Best Canadian Credit Cards for Amazon Purchases
While Amazon’s position as one of Canada’s top online retailers is indisputable, what may not be as obvious is that the right credit card can get you the most bang for your buck. There are a number of great credit cards for online shopping that will help you save on every splurge, but if you’re a frequent Amazon shopper, there are some cards that are simply better than the rest. To help you supercharge your next spending spree, we’ve put together a roundup of some of our favourite credit cards for Amazon purchases.
In This Article:
The Best Credit Cards for Amazon.ca Purchases Compared
| Credit Card | Annual Fee | Amazon Perk | |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Express Cobalt® Card | $155.88 ($12.99 monthly fee) | Use Membership Rewards® points to shop on Amazon.ca | Read More |
| HSBC Cash Rewards Mastercard® | $0 | 1.5% cash back on all online purchases* | Read More |
| SimplyCash® Card from American Express | $0 | Base Rewards of 1.25% cash back on all purchases with no limit to the amount of cash back you can earn | Read More |
| TD First Class Travel® Visa Infinite* Card | $139 | Instantly redeem any number of points to pay for Amazon.ca purchases with Amazon Shop with Points. Conditions apply. See more details here. | Read More |
American Express® Green Card | $0 | Redeem Membership Rewards® points for purchases on Amazon.ca | Read More |
| Amazon.ca Rewards Mastercard | $0 | 5% in points back at Amazon.ca for 6 months; standard earn rate of 1.5% back (2.5% for Prime members) after that. Points go toward Amazon gift cards. | Read More |
American Express Cobalt® Card
– Recommended Credit Score: Fair–Good
– Minimum Income: N/A
The American Express Cobalt® Card has a generous welcome bonus and includes a special perk for those who shop at Amazon.ca. In your first year as a new Cobalt® Cardmember, you can earn 2,500 Membership Rewards® points for each monthly billing period in which you spend $500 in purchases on your Card. This could add up to 30,000 points in a year. That’s up to $300 towards a weekend getaway or concert tickets. Conditions apply. As part of the Membership Rewards® program, you can redeem your points instantly at checkout on Amazon.ca through the Shop with Points program.
The card also features an incredibly generous earn rate of 5 points for every $1 spent at eligible grocery stores, restaurants, bars, cafes, and on food delivery services. You’ll also earn 3 points per $1 spent on eligible streaming services and 2 points for every $1 you spend on travel and transit. You get 1 point for every $1 on all other purchases. The annual interest rate is 20.99% on purchases and 21.99% on cash advances.
Read our American Express Cobalt® Card review to learn more.
Key Features
- Welcome Bonus: Earn up to 30,000 Membership Rewards® points in the first year (conditions apply)
- Earn Rate: 5 points for every $1 spent on eats and drinks, 3 points per $1 spent on eligible streaming services, 2 points for every $1 spent on travel and transit,1 point for every $1 on all other purchases
- Additional Perks: Variety of insurance; $100 USD hotel amenity credit at eligible properties; exclusive entertainment offerings; transfer points to Aeroplan and Avios at a 1:1 ratio
- Annual Fee: $155.88 ($12.99 monthly fee)
The SimplyCash® Card from American Express
– Minimum Credit Score: Fair-Good
– Age: 18+/Age of majority
– Residency: Canadian Resident
The SimplyCash® Card from American Express has neither an Amazon-specific perk to drool over nor enhanced cash back earn rates for certain spending categories; but that’s precisely what makes it so appealing. The card earns 2% cash back on eligible gas purchases in Canada, 2% cash back on eligible grocery purchases in Canada (up to $300 cash back annually), and 1.25% cash back on all other eligible purchases with no limits to the amount of total cash back you can earn. So although it technically earns less cash back on Amazon spending than, say, MBNA’s Amazon.ca Rewards Mastercard, it will probably earn more cash back for you on all your combined spending overall at the base rate, and will likely be a more lucrative card for the majority of people. Plus there’s no annual fee.
Read our SimplyCash® Card from American Express review to learn more.
Key Features
- Welcome Offer: In your first 10 months as a new SimplyCash® Card from American Express Cardmember, you can earn a $10 statement credit for each monthly billing period in which you spend $300 in purchases on your Card. This could add up to $100 in statement credits in the first 10 months. Conditions apply.
- Cash Back: Earn 2% cash back on eligible gas purchases in Canada, 2% cash back on eligible grocery purchases in Canada (up to $300 cash back annually), and 1.25% cash back on all other eligible purchases
- Additional Features: Bonus cash back for card referrals; travel accident insurance; Buyer’s Assurance and Purchase Protection
- Annual Fee: $0
HSBC Cash Rewards Mastercard®
– Recommended credit score: Fair/Good
– Min. personal income required: N/A
– Age: Age of majority in your province or territory
– Residency: Canadian
The HSBC Cash Rewards Mastercard® is unusual among Canadian credit cards, in that it specifically rewards cardholders for making online purchases via sites like Amazon.ca. Cardholders get 1.5% cash back on up to $6,000 of online spending each year*. Grocery, gas, and drug store spending earns 1% back*, and all other eligible purchases earn 0.5% back*.
If you apply by May 31, 2023 you can get an extra 12.5% cash back on up to $1,000 in purchases made during your first 180 days with the card. Conditions apply. Quebecers are eligible for a different welcome offer in which they earn a flat $125 in cash back*, provided they simply keep the account open for 180 days. The HSBC Cash Rewards Mastercard® is also noteworthy because it comes with $1,000 worth of insurance if a mobile device you purchased with the card is lost, stolen, accidentally damaged, or has a mechanical failure. That’s a rare and very high-value benefit for a card without an annual fee.
Key Features:
- Annual Fee: $0
- Welcome Offer: Earn an additional 12.5% cash back* on all purchases for the first 180 days (up to $1,000 in total purchases). Must apply by May 31, 2023. Conditions apply.
- Regular Cash Back: 1.5% back on online purchases*; 1% back on gas, groceries, and drug store purchases*; 0.5% back on all other purchases*
- Additional Perks: Mobile device insurance; extended warranty insurance; purchase assurance
Apply for the card here or learn more by reading our complete HSBC Cash Rewards Mastercard® review.
*Terms and conditions apply.
®/TM Mastercard is a registered trademark, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated. Used pursuant to license.
TD First Class Travel® Visa Infinite* Card
– Balance Transfer APR: 22.99%
– Cash Advance APR: 22.99%
– Recommended Credit Score: Good to Excellent
– Minimum Income: $60,000 individual or $100,000 household
The TD First Class Travel® Visa Infinite* also makes bargain hunting on Amazon a breeze because it participates in the Amazon.ca Shop with Points program as well. With this program, you can instantly redeem your TD Points on eligible purchases on Amazon.ca with Amazon Shop with Points. Conditions apply. See more details here.. There’s a great welcome bonus: Earn up to 145,000 TD Rewards Points† plus, first year no Annual Fee for the Primary and Additional Cardholders†. Conditions Apply. Must apply by May 28, 2023.
Travel lovers will appreciate the wow-worthy earnings when you book travel through Expedia® For TD†: Earn 8 TD Rewards Points† for every $1 you spend when you book travel through Expedia® For TD† (4% return rate).
Additionally, earn 6 TD Rewards Points† for every $1 you spend on Groceries and Restaurants†, earn 4 TD Rewards Points† for every $1 you spend on regularly recurring bill payments set up on your Account†, and earn 2 TD Rewards Points For every $1 you spend on other Purchases made using your Card†. The annual interest rate is 20.99% on purchases and 22.99% on cash advances.
Read our TD First Class Travel® Visa Infinite* review to learn more.
Key Features
- Welcome Bonus: Earn up to 145,000 TD Rewards Points† plus, first year no Annual Fee for the Primary and Additional Cardholders†. Conditions Apply. Must apply by May 28, 2023.
- Earn Rate: Earn 8 TD Rewards Points† for every $1 you spend when you book travel through Expedia® For TD†; earn 6 TD Rewards Points† for every $1 you spend on Groceries and Restaurants†; earn 4 TD Rewards Points† for every $1 you spend on regularly recurring bill payments set up on your Account†; and earn 2 TD Rewards Points For every $1 you spend on other Purchases made using your Card†
- Additional Perks: Good suite of insurance including Travel Medical Insurance†, rental car discounts†
- Annual Fee: $139 (annual fee rebated) †
Apply for the TD First Class Travel® Visa Infinite*.
This offer is not available for residents of Quebec. For Quebec residents, please click here.
†Terms and conditions apply.
American Express® Green Card
– Recommended Credit Score: Not Listed
– Minimum Income: N/A
This no-fee American Express® Green Card lets you redeem your Membership Rewards® points to make eligible purchases on Amazon.ca. As a new American Express® Green Cardmember, you can earn a Welcome Bonus of 10,000 Membership Rewards® points when you charge $1,000 in purchases to your Card in the first 3 months of Cardmembership. That’s $100 towards groceries or concert tickets. Conditions apply. The standard earn rate is a basic 1 Membership Rewards® point per $1 that you spend on all purchases. This card is ideal if you’re a student or you have a limited credit history (or none at all).
Key Features
- Welcome Bonus: 10,000 Membership Rewards® points when you charge $1,000 in purchases to your Card in the first 3 months of Cardmembership (conditions apply)
- Earn Rate: 1 Membership Rewards® point per $1 on all purchases
- Additional Perks: Transfer points to other popular travel rewards programs, like Aeroplan and Avios, at a 1:1 ratio
- Annual Fee: $0
Amazon.ca Rewards Mastercard
– Recommended Credit Score: Not Listed
– Minimum Income: Not Listed
If you spend a lot of money shopping on Amazon, this Amazon-affiliated card will rev up your rewards like no other. The current welcome offer gets you 5% back at Amazon.ca, Whole Foods Market stores, grocery stores, and restaurants for your first 6 months (capped at $3,000 in spending, which is a $150 value). The standard earn rate is 1.5% points back (2.5% for Prime members) on eligible Amazon.ca and Whole Foods Market store purchases. For every 2,000 points you earn, a $20 Amazon.ca Gift Card will be added directly to your Amazon account. Cardholders get 1% back on all other purchases. The annual interest rate is 19.99% on purchases and 22.99% on cash advances.
Read our Amazon.ca Rewards Mastercard review to learn more.
Key Features
- Welcome Bonus: 5% back at Amazon.ca, Whole Foods Market stores, grocery stores and restaurants for 6 months
- Earn Rate: 5% points back (2.5% for Prime members) on eligible Amazon.ca and Whole Foods Market store purchases. Get 1% back on all other purchases.
- Additional Perks: Get 1% back (2.5% for Prime members) on eligible foreign currency transactions, purchase protection and extended warranty, discount on select rental cards
- Annual Fee: $0
How Do These Cards Save on Amazon.ca?
There are four ways you can use credit cards to save money on Amazon.ca, each of which is suited to a different lifestyle.
- High Amazon.ca Cash Back Rate. Some credit cards offer a high cash back rate specifically for Amazon.ca, or for online purchases in general. This type of card is a good fit if Amazon.ca/general online spending takes up a very large chunk of your total expenses; it’s less suitable if your biggest expenses lie elsewhere.
- High Base Cash Back Rate. Other credit cards offer a solid cash back rate on all purchases; this is ideal if you prefer a simple, one-size-fits-all solution rather than taking out multiple credit cards to be used at different merchants.
- Shop with Points. Some Amex and TD credit cards allow cardholders to redeem their rewards points directly on Amazon.ca via Shop with Points. This works well for those who might split the points they earn between an Amazon redemption and a redemption for, say, travel. Keep in mind that Amex Membership Rewards and TD Rewards have different values when redeemed via Shop with Points—each Amex point redeemed this way is worth $0.007; each TD point is worth a comparatively low $0.0033.
- Amazon Gift Cards. Some credit cards allow you to redeem rewards points for Amazon gift cards, but the value you’ll get for each point may be low. Before redeeming points for an Amazon.ca gift card check to make sure you’re getting a decent deal by dividing the gift card’s dollar value by the number of points required to redeem. If the value per point is less than $0.005 consider saving your points for another, more valuable redemption path.
Final Word
Online shopping is here to stay and shopping with Amazon is only going to get more convenient; it’s good to know there are ways to boost your buying power on Amazon.ca with credit card rewards. In a sea of credit card choices, a bit of research can help ensure you find the best Amazon shopping companion so you get the most out of the experience.
American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information click the Apply now link. Conditions apply.Author Bio
Article comments
Brim Financial should be on this list – $0 fee, 2% cash back on Amazon purchases and has the added bonus of no foreign currency conversion and 1% on all other purchases (some bonus rewards too). Redemption is super easy, can redeem on any purchase.
Hi Bryn,
It’s good to know that Brim is so good. Perhaps we will consider adding it to the list.