Shopping online is an attractive option these days, and websites like Amazon.com make getting household supplies, gifts and groceries an absolute breeze. Pricing is more competitive on Amazon than what you would pay in many stores, and you’ll get free shipping on most purchases with an Amazon Prime membership.

Of course, you’ll do even better if you use a rewards credit card when you shop on Amazon. Paying with the right card could help you rack up cash back or flexible rewards for each dollar you spend, without any extra effort on your part.

To make the most of your online shopping with Amazon, it’s smart to compare some of the best cards available to help you maximize your purchases. Below are some of the best card options for all your Amazon shopping adventures in 2023.

Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card: Best overall

The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card* is easily one of the best credit card options for shopping on Amazon, and it offers bonus points in more categories than you may realize. As an added bonus, the card also offers up to a $150 Amazon gift card instantly upon approval.

  • Credit needed: Good to excellent
  • Rewards rate: 5 percent cash back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market; 2 percent back at restaurants, gas stations and drugstores; 1 percent back on everything else
  • Welcome bonus: Up to a $150 Amazon gift card upon approval
  • Annual fee: $0 ($139 Amazon Prime subscription required)

Our take: The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card is certainly worth it if you do a lot of your shopping on Amazon and at Whole Foods, since you’ll earn an unlimited 5 percent back for purchases at both. The additional 2 percent categories are simply icing on the cake and could be lucrative if you spend a lot dining out or filling up the tank. We wish this card had a better welcome bonus, but a free gift card is certainly better than nothing.

You can also get extra savings on Prime Day with this card, such as more cash back or exclusive deals. This benefit alone could easily lead to hundreds of dollars in savings, depending on the deals you score.

While you’ll receive the best rate of return as an Amazon Prime member, this card is available in a non-member version, the Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card*. This card earns 3 percent back on Amazon.com and at Whole Foods, 2 percent back at restaurants and gas stations and 1 percent back on all other purchases.

Amazon Prime Store Card: Best for fair credit

The Amazon Prime Store Card* is available to eligible Amazon Prime members, and it can only be used for purchases on Amazon and Amazon-owned brands, like Audible and ComiXology. This card is a smart option if you have fair credit, want to earn significant rewards on Amazon purchases and could take advantage of flexible financing options for Amazon purchases (as the card allows you to buy now and pay over time). Plus, you can receive a $40 Amazon gift card upon approval.

  • Credit needed: Fair
  • Rewards rate: 5 percent cash back on all Amazon purchases
  • Welcome bonus: $40 Amazon gift card upon approval
  • Annual fee: $0 ($139 Amazon Prime subscription required)

Our take: The Amazon Prime Store Card isn’t a traditional credit card that can be used anywhere, but it can be uniquely helpful for individuals with fair credit who want a card they can use for Amazon purchases. The 5 percent cash back rate offered by this store card is hard to beat, and the 0 percent financing option for up to 24 months can be a boon for your finances (29.99 percent variable APR after). Note, the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature also offers interest-free financing.

You have to consider the limitations of this card before applying, though. Besides the fact that you can’t use this card everywhere you shop, the biggest downside is its lack of benefits. That’s why it’s best for someone who predominantly shops on Amazon.

Lastly, note that the Amazon Prime Store Card also comes in a non-member version, the Amazon Store Card*. This non-member card includes the same financing options and no annual fee, but it lacks the Prime benefits.

Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card: Best for customized rewards

The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card is unique because you can choose your highest-earning rewards category. Options you can choose from to earn the max 3 percent back include gas, online shopping, dining, travel, drug stores and home improvement/furnishings.

  • Credit needed: Good to excellent
  • Rewards rate: 3 percent cash back on category purchases; 2 percent back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to $2,500 in combined 3 and 2 percent category purchases each quarter, then 1 percent); 1 percent back on all other purchases
  • Welcome bonus: $200 online cash rewards after spending $1,000 within the first 90 days of account opening
  • Annual fee: $0

Our take: The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card is a solid option for Amazon purchases since you can opt to earn 3 percent back (up to limits) on “online shopping” every quarter. You also earn 2 percent cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs and 1 percent back on other purchases. Just keep in mind that bonus rewards are only offered on up to $2,500 of combined 3 and 2 percent category purchases each quarter, after which you earn 1 percent back.

This card also offers a generous welcome offer that can help you rack up cash back even faster, as well as an intro APR offer that applies to both purchases and balance transfers. There’s no annual fee, and eligible members of the Bank of America Preferred Rewards program can earn 25 percent to 75 percent more cash back for each dollar they spend.

Discover it Cash Back: Best rotating category option

The Discover it® Cash Back is a dynamic cash back card that makes it easy to earn 5 percent back on up to $1,500 spent in categories that rotate each quarter, after which you’ll earn 1 percent back (activation required).  If you check out the Discover cash back bonus calendar from years past, you’ll find that Amazon purchases are typically included at least one quarter of the year, usually from October to December.

  • Credit needed: Good to excellent
  • Rewards rate: 5 percent cash back after activation on rotating categories each quarter (up to $1,500 in purchases, then 1 percent); 1 percent back on all other purchases
  • Welcome bonus: Discover automatically matches the cash back you earn in the first year
  • Annual fee: $0

Our take: Receiving 5 percent back on Amazon purchases during one quarter of the year might make this card a winner, but it’s even more exciting that Discover will match the cash back you earn during your first year. The fact there’s no annual fee also makes this card attractive, and you even get an intro APR offer that applies to both purchases and balance transfers for a limited time.

Note that you can redeem points earned with this card for cash back or gift cards or even purchases made on Amazon.

Chase Freedom Unlimited: Best for everyday spending

The Chase Freedom Unlimited®* is a solid card choice for all your purchases, and this includes everything you buy on Amazon. You’ll earn a flat rate of at least 1.5 percent back (including Amazon purchases), plus bonus rewards on dining, drugstore purchases and travel booked through Chase.

  • Credit needed: Good to excellent
  • Rewards rate: 1.5 percent cash back on all purchases (including Amazon); 3 percent back on drugstore purchases and dining; 5 percent back on travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards; 5 percent back on Lyft purchases (through March 2025)
  • Welcome bonus: Get an additional 1.5 percent cash back on top of all purchases’ original cash back rate (on up to $20,000) for the first year (exclusive offer through Bankrate)
  • Annual fee: $0

Our take: The Chase Freedom Unlimited is a great no annual fee cash back card, regardless of which categories you spend most. But it can be fruitful if you plan to spend a lot on Amazon — particularly if you take advantage of Bankrate’s welcome offer for the card, which allows you to earn 3 percent back on all purchases, including Amazon purchases, for the first year.

This card allows you to redeem your rewards for travel, cash back, gift cards, merchandise and Amazon.com purchases.

Citi Double Cash Card: Best for flat-rate rewards

If you want to earn flat-rate rewards for everything you buy online or in-person, the Citi® Double Cash Card should be on your radar. As a 2 percent cash back card, the Citi Double Cash is ideal for Amazon purchases and all your other bills.

  • Credit needed: Good to excellent
  • Rewards rate: Up to 2 percent cash back on everything you buy — 1 percent when you make a purchase and another 1 percent when you pay it off
  • Welcome bonus: None
  • Annual fee: $0

Our take: The 2 percent rewards rate is spectacular, and you’ll never have to worry about bonus categories or earning caps. This card also comes with no annual fee, and you get an intro APR offer for balance transfers.

As far as redemption goes, you can redeem rewards for statement credits, a direct deposit, a check in the mail or Citi ThankYou points. If you redeem your rewards for points, you can use them to shop on Amazon (via Shop with Points).

Amazon Business Prime American Express Card: Best for businesses

Finally, consider the Amazon Business Prime American Express Credit Card* if your business spends a lot of money on Amazon purchases each year. This business card will help you earn a generous amount in rewards for all your Amazon spending, and it doesn’t have an annual fee with Prime membership.

  • Credit needed: Good to excellent
  • Rewards rate: 5 percent cash back on U.S. purchases at Amazon Business, AWS, Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market with an eligible Prime membership (up to $120,000 spent in 5 percent categories per calendar year, then 1 percent); 2 percent back at U.S. restaurants, U.S. gas stations and on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. providers; 1 percent back on all other purchases
  • Welcome bonus: $125 Amazon.com gift card upon approval
  • Annual fee: $0 (minimum $69 Amazon Business Prime membership required)

Our take: This card’s generous rate for Amazon purchases is hard to beat, particularly since it doesn’t charge an annual fee for Amazon Business Prime members. You can even get a $125 Amazon.com gift card instantly upon account approval, and other bonus categories can help you rack up rewards on business purchases just as quickly.

The Amazon Business Prime American Express Credit Card doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees either, and you can use your rewards points to shop for more merchandise on Amazon.com.

How to maximize rewards earned by shopping on Amazon

Before you sign up for a card to use on Amazon, it helps to have a plan in place to earn more rewards over time. This is good advice all year long, but it’s especially important if you’re planning to make some large purchases in the next few months.

Consider these tips as you strive to earn more rewards on Amazon purchases in 2023:

  • Choose a card that fits your spending style. First, make sure you choose a rewards credit card that lets you earn more rewards on Amazon purchases, as well as other places you shop. You can choose a card with bonus categories or a flat-rate rewards structure, but you should run the numbers on your normal spending to see which kind of card would leave you better off.
  • Make sure you earn your sign-up bonus, if applicable. If the rewards credit card you pick offers a sign-up bonus, make sure to meet the minimum spending threshold during the bonus period. If you fail to reach the threshold on time, you’ll lose out on the bonus points.
  • Add your new credit card to your Amazon account. Once you have a credit card for Amazon purchases, make sure to add it to your Amazon account and set it as your default payment method. This way, your card will be ready and waiting for you when you’re ready to shop for deals.
  • Consider pairing more than one card. If you’re stuck between two cards and can’t figure out which one you want, don’t be afraid to pair rewards credit cards to get the bonus categories and cardholder benefits you want the most. You may want one card for Amazon and a different rewards card for all of your other spending, and that’s perfectly fine — as long as you can keep up with payments and avoid carrying a balance.

The bottom line

Shopping online is more convenient than ever, and Amazon can help you find the lowest prices and score free shipping in the process. However, you’ll do significantly better than that if you’re strategic about which credit card you use for online shopping. The best credit cards for Amazon let you earn rewards on spending and qualify for consumer protections, so compare your options until you find a card you’re excited to use.

*All information about the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card, Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card, Amazon Prime Store Card, Amazon Store Card, Chase Freedom Unlimited® and Amazon Business Prime American Express Credit Card has been collected independently by Bankrate.com and has not been reviewed or approved by the issuer.