Scotiabank, Canada’s third-largest bank, offers many credit cards from the three main players – Visa, Mastercard, and American Express.
Whether you are looking for the best cash back credit cards, travel rewards cards, no-annual-fee cards, or business credit cards, you can find a Scotiabank credit card that suits your needs.
Read on to see what I have on my list of the best Scotiabank credit cards in Canada.
Best Scotiabank Credit Cards in Canada 2023
1. Scotiabank Gold American Express
The Scotiabank Gold Amex has earned its place among the best travel rewards cards in the country. It offers the following:
- 20,000 bonus Scene+ points ($200 value) when you spend $1,000 in the first 3 months
- Extra 20,000 Scene+ point bonus when you spend at least $7,500 in the first year, for a total of $450 in rewards for year one
- Earn 5 Scene+ points on every $1 you spend on groceries, dining, and entertainment
- Earn 3 points for every $1 you spend on gas, daily transit, and streaming services
- No foreign transaction fees (i.e. the 2.5% fee is waived on foreign currency purchases)
- Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
- 35% discount on Priority Pass membership with VIP lounge access
- Enjoy comprehensive travel insurance with seven different coverages, including travel medical emergency, trip cancellation/trip interruption, flight delay, travel accident, rental car collision loss/damage, hotel/burglary, delayed and lost baggage insurance
- Purchase security and extended warranty
- Complimentary concierge services
The Scotiabank Gold AMEX has a $120 annual price tag. Its bonus offer, 5% rewards rate on groceries, entertainment, and dining, and comprehensive travel insurance easily cover its cost.
If you prefer a travel rewards card with no annual fees, check out the Scotiabank American Express card.
2. Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite
The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite has two main highlights: it is an excellent travel rewards card and one of only a few credit cards in Canada with no foreign transaction fees.
This card is easily one of the best Scotiabank credit cards in Canada with these features:
- Get 25,000 bonus Scene+ points ($250 value) after spending $1,000 in the first three months
- No foreign transaction fees (2.5% savings)
- Earn 2 points on every $1 you spend on grocery, dining, transit, and entertainment purchases
- Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Priority Pass membership and complimentary airport lounge access with 6 free visits per year (worth $379 per year)
- Comprehensive travel insurance with coverage for travel emergency medical, trip cancellation/trip interruption, flight delay, travel accident, rental car collision loss/damage, hotel/motel burglary, delayed and lost baggage insurance
- Purchase security, price protection, and extended warranty
The Scotiabank Passport Visa infinite card offers up to $350 in bonus rewards – 25,000 points when you spend your first $1,000 and an additional 10,000 points if your annual spending is up to $40,000.
Add in the zero-FX markups, the approximately $379 benefit in Priority Pass membership/lounge access, plus the wide variety of insurance coverage, and this card stands out even with its $139 annual fee.
Learn more in this full review.
3. Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card
The Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite is one of the top cash back credit cards in Canada and is great for saving on grocery and gas purchases.
- Earn 10% cash back on all purchases for the first 3 months (up to $2,000 in total purchases – $200 value)
- Earn a standard 4% cash back on your grocery purchases and recurring bill payments
- $0 annual fee in year one (waived) and $120 in subsequent years
- Earn 2% cash back on gas and daily transit purchases
- Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases
- Comprehensive travel insurance consisting of travel emergency medical, trip interruption, flight delay, rental car collision loss/damage, travel accident, delayed and lost baggage insurance
- Mobile device insurance (smartphones and tablets) for up to $1,000
- Up to 25% discount at participating AVIS and Budget locations in Canada and the U.S.
- Purchase security and extended warranty
- Visa Infinite concierge service
The first-year fee waiver on the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite card is worth $120. Add in the base 2-4% rewards earning rate, and you have yourself a winner!
I like that this card offers ‘real’ cash back that you can spend as you wish, and you can learn more about its features in this review.
For no-fee cash back card options, you can check out the Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card (up to 2% unlimited cash back).
4. Scotiabank Value Visa
This card is Scotiabank’s low-interest rate card that works well for consolidating credit card debt at a lower interest rate.
- 0.00% interest rate on cash advances and balance transfers (first 6 months) and 12.99% after
- $29 annual fee
Compared to the going rate of up to 29.99% on cash advances and 19.99% on your credit card balance, the promotional 0.00% offered by the Scotiabank Value Visa for 6 months can save you a lot in interest fees.
To make the most use of the card, plan to pay off your balance within the 6 months promo period.
5. Scotiabank Scene+ Visa Card
The Scene+ Visa card is one of the best credit cards for individuals or students who are just starting to build a credit score. It is also a great card if you want to earn points for free movie tickets at Cineplex theatres.
- Earn 5,000 bonus Scene+ points (4 free movies) after you spend $750 or more in the first 3 months
- Earn 1 Scene+ point per $1 spent
- Earn 5 Scene+ points per $1 spent at Cineplex
- Get up to 25% discount at AVIS and Budget locations in Canada and the U.S.
- $0 annual fee
The Scotia SCENE Visa card is a decent startup card when you want to build a credit score as you do not need a credit history to qualify for it.
Easily redeem your rewards points for movies, food, shopping, travel, and more.
6. Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card
The Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card is an excellent choice if you want a premium credit card that offers exclusive AMEX benefits and earns decent rewards. This card is also one of the best travel rewards cards in Canada.
Its top features include:
- Earn up to 60,000 bonus points in the first year, including 50,000 points when you spend at least $3,000 in the first 3 months, and an extra 10,000 points when you spend $10,000 in your first 14 months.
- Earn 2x Scene+ points for every $1 spent on all purchases.
- When you spend abroad, save on foreign transaction fees since this card waives the 2.5% FX fee, and only the exchange rate applies.
- Access to comprehensive travel insurance benefits, including travel emergency medical, trip cancellation, flight delay, rental car, travel accident, hotel burglary, and delayed/lost baggage insurance.
- Enjoy 10 complimentary airport lounge access with Priority Pass and Plaza Premium lounges at over 1200 VIP lounges worldwide.
- Easily redeem points for travel, merchandise, gift cards, shopping, or to pay off your credit card balance.
- Exclusive American Express Invites and Hertz #1 Gold Club membership.
This card also works as a low-interest credit card with a 9.99% interest rate on purchases and cash advances.
For these perks, you pay $399 annually.
7. Scotia Momentum Mastercard
The Scotia Momentum Mastercard is a no-annual-fee card that offers a 7.99% promotional rate for six months (20.99% after) and gives you access to more merchants worldwide who accept Mastercard, including Costco.
This card also offers:
- 1% cash back on gas, grocery and pharmacy purchases, plus on recurring bill payments
- 0.50% cash back on all other purchases
- $0 annual fee
This card works well as an entry-level credit card, and it is worth noting that it does not offer insurance coverage.
An alternative to the Scotia Momentum Mastercard is the no-annual-fee Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card.
8. Scotiabank American Express Card
The entry-level Scotiabank American Express Card is good for racking up Scene+ points while paying no annual fees.
You earn 3x Scene+ points per $1 spent at specific grocery retailers like Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo, and Foodland. 2x Scene+ points are earned per $1 spent on eating out, entertainment, gas, daily transit, and streaming services, and 1 point per $1 for all other eligible purchases.
This card also offers the following:
- Mobile device insurance
- Up to 25% discount on car rentals at AVIS and Budget locations in Canada and the U.S.
- Purchase protection and extended warranty insurance
- 19.99% interest rate on purchases and 22.99% on cash advances and balance transfers
New cardholders earn 7,000 bonus points after spending at least $750 in the first 3 months and ad extra 5,000 points if they spend at least $5,000 in the first year.
Methodology:
The Savvy New Canadians team assesses the best credit cards based on their annual fees, interest rates, welcome bonuses, rewards, top features, categories, insurance coverage, and other perks. We carefully evaluate each credit card and place more weight on the value of the long-term rewards it offers. Only credit cards we would personally use are recommended. While these credit cards are some of the best on the market, but may not be right for you. Visit the credit card issuer’s website using the links to confirm each product’s terms and conditions before applying.
How To Apply for a Scotiabank Credit Card
To apply for a new Scotiabank credit card, you must be the age of the majority in your province or territory and have no bankruptcy in the last 7 years.
You may also need to have a minimum personal income. For example, you need a minimum income of $12,000 annually to qualify for the Scotiabank American Express Card.
Lastly, you will need a good to excellent credit score.
Click on any of the links above to be taken to Scotiabank’s website, where you can submit your credit card application.
Frequently Asked Questions
The easiest Scotiabank credit cards to get are the Scotiabank Scene+ Visa and Scotiabank American Express Card. Both cards only require a $12,000 annual income to qualify.
The overall best Scotiabank credit card is the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card. It offers high earning rates of up to 5% on groceries and gas and waives FX fees when you spend abroad. This card also comes with comprehensive travel insurance benefits and a discounted Priority Pass membership.
You need a good credit score of 660 or higher to qualify for most Scotiabank cards.
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