PC World Elite Mastercard vs SimplyCash™ Preferred Card from American Express: Which one is better?
PC World Elite Mastercard
3.1
SimplyCash™ Preferred Card from American Express
4.6
Rewards Breakdown
Annual Rewards
$266
PC Financial
First Year Bonus
$100
PC Financial
Annual Fee
$0
First Year Value
$366
$266 in years after
Based on $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.
Rewards Breakdown
Annual Rewards
$534.23
First Year Bonus
$200
Annual Fee
$119.88
First Year Value
$614.35
$414.35 in years after
Based on $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.
Insurance Included
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Car Rental Damage & Theft
Up to 31 days
Extended Warranty
Doubled up to a year
Purchase Protection
90 days
Emergency Out of province Medical
$1M, Up to 10 days
Insurance Included*
Car Rental Damage & Theft
$85K up to 48 daysExtended Warranty
1 yearPurchase Protection
90 daysEmergency Out of province Medical
$5M/insured Person
Lost or Stolen Baggage
$500
Baggage Delay
$500
Travel Accident
$100,000
Mobile Device Insurance
$1,000
Hotel Burglary Insurance
$500Flight Delay
$500
Extra Benefits
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Concierge Services
Identity Theft Assistance
Extra Benefits*
Amex Experiences™
Access events and special offers curated for Cardmembers with Amex Experiences™
Interest Rates
Purchase:
21.99%
Cash Advance:
22.97%
Interest Rates*
Purchase:
21.99%2
Cash Advance:
21.99%2
Annual Fee
$0
Annual Fee*
$119.88
Income Required
Min Personal Income:
$80,000
Min Household Income:
$150,000
Income Required*
Min Personal Income:
N/A
Min Household Income:
N/A
Welcome Bonus
100,000 PC after approval of the application
Welcome Bonus*
Earn a bonus 10% cash back on all purchases for your first 3 months (up to $2,000 in purchases). Plus, earn a $50 statement credit when you make a purchase in month 13. This could add up to $250 in bonus value in your first 13 months.
Rewards Rate
- 45 points per $1 dollar spent at Shoppers Drug Mart® stores
- 30 points per $1 dollar spent at Atlantic Superstore, Extra Foods, Fortinos, Loblaws, Maxi, Maxi & cie, no frills, Provigo, Real Canadian Superstore, SaveEasy, SuperValu, valu-mart, Your Independent Grocer, Zehrs
- 20 points per $1 spent in PC travel
- 19 points per $1 dollar spent at ESSO and Mobil (it's 30 points per liter and the assumption of average gas price of $1.6 was made)
- 10 points per $1 dollar spent for everything else
Rewards Rate*
- 4% cash back on eligible gas station purchases in Canada
- 4% cash back on eligible grocery purchases in Canada (up to $1,200 cash back annually)
- 2% cash back on all other eligible purchases
Loyalty Program
Loyalty Program*
N/A
Point Redemption Options
Groceries
0.1¢ / point.svg)
Gas (Esso)
0.1¢ / point
Point Redemption Options*
Not Applicable
Is this card worth it?
This is a great card to have in your arsenal if you frequently shop at Shoppers Drug Mart®, Loblaw's owned chains, and ESSO and Mobil gas stations, as you will earn significant rewards in these categories. The additional benefits, such as out-of-province medical insurance, car rental damage insurance, and concierge service, are impressive and typically only come with cards that have annual fees; however, you can access these benefits for free with this card. We do not recommend using this as your primary credit card but as a supplement to another primary card, especially because there are no fees. This is because the rewards on purchases outside the mentioned shops are very average, and many other cards offer much more substantial rewards for general use.
Is this card worth it?
The Simply Cash Preferred is one of the best cashback credit cards in Canada. The base cashback rate of 2% is great for all purchases, but the 4% on groceries and gas, which are two of the highest expenses for most people is the cherry on top of their great cashback program.
Pros
- Out-of-province medical insurance, concierge service, and car rental damage insurance—benefits that are usually included with cards that have fees—are included with this card.
- Decent rewards on purchases at Shoppers Drug Mart®, Loblaw's owned chains, and ESSO and Mobil gas stations.
Pros
- Highest cashback rate on groceries and gas in Canada
- Great base cashback rate for all purchases
- 10 different insurance types included
Cons
- Many other high-spend categories don't earn as many rewards. Shopping at any other grocery chains, gas stations, or pharmacies will only give the base reward rate, and restaurant purchases and purchases in other categories don't earn much either.
Cons
- Cash back is only paid out to you once a year
- American Express has a lower merchant acceptance compared to Visa or Mastercard
Other Comparisons
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Other Comparisons
Other Comparisons
vs American Express Cobalt® Card
vs Rogers Red Mastercard®
vs Rogers Red World Elite® Mastercard®
vs American Express Gold Rewards Card®
vs RBC ION+ Visa
vs Simplii Financial™ Cash Back Visa* Card
vs American Express® Green Card
vs Amazon.ca Rewards Mastercard®
vs Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card
vs BMO CashBack® World Elite® Mastercard®
vs CIBC Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card
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vs American Express® Aeroplan®* Card
vs SimplyCash® Card from American Express
vs American Express Platinum Card®
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