Why your grocery card doesn't work at Amazon
Grocery bonuses pay at supermarkets. Amazon is an online retailer, and American Express names "online superstores (e.g., Amazon)" as not counting, so a Blue Cash Preferred's 6% at a supermarket is 1% on the same groceries from Amazon.com.
Online-shopping bonuses are a different story. The Blue Cash Everyday pays 3% on U.S. online retail purchases, up to $6,000 a year, and Amazon counts. That's why it sits at the top of the general table above, next to points cards valued at 3%.
The math on $2,400 a year
A household spending $200 a month at Amazon gets:
| Card | Rate at Amazon | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Prime Visa, with Prime | 5% | $120 |
| Amazon Visa, or Prime Visa without Prime | 3% | $72 |
| Blue Cash Everyday | 3% | $72 |
| No-fee 2% card | 2% | $48 |
The Prime Visa is worth $72 a year over a 2% card at that spend. Prime itself isn't free, so the 5% is a bonus for people who already pay for Prime, not a reason to sign up.
Payment plans cost you the 5%
Amazon's store cards trade rewards for financing. The Prime Store Card's only promotional option since February 2026 is Equal Monthly Payments, and Amazon says those plans can't be combined with the 5% back. On a $1,200 laptop that's $60 given up. If you need the time to pay, a 0% intro APR card that also earns rewards on the purchase is the better route.
Which Amazon card to pick
- You have Prime: the Prime Visa. It also pays 2% at restaurants and gas stations and has no foreign transaction fee, so it's a reasonable everyday card.
- No Prime: the Amazon Visa or a Blue Cash Everyday at 3%. The Blue Cash Everyday also pays 3% at U.S. supermarkets and gas stations, up to its caps.
- You want financing on a big purchase: read the 0% intro APR cards before the store card's payment plans.