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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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Bank of Montreal (BMO) and Bank of Nova Scotia (Scotiabank) are evenly matched on our overall rating (4.1 each) — compare their products and fees below to decide.
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.
Scotiabank provides well-rounded banking, offering a large branch network and one of the strongest rewards ecosystems among the biggest banks in Canada. As a full-service institution, the bank has investment management and award-winning private banking.
Scotia provides tailored accounts for everyone from students and youth to seniors, while the Scotiabank StartRight® Program is a top pick for newcomers to Canada. The bank also boasts a premium banking experience through the Scotiabank Ultimate Package Chequing. Some fee waiver options are available when you maintain a minimum balance but its interest rates on savings tend to be lower than what you can find through online banks. That said, its network access is more competitive as it is part of the Global ATM alliance.
Scotia’s credit card offering stands out for its travel lineup as well as its partnership with Scene+ rewards. FinlyWealth recently named the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite+ Card as our pick for the best overall travel and no foreign transaction fees credit card. In addition to credit cards, Scotia maintains a competitive edge within the mortgage and loan space through flexible financing solutions.
Overall rating
4.1
4.1
Customer experience
3.0
2.7
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.
Scotiabank is an ideal pick for Canadians looking for full-service banking with a strong lineup of Scene+ rewards credit cards and international banking capabilities. Its extensive branch network and broad range of banking as well as its lending and investment products make Scotia a suitable option for a range of customers.
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
Strong offering of travel and rewards credit cards with the Scene+ program being a market differentiator
Provides a distinctive newcomer banking program
Access to the Global ATM alliance allowing for no-fee ATM withdrawals at specific international banks
Full-service banking allowing customers to get their entire banking, lending and investing needs met at a single institution
Wide range of flexible borrowing options
Premium banking available with fee-waiver opportunities
Well-ranked mobile application
Significant international retail presence, particularly in Latin America
Cons
Lower savings rates than those offered by online banks and fintechs
Applicable account fees can be expensive unless you meet the fee-waiver threshold
Worst TrustPilot rating out of the Big Six with many dissatisfied customers
Fees are comparable to the other Big Six, though higher than fintechs and digital banks
More expensive lending rates than digital-first institutions
Many premium banking benefits require a substantial minimum balance
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 August 6, 2026
- Complete the qualifying criteria by September 30, 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 September 30, 2026.
2. Complete one of the following by September 30, 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 August 6, 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 4.65% 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 September 30, 2026;
• Go to the Planning Tab and apply one (1) Strategy to the plan by September 30, 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 August 6, 2026.
- Sign up for or update your existing Walmart+ membership on Walmart.ca by September 30, 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 October 31, 2026. The Savings Account cash bonus will be credited by April 30, 2027.
Unfortunately if you already have a chequing account with us from May 21, 2025 to August 6, 2026 you are not eligible for this promotion.
If you close your account before August 6, 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.
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 |
Interest on savings | Savings Amplifier Account promotional interest rate 4.65%. Terms apply |
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

4.6 Our rating
on BMO's website
+ Earn up to a $200 Tech reward from Best Buy*
Limited offer · ends
Welcome Bonus
Earn up to a $200 Tech reward from Best Buy*
Monthly Fee
$0
Account Type
Chequing • Student
How to redeem Best Buy rewards
Follow these three easy steps:
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 fees and earning points on debit transactions
on Scotiabank's website
+ Earn up to $175*
Welcome Bonus
Earn up to $175*
Monthly Fee
$0
Account Type
Chequing • Student
Earn up to $175 welcome bonus when you open a new Preferred Package for Students and Youth*
*To qualify for the $175 welcome bonus (the “Offer”), you must:
Open a new Preferred Package for Students and Youth (an “Eligible Account”) between January 2 and July 1, 2026; and
Complete any two of the following activities in your Eligible Account within 60 days of Eligible Account opening:
♢♢ Click here for a list of eligible direct deposits and pre-authorized transactions. While a transaction may be included in these lists, certain exclusions may still apply and Scotiabank reserves the right to modify these lists and to determine whether a specific direct deposit or pre-authorized transaction is eligible for the Offer. Fund transfers initiated to other Scotiabank accounts (one time or recurring, e.g. credit card or savings account), to chequing or savings accounts held at other financial institutions, or to payment processing firms, are not eligible for the Offer.
Eligibility Exclusions: Individuals who are currently holders of a Scotiabank Chequing Account are not eligible for the Offer. Individuals who were previously holders of a Scotiabank Chequing Account within the last two (2) years are not eligible for the Offer. “Scotiabank Chequing Account” means any of the following accounts: Ultimate Package, Preferred Package, Preferred Package for Students and Youth, Scotia One Account, Basic Plus Bank Account, Basic Banking Plan, Basic Bank Account, Momentum Chequing, Power Chequing, Scotia One Service, Scotia Value, Student Banking Advantage Plan. Employees of Scotiabank are also not eligible for the Offer.
General Terms: The $175 cash bonus will be deposited to the Eligible Account within six (6) months from account open date provided all Offer conditions outlined above have been met. The Eligible Account must be open and in good standing until the time of payout of each bonus. The Eligible Account is not in "good standing" if: (i) it has a negative balance exceeding the authorized overdraft limit, or (ii) it has been in continuous overdraft for a period of three consecutive months. For joint accounts, only the primary account holder will receive the bonuses. The Offer is non-transferable and may not be duplicated. Limit of one (1) Offer per customer, regardless of the number of Eligible Accounts opened. If more than one (1) Eligible Account is opened, only the first Eligible Account opened will be eligible for the Offer. All rates, fees, features and benefits are subject to change. The Offer may be changed, cancelled or extended at any time without notice and cannot be combined with any other offers.
Account Fees
Monthly Fee
$0
eStatement
Included
Transactions
Transactions
Unlimited free
Interac e-Transfers
Unlimited free
ATM Fees
Own Network
$0
Canadian ATMs
$2
USA
$3
International
$5
International & Currency
Foreign Currency Conversion
2.5%
Other Fees
NSF (Non-sufficient Funds)
$10
Overdraft Interest
21% annually (if used)
Bank Draft
$9.5
Best for: Canadian permanent residents, international students, and foreign workers.
on Scotiabank's website
Welcome Bonus
Earn up to $2,300 in value in the first year(1)
Monthly Fee
$16.95 (waivable)
Account Type
Chequing • Personal
Qualify and earn up to $2,300 in first year value, including up to $580 with the StartRight Program2.
Worth up to $580 in value1
Earn up to $7001
Worth up to $1,0801
Open a Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite* Card to qualify for a welcome bonus offer. Earn Scene+ points and other benefits.17
Up to $2,360
Gather these documents prior to applying:
Pros
Cons
Account Fees
Monthly Fee
$16.95
Fee Waiver: StartRight Program Fee Waiver
Full waiver
No monthly account fee of $16.95 on the Preferred Package chequing account for the first year as part of the StartRight Program.
Credit Card Rebate
Up to $150
eStatement
Included
Transactions
Transactions
Unlimited free
Interac e-Transfers
Unlimited free
ATM Fees
Own Network
$0
Canadian ATMs
$1.5
USA
$3
International
$3
International & Currency
Foreign Currency Conversion
2.5%
Other Fees
NSF (Non-sufficient Funds)
$10
Overdraft Interest
21% annually (if used)
Bank Draft
$9.5
on BMO's website
Welcome Bonus
Earn a promotional rate of 4.55%*
Regular Interest
0.55%
Monthly Fee
$0
Earn a promotional rate of 4.55%**
Earn a 0.50%*12 savings interest rate or a promotional rate of 4.55%**
Get a promotional interest rate when you also open a Performance, Premium, AIR MILES®†, Plus or Practical Chequing Account.
Pay no monthly plan fee or minimum deposit
$0 monthly plan fee and $0 minimum deposit required to get started.
Get unlimited self-serve transfers
Make transfers to your other BMO accounts any time, including mobile and online transfers, and ATM.*99
Manage your savings with BMO Savings Goals
Save for a vacation, or a big purchase with our new Mobile Banking feature, BMO Savings Goals.
Best for: High interest savings at Big 5 bank
on Scotiabank's website
Welcome Bonus
Earn up to 5.00%* for the first 3 months
Regular Interest
Up to 2.2%
Monthly Fee
$0
You can earn up to 5.00%* for the first 3 months if you are not a current Scotia HISA or MomentumPLUS Savings Account holder and haven’t held either account in the last two years.
Regular interest rate
Up to 2.2%
$10,000 minimum Total Relationship Balance1 required to earn interest3
Promo interest rate
Earn an extra 2.8%
Get the promo rate for 3 months, on top of our regular tiered interest rates2 when you keep a Total Relationship Balance1 of at least $10,000. Conditions Apply.2
Not all savings accounts are created equal.
The Scotia High Interest Savings Account (HISA) is different - the more you deposit and invest with us, the higher your interest rate on your HISA account.
It's simple: keep a Total Relationship Balance1 of at least $10,000 to start earning a high interest rate. As the balances across your eligible accounts grow, so will the interest rate on your HISA.
Your HISA interest rate is determined by your Total Relationship Balance1, which is the combined daily closing balance in your eligible chequing, savings, and investment accounts.
on BMO's website
Welcome Bonus
Get a 0% introductory interest rate on Balance Transfers for 18 months with a 2% transfer fee and no $29 annual fee for the first year.*
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
Cons
Rewards
No rewards earned on this card
Insurance
Coverage
Purchase Protection
Extended Warranty
Benefits
Details
Discount
Eligibility
Credit Score
Annual Income
on Scotiabank's website
Welcome Bonus
Earn up to $850 in welcome offers, first year rewards and savings value, and up to 45,000 bonus Scene+ points.(1)
Annual Fee
$120
Interest Rates
21.99% / 22.99%
RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE
4.9/5
The Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card is one of our favorite cards. It has a very solid rewards program, earning one of the highest rewards among all credit cards in Canada. In addition, it offers comprehensive travel benefits, including the rare and valuable no foreign transaction fee benefit, making it a great and balanced credit card in terms of both rewards and benefits. The first-year annual fee waiver is the cherry on top, providing even greater value to cardholders.
Pros
Cons
Rewards
Insurance
Coverage
Travel Medical Insurance (64 & under)
Travel Medical Insurance (65 to 75)
Trip Cancellation
Trip Interruption
Lost or Stolen Baggage
Baggage Delay
Flight Delay
Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance
Car Rental Damage & Theft
Hotel Burglary Insurance
Mobile Device Insurance
Purchase Protection
Extended Warranty
Benefits
Details
No Foreign Transaction Fees
Gas Discount2
American Express® Experiences
Concierge Services
Discount
Eligibility
Credit Score
Annual Income
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®*
22 products
Savings
Scotiabank Money Master Savings Account
Scotia High Interest Savings Account (HISA)
Scotiabank Momentum Plus Savings Account
Chequing
Scotiabank StartRight® Program
Scotiabank Ultimate Package Chequing
Scotiabank Preferred Package Chequing Account
Scotiabank Basic Plus Bank Account
Scotiabank Basic Bank Account
Scotiabank Preferred Package Chequing for Student and Youths
Credit cards
Scotia Momentum® Mastercard®* Credit Card
Scotia Momentum® No-Fee Visa* Card
Scotia Momentum® Visa Infinite +* Card
Scotia Momentum® for business Visa* Card
Scotia Momentum® Visa* Card
Scotiabank American Express® Card
Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card
Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite Business* Card
Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite* Privilege Card
Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite+* Card
Scotiabank Platinum American Express® Card
Scotiabank Value® Visa* Card
Scotiabank® Scene+ Visa Card