Key takeaways
- Some Amazon cards will give you up to 25 percent cash back on Amazon Prime purchases
- Earn the cash back rewards on select products that are sold and shipped by Amazon when you use an eligible card
- If you want to earn cash back at retailers other than Amazon, the Amazon Prime Visa card would be a better option than the Amazon Prime Store Card* or the Amazon Prime Secured Card*
Amazon cardholders with an Amazon Prime membership can take advantage of a little-known benefit: Up to 25 percent cash back. To qualify for the Prime Card Bonus promotion of 10 to 25 percent cash back, Amazon cardholders (who are also Prime members) must make an eligible purchase on select Amazon products — these are referred to as “Top Picks.”
Here’s everything you need to know about Amazon’s Prime Card Bonus deals, including how to determine if you’re eligible, locating the qualifying products and how the deal is applied.
How can you earn up to 25% cash back?
Currently, three Amazon credit cards are eligible for up to 25 percent cash back on select items:
- Prime Visa
- Amazon Prime Store Card*
- Amazon Prime Secured Card*
- Amazon Business Prime American Express Card*
None of the cards require an annual fee, but you’ll need to have an Amazon Prime membership, which currently costs $139 per year.
Anyone with one of these eligible Amazon credit cards can earn up to 25 percent cash back by purchasing products on the Prime Card Bonus page, which you can filter according to department, cash back amount or product rating.
Usually, the Prime card bonus is 10 percent to 15 percent back on select products in different categories. However, the discount does increase to 25 percent for a limited time at certain points throughout the year. The increased cash back often coincides with the holiday shopping season, so it’s wise to regularly check Amazon’s Prime Card Bonus page for items eligible for higher cash back.
How is the up to 25% back deal applied?
The 25 percent back includes the 5 percent cash back you’d normally earn on Amazon purchases with the Prime Visa or the Amazon Prime Store Card.
For example, if you see a deal for 15 percent back on a Sony TV, you’ll earn 15 percent cash back total on that purchase with your eligible credit card, not 15 percent cash back plus the 5 percent cash back you’d normally earn with your card on Amazon purchases.
The bonus cash back rewards will be posted to your account within a week of the transaction and be available to use within one to two billing cycles.
Which items are eligible for up to 25% cash back?
When you navigate to Amazon’s Prime Card Bonus page, the qualifying purchases can be narrowed down by selecting “25% back total” in the left column. If you don’t see a “25% back total” option, you’ll have to check back or select a lower cash back deal. Categories typically include electronics, office supply products, toys, beauty products, kitchen appliances, furniture and more. The electronics category can be particularly valuable, with bonus cash backfrequently offered on select phones, laptops, tablets and more. In the home and kitchen category, you can enjoy cash back on essential household appliances — past items have included Breville espresso machines and Vitamix blenders — and select furniture items.
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Considering the cost of some of these products, up to 25 percent off by means of cash back can translate to substantial savings. Plus, many of these products are already on sale, making the Amazon cash back bonus even more attractive.
Best credit cards for Prime card bonus deals
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If you want to earn rewards on purchases made outside of Amazon, the Prime Visa is the best of the three eligible card options. If you’re already a Prime member and do a lot of shopping on Amazon, this card is a good pick to maximize your Amazon purchases with 5 percent cash back. The additional Prime card deals on an array of items are simply icing on the cake for those who know they’ll be clicking “Buy Now” on a regular basis.
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- Rewards: 5 percent cash back at Amazon and Whole Foods Market with an eligible Prime membership and 2 percent cash back at restaurants, gas stations and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare). All other purchases earn 1 percent cash back.
- Welcome offer: $100 Amazon gift card upon approval.
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The Amazon Prime Store Card also earns 5 percent cash back on Amazon purchases. Unlike the Prime Visa, however, the Prime Store card can only be used at Amazon and Amazon-owned businesses (other terms may apply). If you have a fair-to-good credit score, the Prime Store card may be the best option for you.
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- Rewards: 5 percent cash back at Amazon and Whole Foods Market with an eligible Prime membership
- Welcome offer: $10 Amazon gift card upon approval
- Annual fee: $0
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If you need to build your credit and have an Amazon Prime account, the Amazon Prime Secured Card is worth considering.
In the event you’ll need to carry a balance, this card also includes a low fixed APR of 10 percent, among other benefits. However, keep in mind that this card is also a closed-loop store credit card, so you can only use it for Amazon spending.
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- Rewards rate: 2 percent cash back at Amazon and Whole Foods Market with an eligible Prime membership
- Welcome offer: None
- Minimum security deposit: $100 (maximum is $1,000)
- Annual fee: $0
The bottom line
Amazon’s Prime Card Bonus of up to 25 percent on select items is a great way to score extra savings on your purchases. The online mega retailer is already a deal hotspot and these offers can help you save even more than you already will with an eligible Amazon credit card. To score a bonus deal, make sure to regularly check Amazon’s Prime Card Bonus page for limited-time promotions.
*All information about the Amazon Prime Store Card, Amazon Prime Secured Card and Amazon Business Prime American Express Card has been collected independently by Bankrate.com and has not been reviewed or approved by the issuer.
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