Prime Visa vs Costco Anywhere Visa®

Prime Visa
VS
Costco Anywhere Visa®
The short answer: The Prime Visa delivers a bit more value for most spenders, but choose the Costco Anywhere Visa® if you spend more on dining, gas.

Side-by-side comparison

Prime VisaCostco Anywhere Visa®
Annual feeNo annual fee$65
Welcome offer$200 Amazon Gift Card upon approvalNo current offer
Dining2x3x
Groceries5x1x
Gas2x4x
Travel1x3x
Streaming1x1x
Everything else1x1x
Est. yearly rewards*$590$452
Points typeCash back onlyCash back only
NetworkVisaVisa

*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified July 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.

Welcome bonus and value over time

Over timePrime VisaCostco Anywhere Visa®
Welcome bonus$200 Amazon Gift Card upon approvalNone
To earn itNone requiredNo minimum spend
Est. first-year value*$940$387
Est. ongoing value / yr*$740$387

The Prime Visa wins on both fronts: it comes out ahead in year one on the welcome offer and stays ahead every year after. Short term or long, it is the stronger pick on the numbers.

*First-year value counts the welcome bonus, estimated rewards, and annual credits, minus the annual fee; ongoing value is a typical year after. Every point at a flat 1 cent.

Perks, credits, and redemptions

PerksPrime VisaCostco Anywhere Visa®
Lounge accessNoneNone
Annual credits~$150/yr (1 credits)None
Points & redemptionsCash back onlyCash back only

On perks and redemptions, the Prime Visa carries the heavier credit stack (about $150 a year). Weigh those against the fee, since credits and lounge access only count if you will actually use them.

Transfer partners and point value

Neither card earns transferable points, so redemptions are cash-back or fixed portal value on both, roughly a cent per point. There is no airline or hotel transfer angle to separate them.

The verdict

On a typical year of household spending, the Prime Visa earns about $590 a year in rewards and the Costco Anywhere Visa® about $452, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Prime Visa has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. The Costco Anywhere Visa® charges $65, which you clear through its rewards and perks. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the Prime Visa delivers more total value, about $278 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on groceries. Neither leans on transferable points, so the deciding factors are the welcome offer, the card network, and which everyday perks you will actually use. On the sign-up bonus, the Prime Visa currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.

Pick the Prime Visa if your spending leans toward groceries. Pick the Costco Anywhere Visa® if your spending leans toward dining, gas, travel.

Read the full reviews

Frequently asked questions

Is the Prime Visa or the Costco Anywhere Visa® better?
On typical household spending, the Prime Visa comes out ahead, by roughly $278 a year with every point valued at a flat 1 cent. But the Costco Anywhere Visa® can be the better fit if your spending lines up with its stronger categories. Run both through the Cardocrat calculator to see your own numbers.
Can I have both the Prime Visa and the Costco Anywhere Visa®?
In most cases yes, as long as you meet each issuer's approval rules (for example Chase's 5/24 rule). Many people hold complementary cards to cover more bonus categories, then pool or redeem the rewards together where the program allows.
Which has the better welcome bonus, the Prime Visa or the Costco Anywhere Visa®?
As of July 2026, the Prime Visa offers $200 Amazon Gift Card upon approval and the Costco Anywhere Visa® offers no current offer. Welcome offers change often, so confirm the current offer on each card's page before applying.