Compare Amazon’s eligible reward rates, Prime status, caps, reward form and exclusions before choosing a card for your purchases.
Cards to Compare for Amazon Shopping
5% Prime / 3% non-Prime on eligible Amazon India purchases
ICICI says no limit on earnings; exclusions apply
No joining or annual fee; eligible earnings are automatically credited as Amazon Pay balance. ICICI lists 2% for Amazon Pay partner sites through Login and Pay with Amazon, and 1% on other eligible payments.
Watch out: Prime status and purchase type affect rates; EMI, rent, fuel, precious metals and tax-related payments are excluded.
5% on Amazon and 9 other named online merchants
₹1,000/calendar month across the 5% partner tier
Can suit people who use several of HDFC’s named 5% merchants. The current terms describe the accelerated reward as CashPoints, not direct statement cashback.
Watch out: Eligibility and cap are shared across listed merchants; non-EMI transactions only.
5% eligible online / 1% eligible offline
₹2,000 online and offline each per statement cycle
Can be considered for eligible online purchases across merchants beyond Amazon, within SBI’s current terms and caps.
Watch out: Not every online transaction qualifies; exclusions apply and card fees may apply.
How Amazon Pay ICICI Rewards Work
ICICI’s current FAQ lists no joining or annual fee and no limit on earnings. On eligible Amazon India purchases it lists 5% for Prime members and 3% for non-Prime members; digital products and gift cards earn 2% regardless of Prime status. Amazon EMI purchases and several other categories earn no rewards.
Amazon Pay partner-site purchases earn 2% when you use the specific “Login and Pay with Amazon” route. Other eligible payments earn 1%. Rewards are credited to Amazon Pay balance, not a bank account. Check the issuer’s exclusions and eligible payment path before relying on a headline rate.
At ₹15,000 of fully eligible Amazon purchases in a month, the headline reward would be ₹750 for a Prime Amazon Pay ICICI cardholder or ₹450 for a non-Prime cardholder. HDFC Millennia’s nominal 5% at that spend is constrained by its ₹1,000 CashPoints-per-calendar-month cap across ten merchants; fees and other category use matter too.
There is no single comparison that fits every user: Amazon Pay ICICI credits Amazon Pay balance, while Millennia rewards are CashPoints and SBI Cashback has separate online/offline caps and exclusions. See our cap structure explainer before treating a headline rate as money saved.
This is an illustration for eligible purchases at the Prime 5% Amazon Pay ICICI rate and HDFC Millennia’s 5% rate, capped at ₹1,000 per calendar month across its named merchants. It excludes Prime subscription cost, fees, other category spend and reward exclusions.
The Amazon Sale Strategy
Sale discounts are campaign-specific and can have their own eligible cards, products, order minimums, caps, payment paths and dates. Do not assume a bank offer combines with the card’s regular reward or applies to every Amazon item.
Check the live Amazon offer page and linked issuer terms for each event. A promotion may be limited by minimum card-paid amount, eligible products or a per-card maximum, and could treat EMI or returned orders differently.
For a structured approach to maximising returns across all online platforms, visit our Smart Swipe guide or build your optimal card combination at Stack Builder.
EMI on Amazon: The Hidden Cashback Trap
“No-cost EMI” still has terms and may include processing fees or foregone rewards. ICICI’s current Amazon Pay card FAQ says Amazon EMI purchases do not earn rewards; evaluate the full payable and any separate instant discount before choosing it.
Reward eligibility and campaign discounts are separate questions. Read the card’s EMI exclusion and exact offer terms, then compare the total payable, processing fee and any foregone reward before committing.
The Gift Card Trap
A common question: can you buy Amazon gift cards with your credit card and then use those gift cards on Amazon to effectively earn 5% on everything including categories that might otherwise be excluded?
Gift cards do not earn the Prime 5% Amazon rate under ICICI’s current FAQ; it lists gift-card purchases at 2% irrespective of Prime status. Check current terms and any separate merchant promotion before buying.
What to Do Right Now
- Review Amazon Pay ICICI’s eligibility, fees and terms if you want Amazon Pay balance rewards; approval is subject to ICICI’s assessment.
- Check Prime status, product type and payment route; digital products and gift cards may earn a lower rate.
- For Amazon Pay partners, use the eligible “Login and Pay with Amazon” route and confirm the site is on the current list.
- Read current sale-offer conditions; discounts may have their own caps and exclusions.
- For other online purchases, compare the current SBI Cashback exclusions and ₹2,000 online statement-cycle cap.
The Practical Comparison
Amazon Pay ICICI may suit eligible Amazon purchases if you value Amazon Pay balance and meet the relevant Prime and purchase rules. HDFC Millennia may suit someone using several named partner merchants; SBI Cashback may fit eligible online spend beyond Amazon. Each has distinct reward forms, fees, caps and exclusions.
Choose based on your actual eligible purchases and the reward you will use—not a promise of annual savings. Amazon Pay ICICI earnings are credited as Amazon Pay balance; they are not a bank-account credit.
FAQ
Which credit card gives maximum cashback on Amazon India?
Amazon Pay ICICI currently lists 5% back for Prime members and 3% for non-Prime members on eligible Amazon India purchases, with no joining or annual fee and no limit on earnings. Exclusions apply, and Amazon earnings are credited as Amazon Pay balance. HDFC Millennia also lists 5% on Amazon within a shared calendar-month cap. Compare the variant, fees and purchase eligibility that fit your use.
Does Amazon Pay ICICI card work for non-Prime Amazon members?
ICICI lists 3% back for non-Prime members on eligible Amazon India products; some digital items and gift cards earn 2%, regardless of Prime status. Prime membership has a separate cost and benefits beyond this card, so calculate its value using your eligible purchases and the current subscription price rather than assuming it pays for itself.
Is there any monthly spending cap on Amazon Pay ICICI cashback?
ICICI states there is no limit on earnings. The advertised Amazon rate still depends on Prime status and eligible product/payment type; its FAQ lists exclusions including Amazon EMI, rent, fuel, precious metals and tax-related payments. Digital products, gift cards and some Amazon Pay transactions earn at a lower rate, not the Prime 5% tier.
Does Amazon cashback stack with bank offers during Amazon sale?
A sale promotion may combine with the card’s regular reward, but this is not guaranteed. Check the offer’s eligible card, products, dates, minimum amount, payment channel, maximum discount and whether EMI or partial Amazon Pay balance payments change eligibility. Promotions can be changed or withdrawn.
Should I use Amazon gift cards to get double cashback?
Do not assume gift cards earn the Prime 5% rate. ICICI’s FAQ says gift cards earn 2% irrespective of Prime status; Amazon Pay money loads and reloads are also listed at 2%. Review current terms and any separate merchant promotion before purchasing.
What cashback do I earn on Amazon Pay partners with the ICICI card?
ICICI lists 2% back on 100+ Amazon Pay partner websites when you use the ‘Login and Pay with Amazon’ payment method. A merchant merely accepting Amazon Pay may not qualify; check the current eligible partner list and checkout route.
Does no-cost EMI on Amazon reduce my cashback?
ICICI’s FAQ says Amazon EMI purchases do not earn rewards. A separate instant-discount offer may have its own EMI terms. Compare the total payable, processing fee, foregone rewards and offer conditions before choosing EMI.
Can I use HDFC Millennia instead of Amazon Pay ICICI for Amazon shopping?
HDFC Millennia lists Amazon among its 10 online 5% merchants, with a maximum of ₹1,000 CashBack/CashPoints per calendar month across the offer. Amazon Pay ICICI has no earnings cap according to ICICI, but its rate varies with Prime and item eligibility and pays as Amazon Pay balance. Compare combined category use and reward form.
Is Amazon Pay ICICI a good card for non-Amazon purchases?
ICICI lists 1% back on other eligible payments, but exclusions apply. SBI Cashback lists 5% on eligible online transactions subject to a ₹2,000 online cap per statement cycle and category exclusions. Check each card’s current terms; SBI’s advertised online rate is not universal for every website or payment type.
Related: Amazon Pay ICICI Full Review · HDFC Millennia Review · Best Cards for All Online Shopping · Best Cards for Flipkart · Reward Points vs Cashback · Smart Swipe Guide
Product rules behind this comparison
Compare Prime and non-Prime purchases separately: Amazon Pay ICICI pays 5% and 3% respectively in Amazon Pay balance, not bank-account cash. Product exclusions and separate Amazon Pay digital-payment rules matter.
Amazon Pay ICICI — earning, costs and limits
Amazon.in: 5% for Prime / 3% for non-Prime, excluding gold coins and Amazon flight/hotel bookings; 2% on digitally fulfilled categories, Login and Pay with Amazon, and physical gift cards; 1% on other eligible Amazon.in purchases. Rewards are non-expiring, credit as Amazon Pay balance within 2 working days after the billing cycle, and round down to whole points. International, education, utility outside Amazon, fuel, precious metals, tax, rent, fees and EMI transactions do not earn points; cancellations/returns can claw them back. Current issuer page lists 1.99% forex markup and a separate 1% fuel-surcharge waiver.
This is an invite-only programme; application availability and approval are determined by Amazon and ICICI Bank.
Annual fee before tax: ₹0. Joining fee: ₹0 before tax. No joining or annual fee.
The calculator values rewards at face value as Amazon Pay balance for eligible routes. This is wallet balance—not statement credit or cash transferable to a bank account—and is useful only if you can spend it through eligible Amazon/Amazon Pay purchases.
Calculation scope: The 5%/3% rate is specific to eligible Amazon.in purchases and depends on Prime status; 2% routes and 1% other eligible Amazon.in purchases are also channel-specific. Broad online/travel inputs cannot identify Amazon.in or Prime eligibility, so no category estimate is shown.
HDFC Millennia — earning, costs and limits
5% CashPoints on 10 listed online merchants (₹1,000 per calendar-month cap); 1% on other eligible spends (separate ₹1,000 per-month cap); statement redemption 1 CashPoint = ₹1. The current card-specific terms state no minimum transaction value; merchant IDs and settlement timing govern eligible posting.
Annual fee before tax: ₹1,000. Joining fee: ₹1,000 before tax. Spend over ₹1L in the year before renewal for annual-fee waiver.
Estimates use statement credit at ₹1 per CashPoint, before the ₹50 redemption fee and applicable tax. A minimum balance of 500 CashPoints is required; statement-credit redemption is capped at 3,000 points per calendar month. Travel/catalogue redemption is ₹0.30 per point. CashPoints expire after two years.
September 2026 consumer-card MITC: utilities above ₹50,000 in a calendar month attract a 1% fee on the full eligible monthly total (maximum ₹4,999 before GST), not just the excess. Fuel purchases above ₹15,000 attract 1% on the full transaction, capped at ₹4,999 before GST. INR payments at overseas/internationally registered merchants attract 1.75% DCC markup. These charges and applicable GST are not deducted from gross reward estimates; a fuel-surcharge waiver does not waive the separate high-value fuel charge.
Calculation scope: The 5% rate applies only to ten listed merchant MIDs, while this calculator accepts broad categories such as online, dining and shopping. It cannot distinguish an eligible listed merchant from other spend, or model the separate monthly caps and redemption fee reliably; no generic estimate is shown.
SBI Cashback Card — earning, costs and limits
5% on eligible online and 1% on eligible offline (POS) purchases. From 1 April 2026: separate ₹2,000 online and ₹2,000 offline caps, ₹4,000 combined per statement cycle. Cashback accrues by transaction posting/settlement date, is credited within 2 working days after the next statement generation, and returns/reversals can be debited. Utility, insurance, fuel, rent, wallet, education, jewellery, railways, merchant/Flexipay EMI and issuer-listed MCCs are excluded; digital gaming, tolls and government MCCs were added in April 2026. ₹999 joining/renewal; renewal reversed at ₹2L+ eligible spend in preceding year.
Annual fee before tax: ₹999. Joining fee: ₹999 before tax. ₹999 renewal fee reversed after ₹2L or more spend in the preceding year.
Axis ACE — earning, costs and limits
5% on eligible electricity, water, gas, LPG, broadband, DTH and mobile recharge through Google Pay on Android; 4% on eligible Swiggy, Zomato and Ola transactions; 1.5% on other eligible spends. The 5% and 4% categories share one ₹500 cap per statement; the 1.5% base cashback is uncapped. Utility transactions outside Google Pay, fuel, EMI, wallet, rent, jewellery, insurance, education, government, gift cards and toll/road fees are excluded. Merchant IDs determine accelerated eligibility; cashback rounds to the nearest rupee per transaction and returns/EMI conversions reverse rewards. Fuel surcharge waiver is separate: 1% on ₹400–₹4,000 transactions, up to ₹500 per statement; GST on the surcharge is not refunded.
Joining fee ₹499; annual fee ₹499 from year two, subject to the eligible-spend waiver. Applicable taxes are extra. Annual fee waived when eligible annual spend exceeds ₹2 lakh; rent (MCC 6513) and wallet loads (MCC 6540) are excluded from waiver spend..
Calculation scope: Broad dining and utility categories cannot identify Swiggy/Zomato/Ola merchant IDs or Google Pay on Android eligibility. The accelerated buckets share a ₹500 statement-cycle cap and round per transaction; the category model would falsely apply 4%/5% to unqualified spend. No generic estimate is shown.
A reward rate is conditional on the merchant and payment route. Numerical tools show scenarios using the supported models; they do not estimate rent, insurance, UPI or overseas earning by substituting a generic spending category.