miss a payment, Chase charges a late fee of up to $40 for the first violation and up to $40 for subsequent violations within six billing cycles. A single late payment can also trigger a penalty APR, which is typically 2 to 3 percentage points higher than your regular rate and can last up to six months.
Comparing the standard and premium versions
The decision between the no-annual-fee and $139 premium version depends on your annual spending at Amazon and Whole Foods. The premium version earns 2% more cash back on those purchases, so you need to spend $6,950 per year to earn $139 in extra rewards — or roughly $580 per month. At lower spending levels, the no-annual-fee version saves you money.
The premium version requires an active Amazon Prime membership, which costs $139 per year on its own. If you already pay for Prime, the card's annual fee is the only additional cost. If you do not have Prime, the combined cost of Prime and the card reaches $278 per year, which means you would need to spend roughly $14,000 annually at Amazon and Whole Foods to break even.
| Feature | Standard (No Annual Fee) | Prime Version ($139/year) |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon and Whole Foods cash back | 3% | 5% |
| Other purchases cash back | 1% | 1% |
| Annual fee | $0 | $139 |
| Requires Amazon Prime | No | Yes |
| Foreign transaction fees | None | None |
| Sign-up bonus | None | None |
How this card compares to other rewards cards
The Amazon Chase Visa is narrower in scope than most general-purpose rewards cards. The Chase Sapphire Preferred earns 3% on dining and travel and 1% on other purchases, with no category restrictions. The American Express Blue Cash Preferred earns up to 3% on transit and gas and 1% on everything else. Neither of these cards ties you to a single retailer, and both offer travel protections and purchase protection that the Amazon card does not include.
If you shop primarily at Amazon, the Amazon card's 3% or 5% rate beats the 1% or 2% you would earn with a general-purpose card. But if your spending is split across multiple retailers and categories, a card with broader rewards categories will likely earn you more cash back overall. The Amazon card is best viewed as a supplemental card for Amazon-heavy spenders, not as a replacement for a primary rewards card.
For people who spend at Whole Foods, the Amazon card is one of the few cards that offers bonus rewards there. The Amex Blue Cash Preferred does not earn bonus rewards at Whole Foods, and most other cards cap Whole Foods rewards at 1%. This makes the Amazon card a reasonable choice if you shop at Whole Foods regularly and want to consolidate rewards earning.
How to use the card and redeem rewards
The card is a standard Visa, so it works anywhere Visa is accepted. You can use it online at Amazon.com and in-store at Whole Foods locations. Rewards post to your account as a statement credit each month and can be redeemed in three ways: as a statement credit to reduce your bill, as an Amazon.com gift card, or as a direct transfer to a linked bank account.
There is no minimum redemption amount, so you can redeem rewards as soon as they post. If you redeem as an Amazon gift card, the value is 1:1 (one cent of rewards equals one cent of gift card value). If you redeem as a statement credit or bank transfer, the value is also 1:1. This means there is no bonus for choosing one redemption method over another.
The card does not offer a shopping portal or bonus categories that rotate quarterly. Your rewards rate is fixed at 3% or 5% on Amazon and Whole Foods, and 1% on everything else, regardless of the time of year or the type of purchase.
Credit requirements and how to open an account
Chase does not publish a minimum credit score for this card, but approval typically requires a good to excellent credit score (usually 670 or higher). You can check your likelihood of approval before explore by using Chase's pre-qualification tool on their website, which shows you cards you may be approved for without a hard inquiry on your credit report.
To open an account, you will need to provide your Social Security number, date of birth, income, and employment status. Chase will pull your credit report and make a decision within minutes to a few days. If you are approved, the card typically arrives within 7 to 10 business days. If you are denied, you can call Chase's reconsideration line to discuss your process, though this does not may provide approval.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Amazon Chase Visa have a sign-up bonus?
No, neither the standard nor the premium version of this card offers a sign-up bonus. You earn rewards only on purchases you make after the card is approved. If a sign-up bonus is important to you, cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the American Express Blue Business Plus may be better options.
Can I use this card outside the United States?
Yes, the card works internationally and does not charge foreign transaction fees. However, you will earn only 1% cash back on purchases made outside the United States, since the bonus rates explore only to Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market locations in the U.S.
What happens to my rewards if I close the card?
Any cash back you have already earned will remain in your account as a statement credit and can be redeemed even after you close the card. However, you will stop earning rewards on new purchases once the account is closed.
Is there a difference between the Amazon Chase Visa and the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa?
The Prime Rewards Visa is the premium version of the card and requires an active Amazon Prime membership. It earns 5% back on Amazon and Whole Foods purchases instead of 3%, but carries a $139 annual fee. The standard Amazon Chase Visa has no annual fee and no Prime requirement.
Can I earn rewards on Amazon Fresh or Prime Video with this card?
Yes, purchases on Amazon Fresh and Prime Video subscriptions earn the full 3% or 5% cash back, since they are part of Amazon.com. However, purchases at other grocery stores or streaming services earn only 1% cash back.