Editor’s Note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
Now, more than ever, our options and reasons for reading seem endless. Whether you’re bringing your textbooks to class, tossing paperbacks in your beach bag, or downloading audiobooks to work, book lovers know that the habit of reading can become costly.
Our motto here is that if you spend, you earn. So we’re sharing our best strategies for making sure your reading habits are good for your reward balance as well as for your brain.
Best credit cards for books
The easiest and most important way to monetize your book purchases is to use one of the best credit cards for book purchases. These cards will ensure that you are earning bonus points no matter what kind of book you buy.
Here is a breakdown of the earning rates for these options:
| Credit | Best for | Collect book bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon Prime Rewards Visa | Books purchased through Amazon. | 5%. |
| Affinity Cash Rewards Signature Visa Credit Card | Bookstores anywhere. | 5%. |
| Barnes & Noble Mastercard | Books purchased through Barnes & Noble. | 5%. |
| RED CARD GOAL | Books purchased through Target. | 5%. |
| Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card |
Earn flexible travel rewards. | 2 miles per dollar. |
| Chasing Flex Freedom | Books bought at drugstores. | 3%. |
| Citi Double Card | Books purchased from independent bookstores. | 2% cashback (1% when you buy and 1% when you checkout). |
Information about Amazon Visa, Affinity Visa Signature, Barnes & Noble Mastercard, and Target REDcard has been independently obtained by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
More details on the best cards for books
Amazon Prime Rewards Visa
ERIC HELGAS/THE POINT
Sign up bonus: Get a $100 gift card instantly once approved.
Annual fee: $0.
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Why we love it: One of the most convenient ways to save on countless Amazon books—and all other Amazon products—is to use one of the cashback credit card. The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa It doesn’t charge an annual fee and is a good option if you’re loyal to Amazon on multiple purchases.
The Prime Rewards Visa earns you 5% cash back at Amazon when you have an existing Prime membership ($139 annually). In addition to 5% off at Amazon and Whole Foods, you’ll get 2% cash back at the gas station, restaurant And Drugstore as well as 1% cashback on all other purchases.
For more details, check out our Amazon Prime Rewards Visa full review.
Related: The best card for Amazon purchases
Affinity Cash Rewards Signature Visa Credit Card
Sign up bonus: Get $200 cash back when you spend $3,000 within the first 90 days of account opening. Plus, earn 25,000 bonus points when you spend $25,000 in the first year of your account opening.
Annual fee: $0.
Why we love it: This is a book lover’s dream card, earn 5% cash back on Amazon and all bookstores (with purchases up to $3,500 per month). In addition, it also earns 2% cash back at restaurant, the gas stationAnd supermarketAll are free every year.
Related: Best cashback credit card
Barnes & Noble Mastercard
Sign up bonus: Get a $25 Barnes & Noble gift card after your first purchase or balance transfer.
Annual fee: $0.
Why we love it: We’re not usually big fans of credit card storagebut the Barnes & Noble Mastercard is a great way to earn extra rewards for buying books or books from this store.
With this card you’ll get 5% cashback on all Barnes & Noble purchases online and in-store as well as 2% cashback at restaurant.
Related: Store vs cash-back card: Which should I get?
RED CARD GOAL
Sign up bonus: Do not have.
Annual fee: $0.
Why we love it: Goal can be synonymous with grocery and household needs, but it also often carries a selection of books both in-store and online. While it doesn’t have as many options as Barnes & Noble or Amazon, you can still find a wide range of popular and even Target exclusive bestsellers.
The RED CARD GOAL earn 5% cash back on all Target purchases, including books.
Related: Best card to buy Target
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Sign up bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
Annual fee: $95
Why we love it: The beauty of the Adventure Card is its simplicity. You’ll earn 2 miles for every dollar you spend on all purchases, including any bookstores. You can use these rewards to travel bag at a rate of 1 cent per mile. You can also convert them to many travel partners — potentially increase your return by 3.7% (based on Valuation of TPGnot provided by the card issuer).
For more details, check out our Full review of Capital One Venture Card.
Register here: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Chase Freedom Flex℠
Sign up bonus: Earn $200 back in cash after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Annual fee: $0.
Why we love it: Besides earning 5% back on spinning quarterly portfolio (up to $1,500 spend, activation required), Freedom Flex earns 3% on drugstore and drugstore purchases. The pharmacy may not be the first place that comes to mind when buying a book, but it’s a good idea to check your favorite store to see if it has a title. If so, buy your book there and use this card to earn reward points for those purchases.
Note that Target is part of the rotating bonus category for Q1 2023, so it could be a good option to buy books at Target through March 31. Assuming you also have a Chase card more premium like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. In that case, you can combine your points in an account to effectively convert Freedom cashback rewards into fully transferable Ultimate Rewards points.
For more details, check out our Chase Freedom Flex full review.
Register here: Chase Freedom Flex℠
Citi® Double Cash Card
Sign up bonus: Do not have.
Annual fee: $0.
Why we love it: The Citi Double Card is a flexible product that earns 2% cash back — 1% when you make a purchase and 1% when you pay your bill. This card gives you as much flexibility as possible when it comes to book purchases, earning 2% back no matter what type of book you buy or where you buy it.
For more details, check out our Citi Double Cash full review.
Register here: Citi® Double Cash Card
Other ways to make money buying books
Buy a gift card
If you have a credit card to earn rewards when shopping at grocery or office supply stores, check out the gift cards available at stores around you.
You can buy gift cards for stores like Amazon or Barnes and Noble, and then use them to buy books, allowing you to earn bonus points on purchases.
Use the shopping portal
Always check shopping portal to your favorite bookstores when shopping online to see if you can earn even more money on your reading-related purchases.
Check the seller’s offer
Many regular cards have merchant supply for book retailers. Make sure to regularly check the offers on all your cards and add any that you think you might be able to use. Then, use a card with the offer and shop where you can earn back before the offer expires.
In addition, Amex often offers discounts when redeeming Amazon Membership Rewards Purchase.
We recommend using notes on your phone to keep track of which card offers are on, so you can easily refer to them when you’re ready to purchase.
bottom line
A reading habit can be an expensive habit. Make sure you’re using one of the best credit cards to buy books and accumulate your earnings with seller offers and shopping portals to get the most for your bookie coin.
Additional reporting by Laura Motta and Chris Dong.
