Where You Can Use an Amazon Credit Card and When You'll Want To

Amazon credit cards work almost everywhere Visa or Mastercard is accepted, but the rewards you earn depend heavily on where you shop

Amazon offers two main credit cards: the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card and the Amazon Prime Store Card. The Visa card works at any merchant that accepts Visa — grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants, online retailers, everywhere. The Store Card only works at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market, which Amazon owns. So your answer depends on which card you're holding.

The real question isn't whether you can use the Visa card somewhere — you almost certainly can — but whether you should. The card earns you different rewards rates depending on where you spend, and using it in the wrong place means leaving money on the table.

Key Takeaways

• The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card works anywhere Visa is accepted, but you earn 5% back only at Amazon and Whole Foods, and 2% at gas stations and restaurants.
• The Amazon Prime Store Card only works at Amazon.com and Whole Foods, so it's useful only if you shop at those two places regularly.
• At merchants outside Amazon, Whole Foods, gas stations, and restaurants, the Visa card earns just 1% back, which is lower than many other rewards cards.
• Both cards require an Amazon Prime membership to earn the highest rewards rates, though you can still use them without Prime.
• The Visa card charges no annual fee, making it free to carry even if you use it only occasionally.

How the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa card works at different store types

The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card earns rewards in tiers. At Amazon.com and Whole Foods, you earn 5% back on every purchase if you have an active Prime membership. That's the card's main draw — it's one of the highest rewards rates available for Amazon shopping. Without Prime, you earn 3% at Amazon and 1% at Whole Foods.

At gas stations and restaurants, the card earns 2% back regardless of Prime status. At every other merchant — drugstores, clothing retailers, hardware stores, utilities — you earn 1% back. That 1% rate is where the card becomes less attractive than alternatives. Many general-purpose rewards cards earn 1.5% or 2% everywhere, so if you shop outside Amazon and Whole Foods often, you might earn more with a different card.

The card has no annual fee, so there's no cost to keeping it in your wallet for Amazon purchases even if you rarely use it elsewhere.

The Amazon Prime Store Card and where it's accepted

The Store Card is simpler but much more limited. It works only at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market. You cannot use it at any other retailer, online or in person. If you try to use it somewhere else, the transaction will be declined.

The Store Card earns 5% back at both Amazon and Whole Foods with an active Prime membership, or 3% at Amazon and 1% at Whole Foods without Prime. The rewards are identical to the Visa card at those two merchants, but the Store Card offers no rewards anywhere else — it just doesn't work.

The Store Card also has no annual fee. It makes sense only if you do most of your shopping at Amazon or Whole Foods and rarely need a credit card elsewhere.

When to use the Visa card versus other rewards cards

The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card is worth using for Amazon and Whole Foods purchases, especially if you have Prime. The 5% rate is competitive. But for everyday spending outside those two places, you might earn more with a different card.

For example, if you use a card that earns 2% back on all purchases, you'd earn more at a grocery store (2% versus 1%) or a clothing retailer (2% versus 1%). The exceptions are gas stations and restaurants, where the Amazon card ties or beats many competitors at 2%.

Many people carry both: the Amazon card for Amazon and Whole Foods, and another card for everything else. That way you capture the 5% rate where it's highest and don't leave rewards on the table at other merchants.

International use and foreign transaction fees

The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card works internationally anywhere Visa is accepted. However, the card charges a 3% foreign transaction fee on purchases made outside the United States. That fee applies whether you're buying in a foreign currency or using an ATM abroad.

If you travel frequently, a card with no foreign transaction fee might save you money. Many travel rewards cards waive this fee entirely. The Amazon card is not designed for international spending.

Online shopping outside Amazon

The Visa card works at any online retailer that accepts Visa — Target, Walmart, Best Buy, smaller merchants, everywhere. You earn 1% back on these purchases unless the retailer is somehow also classified as a gas station or restaurant, which is rare.

This is another place where the card's 1% rate can feel thin. If you shop online frequently at retailers other than Amazon, a 2% flat-rate card would earn you more. But if Amazon is your primary online destination, the Visa card's 5% rate there makes up for the lower rate elsewhere.

What happens if you don't have Prime

Both cards still work without a Prime membership, but the rewards rates drop. On the Visa card, you earn 3% at Amazon instead of 5%, and 1% at Whole Foods instead of 5%. You still earn 2% at gas stations and restaurants, and 1% everywhere else.

The Store Card earns 3% at Amazon and 1% at Whole Foods without Prime. Neither card requires Prime to function — the membership just unlocks the higher rewards rates. If you're considering the Amazon card but don't have Prime, calculate whether the higher rewards rate would pay for a Prime membership. Prime costs money, so the math matters.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the Amazon Store Card at Whole Foods?

Yes. The Store Card works at both Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market locations. You earn 5% back at Whole Foods with Prime, or 1% without Prime. It does not work anywhere else.

Does the Amazon Visa card work at Costco or Sam's Club?

Yes, the Visa card works at both Costco and Sam's Club because they accept Visa. You'll earn 1% back on these purchases. Costco has its own rewards program for members, so check whether stacking both rewards makes sense for your spending.

What if I lose my Amazon credit card?

Contact the card issuer (Chase for the Visa card) immediately to report it lost or stolen. They will cancel the card and send you a replacement. You can also freeze or temporarily lock the card through your online account before calling, which stops new charges right away.

Can I use the Amazon card at third-party sellers on Amazon.com?

Yes. Purchases from third-party sellers on Amazon.com still earn 5% back with Prime. The 5% rate applies to anything sold through Amazon.com, whether it's sold by Amazon itself or by another merchant using Amazon's platform.

Do I earn rewards on Amazon Prime membership fees?

No. The card does not earn rewards on the Prime membership fee itself. Rewards apply only to purchases of products and services, not to subscription fees.