Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card vs Scotia Momentum® Visa* Card: Which one is better?

Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card
4.9

Scotia Momentum® Visa* Card
3.1
Finly Rebate
Finly Rebate
Rewards Breakdown
Annual Rewards
$644.5
Scene+
First Year Bonus
$400
Scene+
Annual Fee
$120
First Year Value
$924.5
$524.5 in years after
Based on $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.
Rewards Breakdown
Annual Rewards
$315.05
First Year Bonus
$0
Annual Fee
$39
First Year Value
$276.05
Based on $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.
Insurance Included*
Extended Warranty
Up to 1 year
Purchase Protection
90 days
Lost or Stolen Baggage
$500/person, $1000/trip
Baggage Delay
$500/person, $1,000/trip After 4 hours
Car Rental Damage & Theft
$65K up to 48 days
Travel Accident
$500K/person, $1M/occurrence
Mobile Device Insurance
$1,000
Hotel Burglary Insurance
$1000/occurrence
Emergency Out of province Medical
$1M, Up to 25 days
Emergency Medical Over 65
$1M, Up to 3 days
Trip Cancellation
$1500/person, $10000/trip
Trip Interruption
$1500/person, $10,000/trip
Flight Delay
$500/person
Insurance Included
Extended Warranty
1 year
Purchase Protection
90 days
Extra Benefits*
No Foreign Transaction Fees
Avoid the 2.5% foreign transaction fees incurred when spending in non $CAD
Concierge Services
Discount
Discount on PriorityPass Membership
American Express® Experiences
Extra Benefits
Car Rental Discount
25% off base rate of Avis Rent A Car and Budget Rent A Car
Interest Rates*
Purchase:
20.99%
Cash Advance:
22.99%
Balance Transfer:
22.99%
Interest Rates
Purchase:
19.99%
Cash Advance:
22.99%
Balance Transfer:
2.99% introductory for 6 months, then 22.99%
Annual Fee*
$120
Annual Fee
$39
Income Required*
Min Personal Income:
$12,000
Min Household Income:
$12,000
Income Required
Min Personal Income:
N/A
Min Household Income:
N/A
Welcome Bonus*
Earn 20,000 bonus Scene+ points by making at least $2,000 in everyday eligible purchases in your first 3 months. Plus, for a limited time, you are eligible to earn a 20,000 Scene+ point bonus when you spend at least $7,500 in everyday eligible purchases in your first year.
Welcome Bonus
Get a 2.99% introductory interest rate on balance transfers for the first 6 months (22.99% after that; annual fee $39)
Rewards Rate*
- Earn 6x Scene+ points on every $1 you spend at Sobeys, Safeway, Freshco, Foodland and more
- Earn 5x Scene+ points for every $1 you spend on dining, food delivery and other eligible grocery stores. Includes popular food delivery and food subscriptions.
- Earn 5x Scene+ points for every $1 you spend in Canada eligible entertainment purposes. Includes movies, theatre and ticket agencies stores.
- Earn 3x Scene+ points for every $1 CAD you spend in Canada on eligible gas and daily transit options. Includes rideshares, buses, subway, taxis and more
- Earn 3x Scene+ points for every $1 CAD you spend in Canada on eligible select streaming services
- Plus earn 1 Scene+ point for every $1 spent on all other eligible everyday purchases
- Earn additional benefits + up to 4x Scene+ points for every dollar you spend on hotel bookings, car rentals, and things to do with Scene+ Travel, Powered by Expedia
Rewards Rate
- 2% cashback on gas, groceries, drug store and recurring payments (maximum $500 annually)
- 1% cashback on all other credit card purchases.
Loyalty Program*
Loyalty Program
N/A
Point Redemption Options*
Entertainment
1¢ / point
Travel
1¢ / point
Groceries (Sobeys)
1¢ / point
Restaurants
1¢ / point
Merchandise
0.76¢ / point
Gift Cards
0.74¢ / point
Statement Credits (Cash)
0.7¢ / point
Point Redemption Options
Not Applicable
Is this card worth it?
The Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card is one of our favorite cards. It has a very solid rewards program, earning one of the highest rewards among all credit cards in Canada. In addition, it offers comprehensive travel benefits, including the rare and valuable no foreign transaction fee benefit, making it a great and balanced credit card in terms of both rewards and benefits. The first-year annual fee waiver is the cherry on top, providing even greater value to cardholders.
Is this card worth it?
The Scotiabank Momentum Visa is a low annual fee cash back card that offers impressive earn rates on a variety of everyday spending categories, making it an excellent choice for those who want to maximize rewards without the higher cost of its Visa Infinite counterpart.
Pros
- No foreign transaction fee saves you 2.5% on all non-CAD purchases.
- Rewards cover all high-spending categories, including food, groceries, entertainment, and gas.
- Comprehensive coverage of all travel insurance.
Pros
- Cash Back Rewards: Earn up to 2% cash back on purchases.
- Low Balance Transfer Rate: Benefit from a 2.99% rate on balance transfers for the first 6 months.
- No Welcome Bonus: No initial sign-up bonus, keeping things straightforward.
Cons
- The card network is American Express, which might not be widely accepted in some countries, making it a bit harder to use the no foreign transaction fee benefit.
- Having a lounge pass would have made this card even more perfect, but there is access to a discount code for lounge access pass purchases.
Cons
- Limited Insurance Coverage: Only basic insurance is included.
- Annual Rewards Payout: Cash back rewards are paid out once a year as a statement credit.


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