Amex Platinum Business vs National Bank Business Mastercard
Both business cards worked out on the same spending: rewards, welcome bonus, fees and perks, line by line.
Worked out on a typical small business spending $4,000 a month. Enter yours to see your own numbers.
$164
First-year value
Doesn't earn rewards
$164
Every year after
Doesn't earn rewards
Only Amex Platinum Business earns rewards we can work out.
Compare the fees, rates and perks below.
How the first year adds up
Rewards and the welcome bonus in, the annual fee, FX fees and employee cards out, at your spending.
Annual rewards
Welcome bonus
Annual fee
FX fees
First-year value
Finly rebates are paid on top and aren't counted in these values.
Where each card earns
A year of your spending on each card, category by category, biggest spend first.
All Other Business Expenses
$12,600 a year
US Dollar Purchases
$6,150 a year
Recurring Bills & Subscriptions
$4,800 a year
Gas & EV Charging
$3,600 a year
Dining & Restaurants
$3,600 a year
Office Supplies
$3,000 a year
Phone, Internet & Cable
$2,400 a year
Hotels
$1,800 a year
Shipping & Courier
$1,800 a year
Accounting & Bookkeeping
$1,800 a year
Other Foreign Currencies (EUR, GBP, etc.)
$1,230 a year
Electronics & Software
$1,200 a year
Air Canada
$1,200 a year
Transportation
$1,200 a year
Other Airlines
$600 a year
Car Rental
$600 a year
Other Travel
$600 a year
Rewards in a year
Welcome bonus
Each offer as the issuer words it, then which milestones your spending reaches.
Amex Platinum Business
- Earn up to 120,000 bonus Membership Rewards® points
- Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points after you charge $15,000 in net purchases to your Card in your first 3 months of Cardmembership
- Plus, earn 40,000 points when you make a purchase between 15 and 17 months of Cardmembership
- That’s up to $1,200 in statement credit that can be reinvested in your business
National Bank Business Mastercard
No welcome bonus right now.
Amex Platinum Business
Worth $0 at your spending
80,000 MR points when you spend $15,000 in the first 3 months
0 pts
40,000 MR points when you make a purchase in months 15-17 (card year 2)
40,000 pts
40,000 points when you make a purchase between 15 and 17 months of Cardmembership (card year 2)
40,000 pts
National Bank Business Mastercard
Fees, rates and eligibility
What each card costs to hold and to use abroad, and who it's for.
Annual fee
Employee cards
Foreign transaction fee
Rewards
Network
Amex Platinum Business
Interest rates
Purchase:
21.99% - 30%1
Cash Advance:
21.99% - 30%1
1 This charge Card has both Due in Full and Flexible Payment Option balances. All Due in Full balances must be paid each month. Interest rate of 30% applies to each delinquent Due in Full charge. The Preferred rate of 21.99% applies to your Flexible Payment Option balance. If you have 2 separate Missed Payments in a 12 month period, the Flexible Payment Option rate for your account will be 25.99%. If you have 3 or more separate Missed Payments in a 12 month period, the Flexible Payment Option rate will be 29.99%. These rates are effective from the day account is opened.
Recommended credit score
Income required
Min Personal Income:
N/A
Min Household Income:
N/A
National Bank Business Mastercard
Interest rates
Purchase:
20.99% or 14.5%^
Cash Advance:
22.99% or 14.5%^
Balance Transfer:
22.99% or 14.5%^
Recommended credit score
Income required
Min Personal Income:
N/A
Min Household Income:
N/A
How each card earns
The earn rates and caps, as each issuer sets them.
Amex Platinum Business
- 1.25x points per $1 spent on all purchases
National Bank Business Mastercard
- Pay just $30 in annual fees with a minimum credit limit1 of $1,000 and reduce your rate to 14.5% on purchases, balance transfers and cash advances.2,3
- Get up to $10,000 in coverage against fraudulent uses of your credit card by authorized cardholders.
Insurance and perks
What both cards include comes first in each list.
Amex Platinum Business
Insurance
Purchase Protection
90 daysLost or Stolen Baggage
$1,000Baggage Delay
$1,000Car Rental Damage & Theft
YesCommon Carrier Travel Accident Insurance
$500,000Mobile Device Insurance
$1,500Extended Warranty
1 yearHotel Burglary Insurance
$1,000Travel Medical Insurance (64 & under)
15 daysTrip Cancellation
$1,500Trip Interruption
$1,500Flight Delay
$1,000
Perks
Concierge Services
Personalized concierge at your serviceDiscount
Your Business Platinum Card gets you savings on the seats you really want and lower fares on premium tickets with participating airlinesInterest on Balance
Up to 55 interest-free days
American Express® Experiences
Access Front Of The Line® Presale & Reserved Tickets to some of your favourite concerts, theatre shows, and special offers with American Express® ExperiencesStatus lift
Earn Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status by spending $30,000 or staying 10 nights combined with 15 Elite Night Credits. Status retention depends on Marriott Bonvoy terms.Free Extra Night at Hotels
Each year, 8-10 weeks after your anniversary, receive a Free Night Award for a Marriott Bonvoy room up to 35,000 points, valid for 1 year. Resort fees excluded.Travel Credit
Access a $200 Annual Travel Credit each year of your CardmembershipNexus Program Rebate
Access a $100 credit for NEXUS with your CardmembershipAirport Lounge - American Express Global Lounge
Take full advantage of the American Express Global Lounge CollectionTM which unlocks access to over 1400 airport lounges worldwide. This includes The Centurion® Lounge network, Plaza Premium Lounges, and hundreds of other domestic and international lounges designed to enhance your travel experience. Terms and Conditions apply.Complimentary Hotel Benefits
Enjoy Fine Hotels + Resorts benefits at over 1,600 properties worldwide like guaranteed late check-out, complimentary breakfast for two, and more with Business Platinum.Priority Travel
At Toronto Pearson Airport get Priority Security lane, Complimentary valet and 15% discount at the Express Park and daily parkWireless Credit
Up to $120 in statement credits each year. Spend $10 each month with eligible wireless providers month and get a $10 credit.Business Statement Credits
Up to $500 in business statement credits. Enroll and earn statement credits on eligible purchases with $200 Dell statement credit, $300 Indeed statement credit.
National Bank Business Mastercard
Insurance
Purchase Protection
90 days
Perks
No extra perks.
Our take
Amex Platinum Business
The most premium business card in Canada, and priced accordingly at $799/year. You get 1.25x Membership Rewards points on everything, a massive welcome bonus of up to 120,000 points, and a deep roster of perks: airport lounge access, hotel elite status, statement credits, and comprehensive insurance. The value proposition only works if you travel frequently and use the perks — the earn rate alone doesn’t justify the fee. But for businesses that fly often, entertain clients, and want best-in-class coverage, the benefits can far exceed the cost. Amex acceptance gaps in Canada remain a consideration.
- Optimize all purchases
- Premium travel perks
- Comprehensive insurance
- Interest grace period
- Business statement credits
- High annual fee
- Limited acceptance
National Bank Business Mastercard
This is a no-rewards, no-frills business card — and that’s exactly the point. There’s no annual fee, no points to track, and no complicated structure. What you get is a clean way to separate business expenses from personal ones, with the option to drop your interest rate to 14.5% for just $30/year. That makes it one of the better options if your business occasionally carries a balance. It won’t earn you anything on spending, but for businesses that just need a functional credit line without paying for features they’ll never use, it does the job.
- $0 annual fee (including additional cards)
- Option to lower interest rate to 14.5% with $30 annual fee
- Helps separate business and personal expenses
- No rewards program (no points or cash back)
- Limited insurance coverage
- No travel perks or premium benefits
More business card comparisons
Each card against every other business card we review.
Amex Platinum Business

vs Amex Aeroplan Business Reserve

vs Amex Business Gold

vs BMO CashBack Business Mastercard

vs BMO® Ascend World Elite®* Business Mastercard®*

vs CIBC Aventura® Visa* Card for Business

vs CIBC bizline® Visa* Card

vs Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express® Card

vs National Bank Platinum Business Mastercard

vs Ramp Corporate Card

vs RBC Avion Visa Infinite Business Credit Card

vs RBC® Business Cash Back Mastercard‡

vs Scotia Momentum Business Visa

vs Scotia Momentum® for business No Fee Visa* Card

vs Scotiabank Passport Business

vs TD Business Cash Back Visa* Card

vs TD Business Travel Visa* Card

vs TD® Aeroplan® Visa* Business Card

vs The RBC Avion Visa Business Credit Card

vs WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard® for Business
National Bank Business Mastercard

vs Amex Aeroplan Business Reserve

vs Amex Business Gold

vs BMO CashBack Business Mastercard

vs BMO® Ascend World Elite®* Business Mastercard®*

vs CIBC Aventura® Visa* Card for Business

vs CIBC bizline® Visa* Card

vs Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express® Card

vs National Bank Platinum Business Mastercard

vs Ramp Corporate Card

vs RBC Avion Visa Infinite Business Credit Card

vs RBC® Business Cash Back Mastercard‡

vs Scotia Momentum Business Visa

vs Scotia Momentum® for business No Fee Visa* Card

vs Scotiabank Passport Business

vs TD Business Cash Back Visa* Card

vs TD Business Travel Visa* Card

vs TD® Aeroplan® Visa* Business Card

vs The RBC Avion Visa Business Credit Card

vs WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard® for Business
Legal
Amex Platinum Business
*Terms and conditions apply.
This charge Card has both Due in Full and Flexible Payment Option balances. All Due in Full balances must be paid each month. Interest rate of 30% applies to each delinquent Due in Full charge. The Preferred rate of 21.99% applies to your Flexible Payment Option balance. If you have 2 separate Missed Payments in a 12 month period, the Flexible Payment Option rate for your account will be 25.99%. If you have 3 or more separate Missed Payments in a 12 month period, the Flexible Payment Option rate will be 29.99%. These rates are effective from the day account is opened.
American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, (I/we) may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.
National Bank Business Mastercard
Little details that matter
Customer service or report a lost or stolen card |
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|---|---|
Report fraudulent use by an authorized cardholder |
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Chargeback |
®Mastercard and Mastercard BusinessCard are registered trademarks, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated. Authorized user: National Bank
TM ID Check and Identity Check are trademarks of Mastercard International Inc. Authorized user: National Bank.
1 Subject to credit approval from National Bank.
2 Grace period: No interest will be charged on purchases made during the month, provided the client pays the balance in full within twenty-one (21) days of the statement date. This grace period does not apply to cash advances or balance transfers. Minimum payment: If your account balance is lower than $10, you must pay the entire balance. If you reside in the province of Quebec, your minimum payment will correspond to 2.5% of the credit card account balance plus any overdue payment or $10, whichever amount is higher. If you are a business that chose the corporate responsibility, please refer to the cardholder agreement and account statement. Account statement: A statement is sent monthly.
| Average balance | |
|---|---|---|
Annual interest rate | $500 | $3,000 |
22.99% | $9.45 | $56.69 |
20.99% | $8.63 | $51.76 |
14.5% | $5.96 | $35.75 |
11.7% | $4.81 | $28.85 |
*Variable interest rate in effect on April 24, 2023.
3 Subject to credit approval from National Bank. The total of all amounts transferred cannot exceed $5,000.
4 Certain conditions apply. Visit mastercard.caopens in a new tab for more information. Refer to the credit card terms and conditions.
This content is made available by National Bank and its affiliates for information purposes only. It does not create any legal or contractual obligations for National Bank and its affiliates. The conditions described herein are not exhaustive and are subject to change.
Some of our cards offer a compensation plan in the event of fraud by a cardholder. If necessary, the fraud compensation plan entitles you to a refund limited to the real loss resulting from fraudulent use of the card or account by the cardholder. This plan only applies in the event of fraudulent use by a cardholder who is not also an authorized signatory. The refund amount can be up to $100,000 per account per 12-month period. To use this plan, the company and all authorized signatories must fully collaborate with the Bank and file an official complaint with law enforcement authorities. The application of the fraud protection plan is governed by the conditions set out in section 14 of the credit card agreement. In particular, the plan does not apply if, through negligence, the cardholder contributed to the unauthorized or fraudulent use of the card or account by any person other than a cardholder.
National Bank is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. If you apply and get approved for a National Bank Card, (I/we) may receive compensation from National Bank, which can be in the form of monetary payment.




