Amazon cards have different score requirements depending on which one you want
Amazon does not publish a minimum credit score for any of its cards. The company uses a range rather than a hard cutoff, and the exact score that gets you approved depends on which Amazon card you are applying for, your income, your debt load, and your credit history as a whole.
The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card (issued by Chase) typically requires a score in the 670 to 700 range, though approvals happen below and above that. The Amazon Prime Store Card (issued by Synchrony) tends to approve people with scores around 650 and up. The Amazon Business Prime Card follows similar patterns to the Rewards card but factors in business credit as well.
If your score is below 650, approval is unlikely but not impossible — it depends on whether you have other strengths in your application, like a long history with Amazon, a high income, or very low existing debt. If your score is above 700, you have a reasonable shot at approval for any Amazon card, though denial still happens if other factors are weak.
Key Takeaways
- Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature typically approves people with scores around 670 to 700, while the Store Card approves lower, often around 650 and up.
- No Amazon card has a published minimum score — approval depends on your full credit profile, including income, existing debt, and payment history.
- A score below 650 makes approval difficult but not impossible if you have other strengths like high income or a long account history with Amazon.
- Checking your own score before you apply does not hurt your credit, but submitting an application triggers a hard inquiry that temporarily lowers your score by a few points.
- If you are denied, you can ask Chase or Synchrony why and reapply in three to six months after improving the weak area.
How Amazon card issuers actually evaluate your application
Chase and Synchrony (the two companies that issue Amazon cards) look at your credit score as one data point among several. They pull your full credit report, not just your score. They look at how many accounts you have open, how much you owe on each one, how long you have had credit, and whether you have missed payments in the last two years.
They also consider your income and your debt-to-income ratio — how much you owe compared to what you earn. A person with a 680 score but a $150,000 salary and $5,000 in total debt might get approved, while someone with a 720 score, a $40,000 salary, and $30,000 in debt might be denied. The score is a starting point, not the decision.
Recent hard inquiries also matter. If you have applied for three credit cards in the last month, issuers see that as a sign you are desperate for credit, and they become more cautious. One or two inquiries in six months is normal and does not usually hurt your chances.
Why the Amazon Prime Rewards card is harder to get than the Store Card
The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature is a premium card issued by Chase. It comes with benefits like travel protections, purchase protections, and the ability to use it anywhere Visa is accepted. Because it costs Chase more to offer those benefits, they are pickier about who they approve. They typically want to see a score of 670 or higher.
The Amazon Prime Store Card is issued by Synchrony and works only at Amazon and Whole Foods. It is a closed-loop card, meaning Synchrony's risk is lower because you can only use it in places they control. Synchrony is willing to approve people with lower scores — often 650 and up — because they have more control over how the card is used.
If you are denied for the Rewards card but want an Amazon card, the Store Card is a reasonable next step. You can use it to build credit history with Amazon and reapply for the Rewards card in six months.
What happens when you check your score before applying
Checking your own credit score through a free service like Credit Karma, AnnualCreditReport.com, or your bank's website is a soft inquiry. It does not lower your score and does not show up to lenders as a sign that you are seeking new credit.
When you submit an application for an Amazon card, the issuer performs a hard inquiry. This does show up on your credit report and typically lowers your score by 5 to 10 points. The impact is temporary — it fades after three months and disappears from your report after two years. Multiple hard inquiries within 14 days usually count as one inquiry for scoring purposes, so applying to two cards within two weeks does less damage than applying to two cards a month apart.
Check your score before you apply so you know roughly where you stand. If it is below 650, you might want to wait a few months and work on paying down debt or disputing errors on your report before you apply. If it is 670 or higher, your odds are good enough that the hard inquiry is worth the risk.
Steps to take if your score is too low right now
If your score is below 650, you have several options. The fastest is to pay down existing credit card balances. Your credit utilization ratio — the percentage of your available credit that you are using — has a large effect on your score. If you have a $5,000 limit and a $4,500 balance, you are at 90 percent utilization. Paying that down to $1,500 (30 percent) can raise your score by 20 to 50 points in one or two billing cycles.
If you have errors on your credit report, dispute them with the credit bureau. You can get a free report from each of the three bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) once per year at AnnualCreditReport.com. If you see an account that is not yours, a payment marked late that you made on time, or a balance that is wrong, file a dispute with the bureau. Removing an error can raise your score significantly.
If your score is low because you have missed payments, wait. Late payments have less impact as they age. A payment that is 30 days late hurts more than one that is 90 days late, and one that is two years old hurts much less than one that is six months old. If you have no recent late payments, your score will improve on its own over time.
Consider becoming an authorized user on someone else's credit card account if they have good payment history and low balances. Their account history can be added to your credit report and raise your score, though this only works if the primary cardholder has strong credit.
What to do if you are denied
When you are denied for a credit card, the issuer is required to send you a letter explaining the reason. It might say "credit score too low," "too many recent inquiries," "high debt-to-income ratio," or something similar. Read this letter carefully — it tells you exactly what to fix.
You can call the issuer and ask for more detail. Chase and Synchrony have reconsideration lines where you can speak to someone who might approve you if you have additional information, like a recent raise or a large deposit that is not yet showing on your credit report. This call does not trigger another hard inquiry.
Wait at least three to six months before you reapply. In that time, work on the specific issue the issuer cited. If it was your score, focus on paying down balances or disputing errors. If it was recent inquiries, wait until older ones fall off. If it was income, make sure your new income is documented and stable.
Comparing your odds across the three main Amazon cards
| Card | Issuer | Typical Score Range | Works Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prime Rewards Visa Signature | Chase | 670–700+ | Anywhere Visa accepted |
| Prime Store Card | Synchrony | 650+ | Amazon and Whole Foods only |
| Business Prime Card | Chase | 670–700+ | Anywhere Visa accepted |
The ranges in this table are based on reported approvals and denials, not official requirements. Your actual odds depend on your full application. A score at the low end of the range with strong income and low debt can get approved. A score at the high end with recent late payments or very high debt might be denied.
If you fall between the ranges — say, a 660 score — your outcome depends on the other factors in your file. Strong income and a clean payment history in the last two years can push you over. High existing debt or multiple recent inquiries can push you under. The issuer weighs everything together, not just the score.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Amazon check my credit score before I apply?
No. You can browse Amazon and add items to your cart without any credit check. The credit check only happens when you submit an application for one of the credit cards. Checking your own score beforehand does not trigger any inquiry that lenders can see.
Can I get approved with a score of 600?
Unlikely, but not impossible. Most approvals for Amazon cards happen at 650 and above. If your score is 600, focus on paying down balances and disputing errors for two to three months, then reapply. You might also have better luck with the Store Card than the Rewards card.
How long does a hard inquiry stay on my credit report?
Hard inquiries stay on your report for two years, but they stop affecting your score after about three months. Multiple inquiries within 14 days usually count as one for scoring purposes, so applying to two cards within two weeks is better than spreading applications out over several months.
What if I am denied but I have been a Prime member for years?
Call the issuer's reconsideration line and mention your long history with Amazon. Some underwriters will reconsider if you have been a loyal customer. This call does not trigger another hard inquiry. If they still deny you, wait three to six months and reapply after improving the weak area they cited.
Does the Amazon Store Card hurt my credit less than the Rewards card?
Both cards trigger the same hard inquiry when you apply, so the immediate impact is the same. The Store Card is easier to get approved for, so you are more likely to actually get it, which means you can start building credit history with Amazon sooner. That long-term benefit can outweigh the short-term inquiry impact.