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A side-by-side comparison of ratings, customer experience, products, fees, and pros & cons to help you choose the right bank.
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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
All products offered
5 products
Chequing
PC Money™ Account
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.
PC Financial offers banking services from President’s Choice Bank, which is a Schedule I, federally regulated bank in Canada. Given this setup, the banking products at PC Financial have coverage of up to $100,000 from the Canadian Deposit Insurance Corporation (CDIC). EQB, parent of EQ Bank, acquired PC Financial in July 2026. Prior to this, the bank was a subsidiary of Loblaws.
PC Financial has a smaller offering than many other Canadian banks. It has only one main account that operates as a no-monthly-fee chequing account with the ability to add on a savings feature, giving you the best of both worlds. Its interest rate applies to all balances in the savings side of the account and is quite competitive considering there is no minimum balance.
The bank also has just a few Mastercard credit cards, with no Visa or American Express options. Lines of credit and mortgages are also not available. It lacks in business banking and insurance products as well, making it a better choice for those who don’t need a full-service banking relationship.
Overall rating
4.0
3.8
Customer experience
3.3
3.1
Best for
ATB Financial works best for Albertans who want a full-service banking relationship within a regional institution.
PC Financial is ideal for digital banking customers who want no-fee everyday banking and the ability to earn PC Optimum rewards.
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
Access to 740 PC Financial ATMs in Canada
No monthly account fees with no minimum balance requirements
CDIC coverage through President’s Choice Bank
Unique chequing account offering which allows you to earn interest on a portion of the account
Ability to earn PC Optimum points
Cons
Physical branches not available
Fewer banking options compared to the bigger Canadian banks
Digital-first bank with no in-person service
Cannot deposit or write cheques
No business banking
No insurance offering
on ATB's website
Welcome Bonus
N/A
Monthly Fee
$0
Account Type
Chequing • Personal
Account Fees
Monthly Fee
$0
eStatement
Included
4 Our rating
on ATB's website
Welcome Bonus
Earn up to $900* for new customers
Monthly Fee
$24.95 (waivable)
Account Type
Chequing • Personal
Account Fees
Monthly Fee
$24.95
eStatement
Included
4.4 Our rating
on PC Financial's website
Welcome Bonus
Receive 150,000 PC Optimum™ points
Regular Interest
Up to 2.2%
Monthly Fee
$0
Account Type
Chequing • Personal
Earn 150,000 PC Optimum™ points (equivalent to around $150) by opening a new account then setting up direct deposit on your payroll or pension worth at least $1,500. Keep receiving the deposit for three straight months.**
Account Fees
Monthly Fee
$0
ATM Fees
Own Network
$0
Canadian ATMs
$1.5
USA
$3
International
$3
2.55 Our rating
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%.
PC Financial® has no savings account listed.
on ATB's website
Welcome Bonus
40,000 points
Annual Fee
$120 $0
Interest Rates
20.99% / 22.99%
RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE
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
Cons
Rewards
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
Extended Warranty
Car Rental Accident
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Car Rental Damage & Theft
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Car Rental Personal Effects
Travel Medical Insurance (64 & under)
Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance
Flight Delay
Baggage Delay
Trip Cancellation
Trip Interruption
Lost or Stolen Baggage
Hotel Burglary Insurance
Personal Effects
Price Protection
Benefits
Details
Airport Lounge - Dragon Pass
Car Rental Discount
Boingo Wi-Fi hotspot
Eligibility
Credit Score
Annual Income
on PC Financial's website
Welcome Bonus
20,000 PC points ($20 value)
Annual Fee
$0
Interest Rates
21.99% / 22.97%
RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE
2.3/5
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
Cons
Rewards
Insurance
Coverage
Travel Medical Insurance (64 & under)
Car Rental Damage & Theft
Purchase Protection
Extended Warranty
Benefits
Details
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Concierge Services
Identity Theft Assistance
Eligibility
Credit Score
Annual Income
