According to a recent TD holiday shopping survey, almost three-quarters (73%) of respondents say they plan to purchase gifts on Amazon. If you’re interested in the Amazon Prime Visa but don’t want to pay the full $139 yearly membership fee, there are a few ways you can still get access to the card.
With the Prime Visa, you’ll not only earn 5% back on all Amazon purchases, but you’ll also get access to some of Amazon’s exclusive sales, like Prime Day and Prime Big Deals Day. While the card doesn’t have an annual fee, it does require an Amazon Prime membership for elevated benefits.
CNBC Select takes a look at some of the most cost-effective ways to sign up for the Amazon Prime Visa in time for the holiday savings.
The Prime Visa is only available to Amazon Prime members ($139 for an annual membership and $14.99 for a monthly membership) but is very rewarding for Amazon purchases.
- High rate of return at Amazon and Whole Foods
- Easy-to-earn welcome bonus
- Requires an Amazon Prime membership
- If you choose the promo APR you won’t earn rewards on those purchases
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Limited-Time Offer: Get a $250 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members
- Best Amazon Gift Card offer for Prime Visa
- Earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership
- 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 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare)
- Earn unlimited 1% back on all other purchases
- No annual credit card fee
- No more waiting. Redeem daily rewards at Amazon.com as soon as the next day
- Member FDIC
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 4% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
Amazon Prime Free Trial
If this is the first time you’re signing up for Amazon Prime, new members can try Prime free for 30 days. You’ll still receive all the same benefits as paid members. This can be a great way to test out some of the perks that come with Prime membership and see how often you use them.
Qualifying for a free trial also means you’re eligible for the Prime Visa, since you now have a Prime membership. If you apply and are approved for the card, you’ll have the Prime Visa for as long as you have a Prime membership. If you choose not to renew at the end of your 30-day trial, your Prime Visa will convert to an Amazon Visa, and you’ll receive an email notifying you about your change in benefits.
Prime for Young Adults
Those in the program will receive a six-month trial for $0. After the trial, you’ll get Prime for just $7.49 per month, a significant discount from the regular $14.99 cost. The exact length of your Young Adults membership depends on how you signed up. For students, your membership will convert to a normal Prime membership after four years, or at the end of your studies. If you verified by age, you’ll have until you turn 25 before your membership converts to a normal one.
Throughout the Prime for Young Adults membership, even during the free trial phase, you’ll be eligible to apply for the Prime Visa. That makes the card essentially free for the first six months of your trial and 50% off for the remainder of your discounted Young Adult membership.
Prime Access
While Prime Access might just sound like a regular Amazon membership, it’s specifically for eligible government assistance recipients or income-verified customers. You can qualify for this service if your household income is at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guideline, or if you’re enrolled in any of the following programs:
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program)
- Medicaid
- Direct Express Debit Card (DE)
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
- National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
- Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
- Women, Infants, and Children Program (WIC)
- Tribal Assistance Eligibility Letter (TTANF)
- Puerto Rico’s Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP)
Similar to the Young Adults membership, Prime Access comes with all the same benefits as a traditional Prime, but for less than half the cost at $6.99 per month. If you’re new to Prime, you can receive your free 30-day trial before the monthly charges begin.
If you have this version of the Prime membership, you’re still eligible for the Prime Visa, which can help you earn even more cash back on your Amazon purchases. You’ll receive the discount for up to four years, but to keep your Prime Access membership, you’ll need to reverify your eligibility every 12 months.
Use the welcome bonus
Since both the gift card and Prime Visa are instantly available, you don’t have to sign up weeks in advance. Once you’re approved for the Prime Visa and receive the welcome bonus, if you don’t feel like you’re getting enough out of the membership, you can stop it early.
What happens if your Prime membership ends?
A great aspect of Amazon cards is there are no limits or waiting periods when upgrading to Prime. Theoretically, if you want the Prime membership and Visa for the holiday season, you can sign up for a month of Prime, get approved for the Prime Visa, earn the $250 gift card (if you’re a new member) and then not renew the following month and simply be downgraded to the Amazon Visa.
While you won’t receive multiple welcome bonuses if you repeat the process, this can be a great way to get quick access to the Prime Visa without having to pay for Prime year-round. Alternatively, you can opt to “pause” your membership (meaning you won’t be billed past your current billing cycle and will lose Prime benefits) and then resume at any time.
FAQs
What’s the difference between the Amazon Visa and the Prime Visa?
The Prime Visa earns a higher rate of Amazon rewards but requires an Amazon Prime membership. The Amazon Visa offers slightly lower rewards but doesn’t require a membership.
What perks come with Amazon Prime?
Amazon Prime comes with a number of helpful benefits, including complimentary Grubhub+, access to Prime Video, exclusive sales, free two-day delivery and more.
If I cancel my Amazon Prime, will I get a full refund?
To get a full Amazon Prime refund, you must cancel within three business days of signing up or converting from a free trial, OR have not made eligible purchases or taken advantage of Prime benefits since your latest Prime membership charge.
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