8 best credit cards for shopping on Amazon in January 2023 | CNN Underscored

CNN Underscored reviews financial products based on their overall value. We may receive a commission through our affiliate partners if you apply and are approved for a product, but our reporting is always independent and objective. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

No matter the time of year, shoppers flock to Amazon. Whether it’s to buy a holiday present, birthday present or just that much needed household item that’ll arrive at your doorstep in no time, making a purchase at Amazon is very much in the cards for most.

But, when you’re ready to pay for your Amazon purchases, using the right credit card is vital. On top of any daily deals you’re snagging, you could earn extra cash back or travel rewards to put toward future vacations, or you might want a card that extends the manufacturer’s warranty in case of loss or damage.

So, which card should you use? We’ve gone through hundreds of options and picked out eight of the best credit cards for your Amazon purchases in January. Our list offers an array of cash back, points and perks — a card for everyone depending on your needs.

The best credit cards for Amazon in 2023

Best for cash back: Citi® Double Cash Card
Best for flexible rewards: Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Best rotating categories: Discover it® Cash Back
Best for Amazon gift cards: Blue Cash Preferred® from American Express
Best for Amazon Prime members: Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature
Best for purchase protections: American Express® Gold Card
Best for travel rewards: Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card
Best for businesses: Amazon Business Prime American Express Card

The information for the Discover it Cash Back card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

How did we choose our best credit cards when shopping at Amazon in January 2023? Let’s dive into each of these cards and see how they compare to one another.

Best for cash back: Citi Double Cash Card

If you want to keep just one credit card in your purse or wallet to earn cash back on everything you buy — including your Amazon purchases — the Citi Double Cash Card is the way to go. You’ll earn 2% cash back — 1% when you buy, and another 1% when you pay your statement — on all your purchases 365 days a year.

That’s a great return for a no-annual-fee card, and it’s simple — you don’t have to worry about bonus categories or figuring out complicated travel points. The card’s simplicity and solid earning rate is why CNN Underscored chose the Citi Double Cash as its benchmark credit card, and why we use it to compare and contrast other credit cards we review.

Rewards earned with the Citi Double Cash as part of its cash back program can also be used as travel points when you combine them with the Citi Premier® Card. But Citi’s list of transfer partners, while technically bigger than Chase’s, doesn’t have a lot of great domestic airline options, though it does feature hotel chains such as Choice Hotels and Wyndham.

Also, the Citi Double Cash lags in its shopping benefits. Unfortunately, the card no longer comes with damage and theft purchase protection, return protection or Citi’s previously well-known Price Rewind benefit.

So despite earning great cash back on your purchase with the Citi Double Cash, if you’re buying something expensive, you might want to choose a card that has you covered in the event your item is broken or lost, or you potentially want to return it after the merchant’s return policy has ended.

Learn more and apply now for the Citi Double Cash Card.

Best for flexible rewards: Chase Freedom Unlimited

The Chase Freedom Unlimited earns cash back rewards that can also be converted to travel points with the right combination of cards.

iStock

If you’re not sure whether you want cash back or travel points, a good compromise option could be the Chase Freedom Unlimited. With this card, you’ll earn 1.5% cash back on every purchase you make, including those at Amazon. That’s less than the Citi Double Cash, but in exchange for a slightly lower earning rate, you’ll get rewards that are potentially more valuable down the line.

When you pair the Chase Freedom Unlimited with a premium Chase Ultimate Rewards card, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve®, you can convert your cash back to travel points at a rate of 1 cent per point. Then you’re able to redeem those points for travel at an increased value of 1.25 to 1.5 cents apiece via the Chase travel portal.

Even better, once you’ve converted your cash back to points, you can transfer them to any of Chase’s 14 airline and hotel loyalty partners. This amazing flexibility is why frequent flyer website The Points Guy values Chase Ultimate Rewards points at 2 cents apiece. At that rate, since you’re earning 1.5% cash back on the Freedom Unlimited, you could effectively end up with a 3% return on all of your Amazon purchases.

You’ll also find that the Chase Freedom Unlimited is an ideal card to use in several bonus categories. The card earns 3% cash back for dining (including eligible delivery services), 3% cash back at drugstores and 5% cash back on travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Other benefits include purchase protection and extended warranty protection.

Learn more and apply now for the Chase Freedom Unlimited.

Best rotating categories: Discover it Cash Back

The no-annual-fee Discover it Cash Back offers rotating cash-back categories, and many times throughout the year you’ll see purchases made at Amazon on the list. This means during quarters offering an increased rate, all purchases made at Amazon will earn 5% cash back up to $1,500 each quarter. Keep in mind that you must first enroll in each quarter to earn the 5% bonus cash back.

Although Amazon is not a quarterly category right now, between Jan. 1 and March 31, 2023, grocery stores and drug stores (along with select streaming services) are bonus categories. While that won’t help you with your Amazon purchases directly, you’ll find that many grocery stores and drug stores sell Amazon gift cards. Purchase a gift card at one of these stores and then use it for yourself, and through this roundabout method, you can still earn 5% cash back at Amazon.

On all other purchases — as well as after you hit the maximum per quarter — you’ll earn 1% cash back. And while the 5% cash back calendar changes every year (and quarter), there’s a good chance we’ll see Amazon on the calendar once or twice in 2023.

For its sign-up bonus, the Discover it Cash Back card matches all cash back earned in the first year.

iStock

Additionally, for new card holders, all the cash back you earn on the Discover it Cash Back is matched at the end of the first year, making this an ideal card to have if you know you’ll be spending a lot on your credit card during the next year. This means those rotating bonus categories are worth 10% in the first year, and all your purchases outside of the bonus categories earn a solid 2% return the first year.

Best for Amazon gift cards: Blue Cash Preferred from American Express

The Blue Cash Preferred from American Express doesn’t earn as much cash back as other cards when you use it to pay for your purchases at Amazon. But thanks to a small workaround, you can actually score a ton of cash back on your Amazon purchases with this card if you’re willing to take one extra step.

One of the best perks of the Blue Cash Preferred is that it earns 6% cash back (in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit) at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%). Since many supermarkets sell Amazon gift cards, you can use your Blue Cash card to buy a few and load them into your own Amazon account to use on future Amazon purchases.

If you’re comfortable taking this extra step, you’ll earn 6% cash back for buying the Amazon gift cards at a U.S. supermarket, which means you’re effectively earning 6% cash back on Amazon purchases you make when you use those gift cards for yourself. That’s an even better return than Amazon’s own credit card.

Just be aware that when you use gift cards for your Amazon purchases, you’re losing any credit card protections you would normally get if you paid for them directly with your credit card, such as an extended warranty or purchase protection. Even if you use a credit card that offers those benefits when purchasing an Amazon gift card, the benefits don’t pass through when the gift card is redeemed.

So while the Blue Cash Preferred earns the most cash back at Amazon via gift cards on a regular basis (and the American Express Gold card mentioned below is another top contender for purchasing Amazon gift cards at U.S. supermarkets), for items where you might want purchase protections — especially on electronics — you might be better off using a credit card directly versus buying a gift card to earn a few extra rewards.

Learn more about the Blue Cash Preferred from American Express.

Best for Amazon Prime members: Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature

If your No. 1 goal is to earn as much cash back as you can at Amazon on an everyday basis, then the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature is the way to go. This card always offers 5% cash back at Amazon and Whole Foods, 2% cash back at restaurants, gas stations and drugstores and 1% back on everything else. That’s a better return at Amazon throughout the year than any other card on our list.

And at times throughout the year — specifically during Prime Day and Black Friday — Amazon offers a up to 20% cash back on select purchases (including the regular 5% cash back you normally receive) when using the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature. These offers sometimes change day-by-day, but it’s a great way to get even more savings.

You’ll earn 5% cash back at both Amazon and Whole Foods with the Amazon Prime Rewards credit card.

iStock

Additionally, new Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature card holders can currently get a $100 Amazon gift card instantly upon approval for the card. But there’s one caveat: You must have an Amazon Prime membership to get this card, and that can cost as much as $139 per year. Of course, if you’re looking for a card specifically for Amazon purchases, there’s a good chance you’re already a Prime member, in which case this card could be your best option.

While the Amazon Prime Rewards card technically earns points, the points can only be redeemed for a maximum of 1 cent apiece for a statement credit, a direct deposit to a checking or savings account or to pay for Amazon purchases. The card also offers extended warranty protection and purchase protection, but the coverage isn’t as comprehensive as some other credit cards.

For instance, with the card’s extended warranty protection, you’ll get an additional year on eligible warranties of three years or fewer. On the purchase protection side, you’ll be covered on your purchase for 120 days against damage or theft, but only up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account. If you’re making expensive purchases, these protections won’t cover you as well as some other cards on our list.

And if you’re a regular Amazon shopper but would prefer to just get a store card instead of a credit card, you can apply for the Amazon.com Store Card, which offers financing options depending on the size of your Amazon purchases. Store credit cards are also typically easier to be approved for, as they generally require a lower credit score. But unlike the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa, the Amazon Store card can’t be used anywhere but at Amazon.

Learn more and apply for the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa.

Best for purchase protections: American Express Gold

While earning the most cash back or points on your purchase is important, there are sometimes other factors you’ll want to consider when making large purchases. Two credit card benefits that you’ll especially want to factor in are purchase protection and an extended warranty.

Purchase protection protects eligible items you buy against damage or theft so that you’re covered against the cost of replacing or repairing the item. With the American Express Gold card, you’ll get purchase protection for 90 days from the date of purchase, up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per card member account per calendar year.

This makes the Amex Gold a fantastic card to use on eligible Amazon purchases, especially the more expensive ones (think big-screen TVs, SLR cameras and computers). Purchase protection is a common benefit among credit cards, but many other cards are capped at $500 to $1,000 per claim, which can be limiting for those more expensive items.

Another great benefit to have on your credit card is an extended warranty. When you charge a covered purchase to the Amex Gold, you’ll get up to one extra year added to the original manufacturer’s warranty of five years or less. Coverage is up to the actual amount charged to your card for the item, up to a maximum of $10,000 per item and $50,000 per card member per calendar year.

And similar to the Blue Cash Preferred, you’ll also earn bonus points at U.S. supermarkets with the Amex Gold, so you can take advantage of the card’s higher rewards rate by purchasing Amazon gift cards on your next grocery trip and earn 4 points for every dollar you spend, up to $25,000 in purchases per year (then 1 point per dollar thereafter). Just keep in mind that you’ll lose your purchase protection and extended warranty benefits if you go this route, since they don’t carry over through gift cards.

Learn more about the American Express Gold Card.

Best for travel rewards: Capital One Venture

You may want to earn miles for a future trip with the Capital One Venture card.

iStock

If you want to plan a vacation by earning miles you can redeem for any travel purchase you make, the Capital One Venture Rewards card is one to consider.

With the Capital One Venture, you’ll earn 2 miles for every dollar you spend on every purchase, and the miles can then be redeemed for any travel purchase on your credit card statement in the previous 90 days. This includes hotels, airfare, train rides, taxis, Ubers, Airbnb stays and more. When you redeem Capital One miles this way, you’ll get 1 cent per mile in value.

Alternatively, you can also transfer your miles to many airline and hotel loyalty programs, such as British Airways, Singapore Airlines, Wyndham Hotels and many others. Frequent flyer website The Points Guy values Capital One miles at 1.85 cents apiece because they can be transferred to these partner programs, which means your miles can potentially be worth more than just 1 cent each.

The Capital One Venture card also comes with extended warranty protection and up to a $100 credit toward the application fee for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. It has a $95 annual fee, but no foreign transaction fees.

Earn a great sign-up bonus with the Capital One Venture credit card.

Best for businesses: Amazon Business Prime American Express Card

For businesses that make a lot of purchases at Amazon, the Amazon Business Prime American Express Card has a unique feature that can be extremely valuable. The card offers a choice of either 5% cash back on U.S. purchases at Amazon — including Amazon Business, AWS and Whole Foods Market — on the first $120,000 in purchases each calendar year (then 1% cash back thereafter), or an interest-free 90 days to pay for those purchases. The cash back is earned in points, which can then be redeemed for eligible purchases at Amazon.

With cash flow tight over the past few years for many businesses, having the ability to pay for your Amazon purchases in 90 days without accruing any interest could be a huge help. And the card also earns 2% cash back at U.S. restaurants, U.S. gas stations and on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers, as well as 1% cash back on all other purchases. There’s also no annual fee or foreign transaction fees on the card.

Just keep in mind that you need to have an Amazon Prime or Business Prime membership to be eligible for this card — businesses without a Prime membership can consider the Amazon Business American Express Card instead.

Which credit card is best for your Amazon purchases?

The best credit card to use at Amazon depends on your priorities.

iStock

With so many credit cards available to use at Amazon, you’re probably wondering which card is best. Well, if you want a card that offers straight cash back, you might find the Citi Double Cash to be the ideal choice. Or, if your goal is to earn points for travel, you’ll want to consider the Chase Freedom Unlimited or Capital One Venture.

But during Amazon’s major annual sales, such as Prime Day or Black Friday, you’ll most likely find that the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa is your best bet, since there are so many promotions exclusively for card holders. And if you’re a small-business owner, then the Amazon Business Prime American Express may be the best choice when shopping at Amazon.

Finally, if your chief concern is protecting your purchase, regardless of the cash back or travel rewards you’d earn, consider the American Express Gold card. And if you’re willing to go the extra step of purchasing Amazon gift cards at U.S. supermarkets, then the Blue Cash Preferred or Amex Gold can earn you the most cash back or travel rewards.

Looking for the best overall credit card? Find out which cards CNN Underscored chose as its best credit cards currently available.

American Express purchase protection and extended warranty eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

Get all the latest personal finance deals, news and advice at CNN Underscored Money.