RBC ION+ Visa vs PC World Elite Mastercard: Which one is better?
RBC ION+ Visa
3
PC World Elite Mastercard
3.1
Rewards Breakdown
Annual Rewards
$425.98
RBC ION Avion
First Year Bonus
$70
RBC ION Avion
Annual Fee
$48
First Year Value
$447.98
$377.98 in years after
Based on $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.
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.
Insurance Included
Extended Warranty
Up to a yearPurchase Protection
90 daysMobile Device Insurance
$1,000
Insurance Included
Extended Warranty
Doubled up to a yearPurchase Protection
90 daysCar Rental Damage & Theft
Up to 31 daysEmergency Out of province Medical
$1M, Up to 10 days
Extra Benefits
Gas Discount
save 3¢/L on fuel and always earn 20% more Petro-Points at Petro-CanadaExtra points
50 Be Well points for every $1 spent on eligible products at Rexall
Extra Benefits
Concierge Services
Identity Theft Assistance
Interest Rates
Purchase:
20.99%
Cash Advance:
22.99%
Interest Rates
Purchase:
21.99%
Cash Advance:
22.97%
Annual Fee
$48
Annual Fee
$0
Income Required
Min Personal Income:
N/A
Min Household Income:
N/A
Income Required
Min Personal Income:
$80,000
Min Household Income:
$150,000
Welcome Bonus
Get 12,000 Avion points upon approval
Welcome Bonus
100,000 PC after approval of the application
Rewards Rate
- 3 points for every dollar in Grocery, Dining, Food Delivery, Rides, Gas, Electric Vehicle Charging, Streaming, and Digital Gaming & Subscriptions Purchases
- 1 point for everything else
Rewards Rate
Loyalty Program
Loyalty Program
Point Redemption Options
Most Optimal
Transfer to WestJet
1¢ / pointFinancial Products
0.83¢ / pointGift Cards
0.72¢ / pointMerchandise
0.7¢ / pointTravel
0.6¢ / pointStatement Credits (Cash)
0.58¢ / point
Point Redemption Options
Groceries
0.1¢ / pointGas (Esso)
0.1¢ / point
Is this card worth it?
This card is not by any means one of our favorite cards. For an annual fee it offers almost no notable benefits, with many no annual fee credit cards offering much more. The points earned are fine, but given the inflexibility of ION Avion points, it's very hard to get good value for the points earned, and it's much easier to earn more and do the same with some other credit card reward programs.
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.
Pros
- Insurance coverage is very little for a card with annual fee. There are cards with no annual fee that offer even better benefits.
- Avion reward points are generally not very flexible and not as valuable if not used for WestJet travel; therefore, if that's not your plan, there are many better cards that can be used.
- The annual fee isn't justifiable based on the reward program this card offers.
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.
Cons
- Bonus saving of 3 cents per liter on gas at Petro-Canada stations.
- 12,000 avion points welcome bonus.
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.
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