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Simplii Financial™ Cash Back Visa* Card vs American Express Platinum Card®: Which one is better?
Simplii Financial™ Cash Back Visa* Card
4.4
American Express Platinum Card®
4.5
Finly Rebate
Finly Rebate
N/A
Rewards Breakdown
Annual Rewards
$346.79
First Year Bonus Value
$84.95
Annual Fee
$0
First Year Value
$431.74
$346.79 in years after
Based on $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.
Rewards Breakdown
Annual Rewards
$581.26
American Express Membership Rewards
First Year Bonus Value
$0
American Express Membership Rewards
Annual Fee
$799
First Year Value
-$217.74
Based on $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.
Insurance Included*
Extended Warranty
Up to 1 year
Purchase Protection
Up to 90 days
Insurance Included*
Extended Warranty
1 yearPurchase Protection
120 days
Lost or Stolen Baggage
$1,000
Baggage Delay
$1,000.svg)
Car Rental Damage & Theft
Yes
Travel Accident
$500,000
Hotel Burglary Insurance
$1000
Emergency Out of province Medical
15 days
Trip Cancellation
$2,500
Trip Interruption
$2,500Flight Delay
$1,000
Extra Benefits*
N/A
Extra Benefits*
Trip and legal Assistance
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Concierge Services
American Express® Experiences
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Status lift
Upgrade to Hilton Honors Gold StatusStatus lift
Upgrade to Marriott BonvoyTM Gold Elite status
Extra points
Earn 2 points on Amex Travel Online purchases and extra points on American Express offers.svg)
Travel Credit
$200
Dining Credit
$200 at Select Restaurants
Nexus Program Rebate
$100 statement credit every 4 years
Airport Lounge - American Express Global Lounge
Take full advantage of The American Express Global Lounge Collection™ which unlocks access to over 1,400 airport lounges worldwide. This includes The Centurion® Lounge network, Plaza Premium Lounges, and hundreds of other domestic and international lounges designed to enhance your travel experience.
Complimentary Hotel Benefits
Hotels booked American Express Travel
Priority Travel
At Toronto Pearson Airport get Priority Security lane, Complimentary valet and 15% discount at the Express Park and daily park
Interest Rates*
Purchase:
20.99%1
Cash Advance:
22.99%1
Balance Transfer:
22.99%1
Interest Rates*
Purchase:
21.99% - 30%2
Cash Advance:
N/A2
Annual Fee*
$0
Annual Fee*
$799
Income Required*
Min Personal Income:
$15,000
Min Household Income:
$15,000
Income Required*
Min Personal Income:
N/A
Min Household Income:
N/A
Welcome Bonus*
Earn up to 10% cash back† for your first 3 months up to $1,000 eligible spend.
Welcome Bonus*
New Platinum® Cardmembers, earn 70,000 Welcome Bonus points after you charge $10,000 in net purchases to your Card in your first 3 months of Cardmembership. Plus, earn 30,000 points when you make a purchase between 14 and 17 months of Cardmembership.
Rewards Rate*
- 4% cash back on eligible restaurant, bar, and coffee shop purchases up to $5,000 spent per year†
- 1.5% cash back on gas, groceries, drugstore, and pre-authorized payments up to $15,000 spent per year†
- 0.5% cashback on all other purchases†
Rewards Rate*
- 2x points per $1 spent on eligible dining & food delivery purchases (restaurant, fast food, coffee shop, food delivery)
- 2x points per $1 spent on eligible travel purchases (flights, hotels, tours and more)
- 1x point per $1 spent for all other purchases
Loyalty Program*
N/A
Loyalty Program*
Point Redemption Options*
Not Applicable
Point Redemption Options*
Most Optimal
Transfer to Airline Partners
2.1¢ / point
Fixed Point Travel Program
1.66¢ / pointTransfer to Hotel Partners
1.66¢ / point
Statement Credits (Cash)
1¢ / point
Gift Cards
0.765¢ / point
Amazon.ca
0.7¢ / point
Merchandise
0.63¢ / point
Is this card worth it?
If you dine out a lot and don't want to pay an annual fee for your credit card, the Simplii Financial™ Cash Back Visa* Card will undoubtedly be one of your best friends with its 4% cashback. Additionally, the card offers a decent cashback rate (1.5%) for gas, pharmacy, and groceries, making it one of the best no-annual-fee cashback credit cards in Canada. However, there are limits on how much you can earn in these categories. Therefore, you need to be careful not to exceed those limits; otherwise, your cashback rate will drop to 0.5% after those spending limits are reached.
Is this card worth it?
If you're a frequent traveler, the Platinum card is an excellent choice. It's highly recommended for its extensive travel benefits, including unlimited lounge access for you and a guest at the American Express Lounge collection, making it the best card for lounge access in Canada. The card also offers unique perks not commonly found with other Canadian cards, such as status upgrades at Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton, dining and travel credits, concierge service, airport benefits, Nexus application reimbursement, and more. These benefits can more than offset the annual fee. However, if you don't travel often or are mainly looking for a card that maximizes rewards, this card may not be the best option for you.
Pros
- Highest cashback rate on restaurant purchases in Canada!
- Decent cashback rate on high spent categories such as groceries and gas.
- No annual fee for a card with great rewards.
Pros
- Offers more perks than any other credit card in Canada, catering to premium users who value extensive benefits.
- Enjoy $400 in annual travel and dining credits, which can offset some of the card's cost.
- Gain unlimited access to over 1,400 airport lounges worldwide, enhancing your travel experience.
- Multiple options for redeeming points for high value, giving you flexibility in how you use your rewards.
- Includes 11 types of insurance coverage, offering comprehensive protection for cardholders.
Cons
- No insurance and benefits other than the standard purchase protection and extended warranty.
- Cap on the rewards that can be earned on each category.
Cons
- As with other American Express cards, it may have lower acceptance in some locations compared to other networks.
- The high annual fee of $799 may be a barrier for some users, especially those who do not fully utilize the card's benefits.
- Some benefits are limited to specific airports and hotels.
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Legal
*This offer is not available for residents of Quebec. Check here for full details and current product information.
**Terms and conditions apply.
This Charge Card requires full payment of the Due in Full balance each month, with a 30% interest rate on late payments. The Flexible Payment Option balance has a 21.99% interest rate, which increases to 25.99% after two missed payments and 28.99% after three or more within 12 months. A 21-day interest-free grace period applies to new transactions if the full balance is paid by the due date.
American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, (I/we) may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment. Check here for full details and current product information.
1 “Purchase” means any Transaction other than a Cash Advance, Balance Transfer or Convenience Cheque. “Cash” means a Cash Advance, Balance Transfer and Convenience Cheque. Interest rates may change from time to time.
2 This Charge Card requires full payment of the Due in Full balance each month, with a 30% interest rate on late payments. The Flexible Payment Option balance has a 21.99% interest rate, which increases to 25.99% after two missed payments and 28.99% after three or more within 12 months. A 21-day interest-free grace period applies to new transactions if the full balance is paid by the due date.