Working hard in the background...
ATB Financial vs Manulife Bank of Canada
A side-by-side comparison of ratings, customer experience, products, fees, and pros & cons to help you choose the right bank.
VS
ATB Financial edges ahead on our overall rating (4.0 vs 3.8), but the right pick depends on which products and fees matter most to you.
Overview
ATB Financial is a provincially-owned bank with $110 billion in assets under management. What started as a small treasury branch has transformed into what ATB Financial calls “the largest financial institution headquartered in Western Canada.” Its operations are mainly in Alberta, though in 2023, ATB Wealth, its full-service brokerage, first expanded outside of the province. As of 2026, the wealth management arm has locations in both British Columbia and Saskatchewan.
With a range of financial services, ATB offers its customers access to chequing and savings accounts as well as credit cards, mortgages, business banking and wealth management. Its savings rates are more competitive than the biggest banks in Canada, offering slightly better returns on savings. It still trails the digital banks, though.
The institution also has several credit cards available to Alberta residents. Each of the cards has different perks, including cashback or rewards, though eligibility restrictions and constraints on rewards means their credit card offering lacks in comparison to the larger banks.
ATB also has a range of lending products as well as business banking and access to investment services through ATB Wealth and ATB Cormark Capital Markets. The bank offers more depth than many smaller regional institutions. And more than the digital banks. Its Alberta focus, however, makes it less convenient for Canadians who live outside of the province. For anyone inside its core market, ATB may be a strong full-service alternative.
Manulife Bank is “Canada's first branchless bank,” with its parent company well-known among Canadians. The digital bank has $33.5 billion in assets and is ranked by Forbes as number seven in Canada on its list of the World’s Best Banks 2026. It also has Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation (CDIC) coverage on deposits.
Offering a much narrower lineup versus the biggest banks in Canada, Manulife Bank has one main bank account, which acts as a hybrid between chequing and savings. It also has Visa-branded credit cards, though does not offer Mastercard or American Express. The bank’s lineup is complete with mortgages and lines of credit, but its ongoing, non-promotional borrowing rates are less competitive, especially compared to offers available through digital banks.
One of the standout features of Manulife Bank is its integration with Manulife Financial, which allows customers access to insurance and wealth management services alongside daily banking. For those who already use Manulife products, it can provide a simple way to manage everyday banking with other financial needs.
Overall rating
4.0
3.8
Customer experience
3.3
3.2
Best for
ATB Financial works best for Albertans who want a full-service banking relationship within a regional institution.
Manulife Bank is ideal for Canadians who want digital banking from an established financial institution. Is it particularly attractive to those who already use Manulife for insurance, wealth management, or borrowing.
Pros & cons
Pros
Strong regional presence in Albera with more than 300 locations across the province
ATB Wealth expansion into areas outside of Alberta
Full-service product lineup including banking, lending, wealth management and capital markets
Competitive product lineup with unlimited banking and a no-fee digital account
Some savings accounts offer better rates than traditional Big Five savings accounts
More competitive loan and lending rates than the major banks
Cons
Primarily services Alberta so it is less convenient for those outside the province
Savings rate are still modest in comparison to digital high-interest savings accounts
Smaller credit card lineup compared to the major banks
Rewards program points are slightly less valuable than those from the bigger banks
Public customer reviews are mixed with complaints about service quality
Pros
Schedule I federally chartered bank with backing from The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company
Integration with Manulife Financials’ broader offering
CDIC insurance coverage on eligible deposits
Access to over 2,600 surcharge-free ATMs in Canada through Manulife Bank or The Exchange Network
Hybrid banking, which combines interest with everyday banking features
Cons
No physical branch locations
Less banking options compared to the Big Six Canadian banks
Mixed customer reviews
Business banking is not a complete offering
Rewards ecosystem is less competitive
Regular savings rates are not market-leading
Top chequing accounts
OPEN ACCOUNT
on ATB's website
Welcome Bonus
N/A
Monthly Fee
$0
Account Type
Chequing • Personal
- No monthly fee with line of credit approval
- Line of credit for the amount of $5,000 to $50,0001
- Unlimited digital transactions (in-branch transactions cost an additional $5 each)
- No cost Interac e-Transfers
- No minimum balance requirement
- Reimbursement of up to $4.50 for an ABM withdrawal outside of Alberta but still in Canada (up to two withdrawals each month)
- Reimbursement of $8 for one monthly ABM withdrawal in the US2
Account Fees
Monthly Fee
$0
eStatement
Included
ATB Advantage Account
ATB Advantage Account
4 Our rating
OPEN ACCOUNT
on ATB's website
Welcome Bonus
Earn up to $900* for new customers
Monthly Fee
$24.95 (waivable)
Account Type
Chequing • Personal
- Select your banking package. By opening a chequing account with ATB Financial and a credit card, you can follow the steps to get up to $900*
- Fund your chequing account. Within 60 days, move your direct deposit to your new account and complete two eligible payments.*
- Activate your credit card. Complete a purchase on the card to receive your welcome bonus. Meet the spending goal and complete a credit card payment from your ATB chequing account within 60 days. Then, get your second bonus.*
- $24.95 per month with the monthly fee waivable if you meet a $6,000 daily balance requirement
- Unlimited no-cost Interac® e-Transfers
- No cost Alberta Lifestyle Cheques, bank drafts and stop payment service
- Receive a discount of as much as 2.5% on approved interest rates for personal lines of credit (minimum rate is Prime + 3%)2
- Reimbursement of up to $4.50 for an ABM withdrawal outside of Alberta but still in Canada (up to five withdrawals each month)
- Credit card fee waiver on premium credit cards1
- Save $12 on the annual fee of a safety deposit box
- Optional overdraft protection
Account Fees
Monthly Fee
$24.95
eStatement
Included
Manulife Bank of Canada has no chequing account listed.
Top savings account
ATB Climber Savings Account
ATB Climber Savings Account
2.55 Our rating
OPEN ACCOUNT
on ATB's website
Welcome Bonus
Earn total interest of up to 4.60%* for your first 90 days
Regular Interest
Up to 0.6%
Monthly Fee
$0
Eligible clients can get a total interest rate of 4.60%* during their first 90 days from a special bonus of 4.10%.
- Get a premium interest rate for each premium period in addition to the base interest rate
- No restrictions on withdrawals, though your premium period resets to day one. Any interest you already earned gets prorated and paid to you at month’s end.
- $1.50 per Interac e-Transfer
Manulife Advantage Account
Manulife Advantage Account
3.9 Our rating
OPEN ACCOUNT
on Manulife Bank's website
Welcome Bonus
Get an additional 1.5% in interest for new customers
Regular Interest
1.5%
Monthly Fee
$0
Earn an extra 1.5% on top of the regular 1.50% variable interest rate when you make a deposit your new Advantage Account*
* 3.00% promotional rate is for new deposits to a new personal, non-registered, Canadian-dollar Advantage Account. The promotional interest rate is made up of the regular posted annual variable interest rate of 1.50% and the variable annual promotional rate of 1.50%. Interest is calculated daily and paid monthly beginning on the date the account is opened and continuing 730 days (2 years) on net new deposits to a maximum of $500,000. Any change to the regular interest rate will result in a corresponding change to the promotional interest rate. The offer is limited to one account per client and cannot be combined with other offers. The offer and rates are as of July 2, 2026 and subject to change without notice. Click here for full terms and conditions (PDF).
- Earn interest on your entire account balance
- $1.00 per Interac® debit transaction, Interac e-Transfer or bill payment
- $1.50 to withdraw your money
- Access to 2,600 Manulife Bank or The Exchange Network ATMs in Canada
- Fees waived on all banking transactions with a minimum account balance of $1,000
Top credit card
APPLY NOW
on ATB's website
Welcome Bonus
40,000 points
Annual Fee
$120 $0
Interest Rates
20.99% / 22.99%
RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE
300Poor
560Fair
660Good
725⁎Very Good
760⁎Excellent
3.1/5
The ATB World Elite Mastercard offers impressive rewards and insurance coverage, making it ideal for high-income Alberta residents seeking premium travel perks. However, the low point value and high income requirements might limit its appeal for some users.
Pros
- High rewards
- Extensive Coverage
- Airport lounge access
- first-year fee rebate
Cons
- Low point value
- Alberta residents only
- High income requirement
Rewards
- 8 points for every $1 spent on eligible purchases on select travel merchants, including: airlines, hotels, motels and car rental companies
- 6 points for every $1 spent on eligible purchases on groceries, gas, digital streaming services and/or subscriptions, and entertainment
- 2 points for every $1 spent on any other purchases
The accelerated earn rate applies to the first $50,000 in annual purchases on the account, at merchants qualifying for the accelerated earn rate, per calendar year based on your statement cycle date. The annual spend cap for the accelerated earn rate resets every January. Once the combined cardholder spend exceeds this threshold in these categories, they will continue earning points at the regular earn rate of 2 points per $1 spent in purchases.
Insurance
Coverage
Purchase Protection
90 days
Extended Warranty
1 year
Car Rental Accident
$225,000.svg?dpl=dpl_AkK5eEtPMfijXUHX3VjAenjFrzpm)
Car Rental Damage & Theft
yes.svg?dpl=dpl_AkK5eEtPMfijXUHX3VjAenjFrzpm)
Car Rental Personal Effects
$1,000
Travel Medical Insurance (64 & under)
22 days
Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance
$300,000
Flight Delay
$500Baggage Delay
$500
Trip Cancellation
$1,000
Trip Interruption
$1,000
Lost or Stolen Baggage
$1,000
Hotel Burglary Insurance
$1,000Personal Effects
$1,000
Price Protection
$100 per item, $500 per account annually
Benefits
Details
Airport Lounge - Dragon Pass
4 complimentary lounge visits each year for each primary cardholder
Car Rental Discount
25% off base rate of participating Avis and Budget locations
Boingo Wi-Fi hotspot
over 1 million wifi hotspots worldwide
Eligibility
Credit Score
Very GoodAnnual Income
$80,000 personal or $150,000 household
Manulife Bank of Canada has no credit card listed.
All products offered