Bank of Montreal (BMO) vs Neo Financial
A side-by-side comparison of ratings, customer experience, products, fees, and pros & cons to help you choose the right bank.
VS
Neo Financial edges ahead on our overall rating (4.5 vs 4.1), but the right pick depends on which products and fees matter most to you.
Overview
The Bank of Montreal, known as BMO, is the oldest and one of the biggest banks in the country. With a comprehensive range of products, its network extends across both Canada and the United States. Its broad product lineup makes it a popular choice amongst those seeking full-service banking.
At BMO, account types cater to different customer needs and include those for students, seniors and newcomers to Canada. Customers can choose from low-cost banking services to more premium accounts that include additional benefits. Depending on the account type and balance maintained, a fee waiver might be available. Long-term savings rates are less competitive than digital institutions though.
BMO has plenty of credit cards ranging from no-fee options to premium rewards cards. The bank stands out for having one of the best cash back credit cards in Canada. Though BMO has a few Visa credit cards, it partners with Mastercard for its primary network. In terms of lending options, the bank tends to have many promotional rates and even a unique mortgage cash back incentive, making it one of the most comprehensive in Canada.
Neo Financial continues to stand out as a strong digital first alternative in Canada, offering competitive rates and no fee everyday banking products across its lineup.
Neo provides a high interest savings account with one of the more attractive rates in Canada, along with a streamlined spending account designed for daily use.
Its suite of credit cards includes both secured and unsecured options, with several no annual fee choices as well as premium cards that offer enhanced rewards. In fact, some of the credit cards offered are among the best in Canada. For example, the Neo World Elite Mastercard has earned the award for best overall cashback credit card in Canada, while the Neo World Mastercard Secured has received the award for best overall secured credit card.
While Neo’s products are offered separately rather than as a bundled account, they are designed to work together within a single app experience, making it easy to manage spending, saving, and rewards in one place. To unlock the highest savings rates and best rewards, customers may need to meet certain activity requirements such as maintaining balances or using Neo’s ecosystem regularly.
Overall rating
4.1
4.5
Customer experience
3.0
3.0
Best for
BMO is best for Canadians seeking a well-rounded banking experience that combines a broad range of financial products with the convenience of full-service banking. It’s particularly well-suited for those who prefer managing their finances within a single institution.
Those who want strong no fee financial products and are comfortable managing their banking entirely online or through an app. Neo offers a no fee high interest savings account with one of the most competitive rates in Canada, a solid everyday spending account, and a range of credit cards both secured and unsecured including options with no annual fees as well as premium cards with added perks.
Pros & cons
Pros
Broad range of banking, lending and investment products
Access to over 40,000 Allpoint ATMs across Canada
Wide selection of cash back and rewards credit cards
Fee waivers available on select chequing accounts
Established reputation as one of Canada’s largest banks
Cons
Savings account rates below those of digital-first providers
Relatively high monthly account fees if you don’t meet the waiver requirements
Not always the most competitive lending rates
Some premium account benefits require maintaining a significant balance
Pros
No monthly fees on most core products.
Competitive savings interest rates in Canada.
Wide range of credit cards including secured options.
Strong cashback rewards on credit cards, especially with partner merchants.
Well designed and easy to use mobile app.
Cons
No physical branches.
Cash deposits are not supported
Mixed customer service experiences reported by some users.
Top chequing accounts
Best for: Great bonus offer and unlimited transactions
on BMO's website
+ Earn up to a $900 cash bonus* and a Walmart+ membership for up to 12 months*
Welcome Bonus
Earn up to a $900 cash bonus* and a Walmart+ membership for up to 12 months*
Monthly Fee
$17.95 (waived with $4,000 balance)
Account Type
Chequing • Personal
Earn up to a $900 cash bonus*
Plus a Walmart+ membership for up to 12 months*
STEP 1
Chequing Account Offer
Earn $700 when you:
- Open and fund a new BMO Performance or Premium Plan Chequing Account by November 2, 2026
- Complete the qualifying criteria by December 31, 2026
1. Set up a recurring direct deposit of $500 or more from your employer, the government, or your pension, and have the first deposit appear by December 31, 2026.
2. Complete one of the following by December 31, 2026:
• Make two (2) bill payments of $50 or more to two (2) different payees through BMO Online Banking or the BMO Mobile Banking app; and
• Set up two (2) pre-authorized debits (PADs) of $50 or more from two (2) different payees.
STEP 2
Savings Account Offer
Earn $150 when you:
- Open a Savings Amplifier Account by November 2, 2026
- Complete the following:
• Deposit a total of $10,000 or more into the Savings Amplifier Account within the first 30 calendar days of opening the account;
• Maintain a daily closing balance of $10,000 or more for 120 calendar days from the date of deposit to earn the 5.00% promotional interest rate** on balances up to $1,000,000;
• After the initial 120-day promotional period, continue to maintain a daily closing balance of $10,000 or more for an additional 90 calendar days to qualify for the $150 cash bonus.
You must complete step one to qualify for step two.
STEP 3
My Financial Progress Offer
Earn $50 when you:
- Sign in to BMO Online Banking or BMO Mobile Banking to access My Financial Progress and complete the following:
• Create one (1) Goal in My Financial Progress Plan by December 31, 2026;
• Go to the Planning Tab and apply one (1) Strategy to the plan by December 31, 2026.
You must complete step one to qualify for step three.
Get a Walmart+ membership for up to 12 months* when you:
- Open and fund a new Performance, Premium, Practical or Plus chequing account by November 2, 2026.
- Sign up for or update your existing Walmart+ membership on Walmart.ca by December 31, 2026. You’ll have to select Debit Mastercard as the payment option and enter your new BMO debit card number
Eligibility criteria (open account or switching eligibility)
If you meet the eligibility criteria, the Chequing Account and My Financial Progress cash bonus will be credited to your account by December 31, 2026. The Savings Account cash bonus will be credited by June 30, 2027.
Unfortunately if you already have a chequing account with us from August 7, 2025 to November 2, 2026 you are not eligible for this promotion.
If you close your account before November 2, 2027, you will not be eligible for this promotion.
Each bill payment is required to be paid to a different biller account number. For example, if you are paying a cell phone bill it has to be paid to different accounts numbers to be counted as 2 different bill payments.
- Get accounts for family members without paying an additional monthly fee
- Get a promo interest rate when you add a Savings Amplifier Account
- Up to $40 rebate on the annual fee for eligible BMO credit cards
- OnGuard®† Identity Theft Protection at no charge
- Unlimited transactions
- No-fee Global Money Transfer transactions to up to 50 countries
Transaction Fees | $0.00 per use |
|---|---|
Interac e-transer fee | $0.00 per use |
Number of self-serve transactions | N/A |
Number of Interac e-transfers | Unlimited |
Global Money Transfer | $0.00 per use |
ATM withdrawals | 1 Canadian withdrawal included per month then $2 each in Canada, $5 each outside of Canada |
Credit card fee rebate | $40 |
Rewards scheme | N/A |
Bank draft cost | $9.95 |
Overdraft fee & interest | $5 per month |
Paperless & Mailed monthly statement | $2.25 per month |
Service features (digital/in-person) | Easy, secure digital banking Move money on the go, track your savings goals and deposit cheques |
Account Fees
Monthly Fee
$17.95
Fee Waiver: Minimum Balance Waiver
$4,000 min. balance
Maintain $4,000 minimum monthly balance to waive the monthly fee
Credit Card Rebate
Up to $40
eStatement
Included
Transactions
Transactions
Unlimited free
Interac e-Transfers
Unlimited free
ATM Fees
Own Network
$0
Canadian ATMs
$2
USA
$5
International
$5
International & Currency
Foreign Currency Conversion
2.5%
Other Fees
NSF (Non-sufficient Funds)
$5
Overdraft Protection
$5/month
Overdraft Interest
21% annually (if used)
Bank Draft
$9.95
Best for: Best overall student chequing account
on BMO's website
+ Earn up to a $200 Tech reward from Best Buy*
Welcome Bonus
Earn up to a $200 Tech reward from Best Buy*
Monthly Fee
$0
Account Type
Chequing • Student
- Open a new BMO Student Chequing Account and get a tech reward from Best Buy worth up to $200*
- Offer expires November 3, 2026
How to redeem Best Buy rewards
Follow these three easy steps:
- Open an account: Open a Student Chequing Account and make sure you are enrolled in a university, college or vocational school.
- Meet eligibility: Complete the required steps to unlock your reward.
- Redeem your reward: Receive an email within 3 weeks with your reward options and make your selection.
- $0 monthly fee while you're a full-time student, and for up to one year after graduation
- Unlimited everyday transactions, including debit purchases and INTERAC e‑Transfers
- One free non-BMO ATM withdrawal per month in Canada; $2 for additional withdrawals
- Unlimited free Global Money Transfers
- Up to $40 annual rebate on eligible BMO credit card annual fees
- Overdraft protection available for $5/month per linked account
- No minimum balance required
Account Fees
Monthly Fee
$0
Credit Card Rebate
Up to $40
eStatement
Included
Transactions
Transactions
Unlimited free
Interac e-Transfers
Unlimited free
ATM Fees
Own Network
$0
Canadian ATMs
$2
USA
$5
International
$5
International & Currency
Foreign Currency Conversion
2.5%
Other Fees
NSF (Non-sufficient Funds)
$5
Overdraft Interest
21% annually (if used)
Bank Draft
$9.95
Best for: No-fee chequing account with cashback
4.9 Our rating
on Neo Financial's website
+ Get $100 after spending $1,000*
Welcome Bonus
Get $100 after spending $1,000*
Regular Interest
Up to 0.1%
Monthly Fee
$0
Account Type
Chequing • Personal
Exclusive Offer: Earn $100 by spending at least $1,000 within the first three months on the Neo Money card or any other Neo credit card.*
MEMBERSHIP TIERS
Neo Chequing offers optional membership tiers with added benefits, both free for customers who keep enough on deposit with Neo.
Build — $7.99/month (free with $5,000+ in any Neo account)
- Credit Score Monitoring: track credit score in the Neo app
- Credit Builder: tools and insights to build credit history
- Cash Advance & Overdraft (coming soon): up to $300 at 0% interest, reported to both credit bureaus
- Free ATM Withdrawals: fees reimbursed up to $5/withdrawal, unlimited withdrawals
- Secured Card Fee Waived: $7.99/month fee waived for Build members
Grow — $12.99/month (free with $20,000+ across Neo Chequing and Savings)
Includes all Build benefits, plus:
- No Foreign Transaction Fees: FX fees rebated on Neo Credit Card and Money Card international spend (up to $10,000/month), full rewards kept at domestic rate
- Higher Savings Interest Rate: 2.75% on Neo Savings
- Priority Support: dedicated phone line for Grow members
CASHBACK REWARD LEVELS
Cashback rates on gas and groceries (earned via the Neo Money™ Card) increase automatically based on your Neo Chequing account balance.
Reward Level | Chequing Balance Required | Gas | Groceries | Everything Else
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
Level 1 | $0 | 1% | 1% | 0% |
Level 2 | $5,000 | 2% | 2% | 0.5% |
Level 3 | $10,000 | 3% | 3% | 1% |
On top of the rates above, customers earn an average of 5% (up to 15%) at thousands of Neo partner locations across Canada through the Neo app.
CORE FEATURES
Feature | Customer Benefit
|
|---|---|
Free Interac e-Transfer® payments | Send and receive money at no cost, including scheduled transfers |
Bill payments & pre-authorized debits | Pay bills and set up recurring debits directly from the account |
$0 NSF fees | No fee for insufficient funds — unlike most traditional banks |
Real-time spend tracking | See every transaction instantly with automatic categorization |
Smart budgeting tools | Insights and budget features built into the Neo app |
Instant payments to Neo credit cards | Pay off Neo credit card balances instantly from the same app |
Joint account available | Open a joint Neo Chequing account with a co-owner; both earn cashback independently |
CDIC deposit protection | Funds eligible for CDIC insurance up to $100,000 |
Biometric login & fraud monitoring | Next-gen security including 24/7 monitoring, real-time alerts, and instant card freeze |
Account Fees
Monthly Fee
$0
eStatement
Included
Transactions
Transactions
Unlimited free
Interac e-Transfers
Unlimited free
ATM Fees
Own Network
$0
Canadian ATMs
$0
USA
$0
International
$0
International & Currency
Foreign Currency Conversion
2.5%
Top savings account
on BMO's website
Welcome Bonus
Earn a promotional rate of 5.00%**
Regular Interest
0.5%
Monthly Fee
$0
Get a 5.00% promo interest rate** when you open a chequing and a Savings Amplifier Account.
Get a promotional interest rate: You’ll get a 5.00% interest rate** guaranteed for up to 120 days† when you add a Savings Amplifier Account to a new Performance or Premium Chequing Account.
Unlimited no-fee transfers: Make no-fee transfers to your other BMO accounts any time, including mobile and online transfer, and ATM.*99
Earn money when you save: Benefit from a competitive interest rate every time you save money.*12
No monthly fee or minimum deposit: Save money when you bank with no monthly fee and no minimum balance required.
Best for: High interest savings
4.6 Our rating
on Neo Financial's website
Welcome Bonus
N/A
Regular Interest
Up to 2.75%
Monthly Fee
$0
Earn up to 2.75% interest1
- Get up to 2.75% interest, determined by your membership tier
- No promotional or limited-time offers — rates increase depending on membership
- Earn up to $508 more each year than at traditional banks
- Personalize up to 10 accounts with custom names, icons, and amounts for each goal. Whether it’s a vacation or an emergency fund, you’ll accomplish them sooner.
- Manage your money instantly between multiple accounts on the Neo app. Connect an external bank account and make money transfers between institutions a snap.
¹Interest Rates (based on membership tier):
Membership | Interest Rate |
|---|---|
Standard savings | 2.00% |
Build Membership ($0-9.99/month) | 2.50% |
Grow Membership ($14.99/month) | 2.75% |
Top credit card
on BMO's website
Welcome Bonus
Get a 0% introductory interest rate on Balance Transfers for 18 months with a 3% transfer fee and a $29 first-year annual fee rebate.*
Rewards Rate
No Rewards
Annual Fee
$29 $0
Interest Rates
13.99%* / 15.99%*
RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE
4.5/5
If you plan to carry a balance on your credit card, this card offers a very low interest rate. However, there are other cards with no annual fee and slightly lower interest rates that you might want to consider as well.
Pros
- Low interest rates
- Balance transfer welcome bonus
Cons
- Annual fee
- Lacks significant benefits
Rewards
No rewards earned on this card
Insurance
Coverage
Purchase Protection
90 days
Extended Warranty
Doubled up to 1 year
Benefits
Details
Discount
Enjoy three months of Instacart+ and a $5 monthly Instacart credit when you enroll your eligible BMO Credit Card.*
Eligibility
Credit Score
GoodAnnual Income
N/A
on Neo Financial's website
Finly Special Offer
Welcome Bonus
$0 First-Year Annual Fee and $100 Welcome Bonus
Annual Fee
$149 $0
Interest Rates
19.99% - 26.99%□ / 22.99% - 28.99%
RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE
4.6/5
This card offers some of the highest cash back rates in Canada for gas, groceries, and recurring purchases, which is pretty hard to beat. While the cash back rates are very high, you need to mind the spend caps set for each category to see if your earning potential is really that high compared to most other credit cards. However, if you're the average person whose spending is generally below $12k per year in groceries, $6k per year in recurring bills and $12k per year in gas, then you'll be doing pretty well, especially with the great insurance and benefit offers.
Awards & Recognition
Best Cash Back Credit Card
2026
Pros
- High cashback rates
- Premium insurance coverage
- Airport lounge membership
- Boosted partner cashback
- Instant approval and access
Cons
- High income requirements
- Spending caps
- Annual fee
Rewards
- 5% cash back on grocery purchases up to $1,000 spending per month
- 4% cash back on recurring purchases up to $500 spending per month
- 3% cash back on gas purchases up to $1,000 spending per month
- 1% cash back on all other purchases with no spending caps
- Up to 15% boosted cashback at thousands of partners across Canada - on top of base cashback rates
Insurance
Coverage
Travel Medical Insurance (64 & under)
Up to $1,000,000
Trip Cancellation
$1,000
Trip Interruption
$1,000
Flight Delay
$500Baggage Delay
$1,000
Hotel Burglary Insurance
$1,000
Car Rental Accident
$100,000 for cardholder, up to $10,000 per Spouse or Dependent Child.svg)
Car Rental Damage & Theft
Yes.svg)
Car Rental Personal Effects
$1,000Purchase Protection
90 daysExtended Warranty
1 year
Lost or Stolen Baggage
$1,000
Mastercard Zero Liability Protection
Yes
Benefits
Details
Airport Lounge - Dragon Pass
Pass only - pay $32 USD per visit
No Foreign Transaction Fees1
You can get all FX fees rebated up to $10K spending per month with a Neo Grow membership ($12.99/month cost or $0 with $20K across your Neo accounts)
World Mastercard Benefits
Including discounting with participating partners and DragonPass airport lounge access.
Eligibility
Credit Score
GoodAnnual Income
$80,000 personal or $150,000 household
All products offered
25 products
Chequing
BMO Performance Chequing Account
BMO Premium Chequing Account
BMO Student Chequing Account
BMO NewStart® program - Performance Account
BMO Blue Rewards Chequing Account
BMO Plus Chequing Account
BMO Practical Chequing Account
Credit cards
BMO Ascend™ World Elite®* Mastercard®*
BMO CashBack® Mastercard®
BMO CashBack Business Mastercard
BMO CashBack® World Elite®* Mastercard®*
BMO Blue Rewards Mastercard®*
BMO Blue Rewards World Elite®* Mastercard®*
BMO eclipse rise Visa* Card
BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* Card
BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card
BMO Preferred Rate Mastercard®*
BMO U.S. Dollar Mastercard®*
BMO VIPorter Mastercard®∗
BMO VIPorter World Elite®* Mastercard®*
BMO® Ascend World Elite®* Business Mastercard®*
Students – BMO CashBack® Mastercard®*
10 products
Savings
Neo Savings Account
Chequing
Neo Chequing Account
Credit cards
Neo Mastercard®
Neo Secured Mastercard®
Neo World Mastercard® – Gas & Grocery
Secured Neo World Mastercard® – Gas & Grocery
Neo World Elite® Mastercard – Gas & Grocery
Secured Neo World Elite® Mastercard – Gas & Grocery
Neo Cathay World Elite® Mastercard®
Neo Cathay World Elite® Mastercard® Secured