Amazon and Target are each hosting big sale events at the same time this year: Target Circle Deal Days and Amazon Prime Day are both running June 23–26. Each of these memberships is helpful — or, in some cases, mandatory — to take advantage of these upcoming deals. Here’s what you need to know about Amazon Prime vs. Target Circle 360.
Amazon Prime vs. Target Circle 360
Membership benefits
Prime benefits
To take advantage of Prime Day, you must have an Amazon Prime membership. You’ll also get perks like:
- Same-day, one-day and two-day delivery on millions of products
- Unlimited Prime Video streaming
- Exclusive deals on thousands of items
- Free same-day delivery on grocery orders of $25 or more in select areas
- Exclusive savings at Whole Foods
- 10 cents off per gallon on fuel at 7,500+ participating locations
- Free Grubhub+ membership
- Save on prescriptions at 60,000 pharmacies (Walgreens, CVS and Amazon Pharmacy, for example)
Target Circle 360 benefits
Target Circle 360 comes with all the benefits of a free Target Circle membership, including access to automatic deals, a 5% off birthday gift and access to Target Circle Deal Days. You’ll also get:
- Same-day delivery from Target and other local stores
- No same-day delivery price markups across the Shipt network
- Early and exclusive access to deals and experiences
- Freebies on the first of the month
- Free two-day shipping
- No-rush returns
Membership cost
Amazon Prime and Target Circle 360 aren’t free. But if you use them with regularity, they can effectively pay for themselves.
Amazon Prime costs $139 per year ($14.99 per month) for most customers. You can take advantage of a variety of discounts, including:
- A Prime membership for free for 30 days
- A $6.99 discounted membership through Prime Access, available for eligible government assistance recipients or income-verified customers (along with a 30-day free trial)
- A $7.49 discounted membership through Prime for Young Adults (along with a six-month free trial)
Target Circle 360, on the other hand, normally costs $99 annually ($10.99 monthly). But you can get:
- A 14-day free trial
- A limited-time $49 per year membership when you sign up now through June 26
- A 50% discount as a Target Circle Card holder, teacher, college student, military member or government-assisted recipient
Which membership should you sign up for?
The best membership for you depends entirely on your shopping habits. If you’re not a frequent online shopper, you may not be interested in either; if the lion’s share of your shopping is done online, you may consider both.
Who should choose Amazon Prime?
You don’t have to be an Amazon power user to get a lot of value from Amazon Prime. Those who make even a couple Amazon-fulfilled purchases each month can save big on shipping (though purchases over $35 receive free shipping, anyway). And if Whole Foods is your go-to grocery store, you can potentially save money with exclusive Whole Foods discounts.
As outlined above, Amazon Prime membership comes with much more than just free, speedy shipping. You’ll get access to Prime Video streaming, discounts at eligible gas stations and free or cheap subscriptions to services like Amazon Music, Amazon Photos and Grubhub+.
Who should choose Target Circle 360?
Again, Target Circle 360 includes all the benefits of the free Target Circle membership. The differentiator is in its shipping perks — like unlimited same-day delivery, free two-day shipping and extended returns. Those who shop primarily in-store will find little reason to upgrade from a Target Circle membership. However, you can get most of these benefits for free with one of the best credit cards for shopping at Target (we’ll cover that shortly).
Still, if you prefer to do your shopping online, Target Circle 360 can make perfect sense. The program’s crown jewel is its unlimited same-day delivery on orders of $35 or more. These deliveries otherwise each come with a $9.99 fee. Orders arrive in as little as an hour, which is a huge perk for those who do their grocery shopping online — or anyone who simply needs an item in a hurry.
Similar to Amazon’s policy, Target offers free two-day shipping on orders of $35 or more. Target Circle 360 eliminates the minimum spend requirement to receive free two-day shipping, which can also come in handy now and then.
Save even more with these credit cards
Both Amazon and Target come with credit cards that can work with these memberships to save you even more.
Prime Visa
The no-annual-fee Prime Visa (see rates and fees) is the single best way to supercharge your Amazon shopping game. Although it’s a no-annual-fee cash-back credit card, it’s only available to those who have an Amazon Prime membership — which costs $139 per year.
You can snag a $200 Amazon gift card ahead of Prime Day 2026 immediately when your card application is approved. The card also offers absurdly high (uncapped) returns for many common expenses. Here’s what you’ll get:
- 5% back at Amazon.com
- 5% back at Audible.com
- 5% back at Whole Foods Market
- 5% back on Chase Travel℠ purchases
- 2% back at gas stations
- 2% back at restaurants
- 2% back on local transit and commuting (including rideshare)
- 1% back on all other eligible purchases
Plus, the card earns 10% back (or more) on a rotating selection of items and categories on Amazon.com.
The Prime Visa is only available to Amazon Prime members ($139 for an annual membership and $14.99 for a monthly membership) but is very rewarding for Amazon purchases.
- High rate of return at Amazon.com, Whole Foods Market and on Chase Travel purchases
- Offers an automatic gift card welcome bonus after card approval
- Option to earn rewards or take advantage of 0% promo APRs
- Includes a wealth of travel insurance protections
- Requires an Amazon Prime membership for approval
- If you choose the promo APR, you won’t earn rewards on those purchases
- Rewards can’t be pooled with other Chase credit cards
Rewards
- Earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership
- Unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare)
- 10% back or more on a rotating selection of items and categories on Amazon.com with an eligible Prime membership
- Unlimited 1% back on all other purchases
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 4% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
For those without a Prime membership, Chase also issues the no-annual-fee Amazon Visa. Its benefits are similar to the Prime Visa, but with a little less octane (for example, 3% back on Amazon, Whole Foods and Chase Travel℠ purchases instead of the 5% back offered by the Prime Visa). Which Amazon credit card is right for you depends on whether you think Amazon Prime is a worthwhile investment for your spending habits.
The Amazon Visa is a good option if you want to maximize your return on Amazon purchases without committing to an expensive Prime membership.
- Doesn’t require an Amazon Prime membership
- No annual fee
Target Circle Card
The Target Circle™ Card comes with a less-modest welcome bonus of $100 after you’re approved, and it offers far fewer bonus categories compared to the Prime Visa. You’ll get:
- Unlimited 5% off at Target, both in-store and online (including in-store Starbucks)
When you apply, you’ll also be considered for a Target Mastercard (based on your creditworthiness), which earns the 5% discount and 2% back on dining and gas purchases (plus 1% back everywhere else). The 5% discount is automatically applied to your total purchase cost at checkout, but the 1% and 2% rewards earned with the Target Mastercard can only be redeemed for Target gift cards.
The Target Circle Card also comes with other goodies, like 50% off your Target Circle 360 membership, an extra 30 days to return your items and free two-day shipping.
You’ll notice that the card confers a couple of the key benefits of Target Circle 360 — with the exception of unlimited free same-day delivery.
Target Circle™ Card
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Rewards
5% discount at checkout on most purchases in-store and at Target.com
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Welcome bonus
Save $50 on a future qualifying purchase of $50 or more when approved for a Target Circle™ Credit or Debit Card.
-
Annual fee
-
Intro APR
-
Regular APR
-
Balance transfer fee
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Foreign transaction fee
Pros
- No annual fee
- Instant 5% discount at checkout
- Free two-day shipping on most items
- Extra 30 days for returns
Cons
- High variable APR
- Small intro bonus offer
General rewards cards
If you’re not keen on applying for a co-branded credit card, a flat-rate cash-back card or a rewards card may be more helpful.
You won’t get any Amazon Prime or Target Circle 360 perks, but the Citi Double Cash® Card earns up to 2% cash back on every purchase: 1% when you buy and 1% when you pay off your purchase. Or, if you’re partial to Wells Fargo, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card earns 2% cash rewards no matter where you spend.
What makes the Citi Double Cash® Card special is that it sits near the top of its class in several categories. It is an excellent option if you want flat-rate rewards, a balance transfer intro-APR or no annual fee.
- Balance transfers get a long intro APR
- Generous flat-rate cash-back rewards structure
- Earns transferable rewards
- No annual fee
- It has a foreign transaction fee
- Intro APR only applies to balance transfer
- Points transfer ratios are reduced compared to premium cards
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
- Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked with Citi Travel.
- Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 17.49% – 27.49%, based on your creditworthiness.
- Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
- If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
- There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
Balance transfer fee
There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. A balance transfer fee of 5% of each transfer ($5 minimum) applies if completed after 4 months of account opening.
Foreign transaction fee
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is great if you want simplicity thanks to its flat-rate 2% unlimited cash rewards on purchases and $0 annual fee.
- High flat-rate return on purchases
- Intro-APR for purchases and qualifying balance transfers for a year
- No annual fee
- Cell phone protection
- Has a foreign transaction fee
- Limited redemption options unless you pair it with a Wells Fargo card that allows point transfers
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Apply Now to take advantage of this offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
- Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
- 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. 18.49%, 24.49%, or 28.49% variable APR thereafter; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a BT fee of up to 5%, min: $5.
- $0 annual fee.
- No categories to track or remember and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
- Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
- Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
Balance Transfer Fee
3% intro for 120 days from account opening, then up to 5%, min: $5
Foreign Transaction Fee
If you do most of your shopping online, a card like the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express earns 3% cash back on your U.S. online retail purchases (on up to $6,000 in spending per year, then 1%) — including Amazon and online Target purchases. Even better, the Reward Dollars this card earns can be used at checkout at Amazon.com.
The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express has no annual fee and bonus rewards on a wide range of common expenditures. On top of that, you also have access to an intro-APR offer for purchases and balance transfers. So this card can help you save in a variety of ways.
- Up to $264 in streaming service and meal kit credits every year (subject to auto renewal)
- High cash-back rates in popular spending categories
- No annual fee
- The best bonus cash-back categories are capped
- Has a foreign transaction fee
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Apply and find out your welcome offer. As High As $200 cash back* after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply, and if approved: 1. Find out your offer amount 2. Accept the Card with your offer 3. Spend $2,000 in 6 months 4. Receive the cash back. *Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed for a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
- No Annual Fee.
- Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months from the date of account opening. After that, your APR will be a variable APR of 19.49%-28.49%.
- Plan It®: Buy now, pay later with Plan It. Split purchases of $100 or more into equal monthly installments with a fixed fee so you don’t have the pressure of paying all at once. Simply select the purchase in your online account or the American Express® App to see your plan options. Plus, you’ll still earn rewards on purchases the way you usually do.
- Earn 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets, 3% cash back on U.S. online retail purchases, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations, on eligible purchases for each category on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%). Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit and at Amazon.com checkout.
- Get up to a $7 monthly statement credit after using your enrolled Blue Cash Everyday® Card for a subscription purchase, including a bundle subscription purchase, at DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com, or Stream.ESPN.com U.S. websites. Subject to auto-renewal.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Foreign transaction fee
2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars
Amazon Prime vs. Target Circle 360 FAQs
Is Target Circle 360 worth it?
Target Circle 360 is worth it if you receive more value than the $99 annual membership fee. The primary benefit of Target Circle 360 is same-day delivery from Target and other local stores, as well as fast and inexpensive shipping. If you’d otherwise pay extra for those services, it could be a solid deal.
How do I get Target Circle 360 for free?
You can get Target Circle 360 for free by signing up for a 14-day free trial. In addition, Target has previously held promotions that give a year of Target Circle 360 to existing Target Circle members — so keep your eyes peeled.
How much is a one-year subscription to Amazon Prime?
A one-year subscription to Amazon Prime costs $139 for most customers. However, qualifying students and 18-to-24-year-olds can get a subscription for as little as $7.49 per month through Prime for Young Adults, and eligible government assistance recipients and income-verified customers pay just $6.99 per month through Prime Access.
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