Amazon captures about 35% of Indian e-commerce spend — more if you count Amazon Prime subscriptions, Amazon Pay bill payments, and quick-commerce via Fresh / Pantry. For Amazon-heavy households, the right credit card returns 5% on every rupee spent there. The wrong one returns 1%. Over ₹10,000/month of Amazon spending, that's a ₹4,800/year swing.
Here are the cards we trust for Amazon in 2026, and how they stack up for Prime vs non-Prime users.
1. ICICI Amazon Pay Credit Card — the default
The ICICI Amazon Pay Credit Card is the only credit card co-branded with Amazon India. For Prime members it pays 5% of every Amazon.in purchase back as Amazon Pay balance — no points, no redemption, no caps. Non-Prime users get 3%. Lifetime free, no joining or annual fee, ever. We've written a full ICICI Amazon Pay review — short version: best Amazon card, period.
2. HDFC Millennia — for high-volume, multi-merchant shoppers
The HDFC Millennia pays 5% on Amazon alongside 9 other online merchants (Flipkart, Myntra, Swiggy, Zomato, Uber, BookMyShow, Tata CLiQ, Cult.fit, Sony LIV). Monthly 5% cashback cap is ₹1,000. Annual fee ₹1,000, waived on ₹1L spend. If Amazon is ~40% of your online spend and you also shop heavily across Flipkart and Myntra, Millennia is a better fit than the Amazon Pay card for flexibility.
3. SBI SimplyCLICK — cheapest option with Amazon partner bonus
The SBI SimplyCLICK earns 10X points on Amazon purchases (effectively 2.5% cashback), plus the welcome bonus includes a ₹500 Amazon voucher. Fee ₹499 waived on ₹1L spend. Worth holding as a secondary card for Amazon if you also shop Cleartrip, Myntra, and BookMyShow — all partner merchants on this card.
4. Axis Ace — for flat-rate fans
The Axis Ace pays 2% flat cashback on Amazon (as part of its 2% universal rate). Lower than the category specialists but higher than most generalist cards' Amazon earnings. If you want one card that covers Amazon, groceries, dining, and bills consistently, Axis Ace wins.
Prime vs non-Prime — the only choice that matters
If you're not already a Prime member and you're an Amazon-heavy shopper, the math tips toward getting Prime (₹1,499/year) purely for the ICICI Amazon Pay 5%:
| Annual Amazon spend | Non-Prime 3% | Prime 5% | Prime net of ₹1,499 fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| ₹50,000 | ₹1,500 | ₹2,500 | ₹1,001 |
| ₹1,00,000 | ₹3,000 | ₹5,000 | ₹3,501 |
| ₹2,00,000 | ₹6,000 | ₹10,000 | ₹8,501 |
Prime's delivery and Prime Video value are pure upside.
Amazon Pay balance — the quirk that matters
Cashback on the ICICI Amazon Pay card lands as Amazon Pay balance, not statement credit or bank money. You can:
- Spend it on Amazon.in immediately (auto-applies).
- Pay utility bills via Amazon Pay (mobile, electricity, DTH, gas).
- Send it via UPI to any merchant that accepts Amazon Pay.
- Not withdraw it to bank — Amazon Pay balance is non-withdrawable.
For most households this is a feature, not a bug — Amazon Pay utilities cover most monthly outflows anyway. Power users pair it with a bank cashback card (Axis Ace, HDFC Millennia) for non-Amazon spends.
Which card(s) to pair
- Amazon-dominant household: ICICI Amazon Pay alone. The 5% on Amazon + 1% everywhere covers 80% of typical spend.
- Online multi-merchant: HDFC Millennia as primary; ICICI Amazon Pay as secondary for pure Amazon runs.
- Mixed online + offline: ICICI Amazon Pay for online + SBI SimplySAVE or Axis Ace for offline.
For a deeper look at online-merchant rewards in general, see our best credit cards for online shopping guide. Pure cashback chasers should also read the best cashback credit cards round-up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which card gives the highest cashback on Amazon India?
The ICICI Amazon Pay Credit Card for Prime members, at 5%. Non-Prime users get 3%. No other Indian credit card exceeds 5% on Amazon purchases.
Is the ICICI Amazon Pay card really lifetime free?
Yes — ₹0 joining fee and ₹0 annual fee, with no spend-based conditions. Applicable only to applicants with an active Amazon India account.
Can I use Amazon Pay cashback for non-Amazon purchases?
Yes — Amazon Pay balance is accepted at partner merchants (utility bills, food delivery, fuel via select apps, travel). It cannot be withdrawn to a bank account or UPI-transferred to a non-Amazon merchant.
Does Amazon cashback get reduced during sale events?
No. The 5% / 3% applies on actual paid value after any discounts or coupon deductions. If you pay ₹800 for a ₹1,000 item, you earn 5% of ₹800 = ₹40.